Kai Greene talks and shares his most important factors for muscle growth

QUESTION

What’s the most important factor for muscle growth?

ANSWER

What is it? What’s that thing that certain people have, and others just don’t?

With some people, every time you see them, they’re lost in the work. They can barely say hello, they’re so focused. Then months go by and they’re reaping results. And you’re like, “Hey, excuse me, what did you do?” They become the people you want to talk to, because you think they have the secret. Well, what the hell is it?

Whatever it is, it comes from within. It’s that drive that says, “I want this so bad, I’m going to do everything I can—all day, every day—to get closer and closer to making my dream a reality.” The secret is always part of you. It’s part of all of us.

Anyone can have that drive: It’s not something you have to buy. It’s not somewhere you have to go. It’s not even something you have to do. It’s just something you need to bring out in yourself. You need to find that drive and grow that drive and use that drive to push yourself through every workout and give you the discipline you need to eat right and sleep right and do all the things you need to do to grow day after day, year after year.

The real secret is this: We all possess that secret thing that drives us on. We just need to find it in ourselves, then develop the habits to use it successfully.

QUESTION

Do you keep a log of all your meals and nutrients consumed?

ANSWER

No. There’s something to be said for just doing the damn thing. There are people out there who want to focus on every little detail, every gram of sodium and protein and carbs and whatever. It’s like they want to one-up the professional bodybuilders and say they know more about nutrition than the people onstage. Maybe they do. I’m not where I am because I know more about nutrition than everyone else on the planet. The top bodybuilders onstage are not there because they know more about training science and nutrition than the average person sitting in the audience. A lot of times the difference between the person onstage and the person in the audience is their use of the knowledge. The people onstage have the discipline; they put in the work. So don’t overthink things that shouldn’t be that complicated. Just do the damn thing.

-MORE ABOUT: Kai Greene