Phil Heath: Living in the details, Breaking Olympia, and a connection to a rare disease

Join us as we sit down with Phil Heath, a man whose response was to become a seven-time Mr. Olympia champion, earning him the name "The Gift." Our conversation traverses from his basketball beginnings to the meticulous preparation that carved his place in bodybuilding history. Phil's candor about his high school coach's challenge that sparked his competitive fire serves as a reminder that sometimes our greatest moments of growth are born from adversity.

Exposing the raw vulnerability required of champions, this episode peels back the layers on the psyche of a bodybuilder. You’ll hear how Phil's journey through the Mr. Olympia competition was as much about sculpting his mental resilience as it was about perfecting his physique. He shares how confronting inner demons and adopting an unrelentingly detailed focus can have transformative effects that reach well beyond the gym. We also delve into the power of a strong support system, as Phil recounts the importance of his own, highlighting how vital it is in navigating the treacherous path towards success.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Okay, this is intentional focus on another level. This is like elevated beyond, like this is why you did what you did. Something happened before we hit record that I will never forget for the rest of my life. Welcome back to another episode of the Burn. I am Ben Newman and you know how we do this. Every single week, we're going to bring you a story of an athlete, an entertainer, a celebrity, somebody who has recognized in their life that why and purpose is not enough. There's this underlying burn that ignites your why and purpose, that causes you to show up on the days you don't feel like it and especially after you win. Today we are bringing you one of the greatest athletes, one of the greatest champions to ever walk the face of the earth. And I've said it before, there's no coincidence and things happen at certain times, and you've heard you know whether it be an introduction I make from this person that this individual, yes, he was on the Mental Toughness Forum a couple of years ago, which was absolutely incredible, but little did we know how much we had in common then and little did we know what would happen when we finally connected, when Tim Grover was saying we needed to connect and Frisella was.

Speaker 1: 1:33

I've heard from so many people through the years Ben, you and Phil Heath have finally got to meet. Dr Lyon was like you guys have got to meet, and when we met at the Arnold this year there was a bond that just it was like immediate, like man, like we know each other. And then I'm going to tell you, before we hit the record button today, something happened. You guys know how emotional I am. I may get into tears before we even get started.

Speaker 1: 2:00

I'm going to make you wait on what we're going to share, but something happened before we hit record that I will never forget for the rest of my life and it will forever unite Phil Heath and I at a level that many people will never understand. And I'm going to let you just kind of think like what is he possibly talking about? You just kind of think like what is he possibly talking about? Because there's things that we have to talk about with Phil that are just incredible, that are currently happening with him as a result of the choices he made and how he decided to live his life and how he does live his life. So we're going to get to this special moment he and I have. I am going to make you wait on it, and right now I want to introduce you to my dear friend, phil Heath. Welcome to the burn.

Speaker 2: 2:47

Yes, sir, great to be here, brother, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1: 2:51

I got to tell you. You know you had the. You still do have the nickname, the gift. You know a lot of people like to call you champ Seven time, mr Olympia, but there's so much to your story that people just don't even know. When we met at the Arnold and it was just amazing having that opportunity to finally talk and my son Isaac comes down and we're talking hoop Most people don't look at you and are like wait, he was a D1 hooper. Wait, he hooped with Jamal Crawford in high school. Wait, like he could dunk. I don't even think some people even know where your work ethic, passion, fire, desire came from. And it was on a basketball court. So, phil, this is your mic, this is your floor. I'd love for you to help people understand. Like, where did Phil Heath find that burn that lies inside of him?

Speaker 2: 3:46

Man, I'd probably say early on in life, where I realized competition is everything. Dude Like to compete at something. It's one thing to have a hobby, which is great, but then to see what you're truly made of by competing in it. So it didn't matter if it was playing, you know, hopscotch, it didn't matter. If we're playing checkers, it didn't matter if it was playing you know hopscotch, it didn't matter. If we're playing checkers, it didn't matter if we're playing Nintendo, it didn't matter. Everything became a competition.

Speaker 2: 4:10

And you know, I grew up as an only child in Seattle Washington and, fortunately for me, I was around a few other athletes. One in particular was Nate Burleson and his family was Nate Burleson and his family. He had he was one of four boys, right. So their father played in the NFL and the CFL and I used to go over their house and I was like man, this guy's, you know, buff, and he's always bringing over these big guys and working out, and little did I realize at the time that he had played professional sports and I always wanted to compete with his sons, you know, with Kevin Burleson and with Nate, and we always like who's the fastest, who could shoot the best? You know, playing a hoop. And that was also back in the day where at elementary school, where we all attended who's the fastest, who could do the shuttle run, you know, who could do the flex arm hang, like those president's council of fitness tests. There was no participation ribbons given back then in the 80s and early 90s, like it just wasn't the case and I always wanted to be the best.

Speaker 2: 5:13

I knew that I was short and I remember crying to the doctor, when they bring out the chart, of saying, like this is how tall you're going to be, and I was like, like this is how tall you're going to be. And I was like, oh, there's no one that tall in the NBA. And then here comes Bud Webb, you know, and I'm like, okay, so he can dunk. I'm like, what does it take to dunk? Well, you got to work hard. I was like, well, I'll do whatever it takes.

Speaker 2: 5:41

So I was the kid that would see something, have a limiting belief and then see someone else do it. I was like I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it. It's like that story of Roger Bannister right, you know, with the four minute mile, and once he did it, everybody else could do it. Sometimes you just need to be able to get around somebody else that has done it, and then you visualize it. You just need to be able to get around somebody else that has done it, and then you visualize it and then you go ahead and do it.

Speaker 2: 6:07

And I was never afraid of hard work. And you know, growing up again, I mean it was just I was surrounded by other athletes and I always just thought, man, I want to be the best, I don't want to be lagging behind, I don't want to be second best. The second best sucks, and you know I was fortunate to have strong male role models. You know the coaches be okay with that, like they were all about winning too. Everything was competitive.

Speaker 2: 6:32

My middle school gym teacher still alive. His name is Ron Howard. This man played tight end for the Seahawks and the Dallas Cowboys and had a Super Bowl ring. So imagine being 13 years old and your gym teacher's got a Super Bowl ring and you're looking at everybody's looking at the Super Bowl ring. You know what I'm looking at, ben? I'm looking at his fingers mangled like this Because he played in the 70s man, so his fingers are like this. Well, he would talk and he'd be like so what you got to do? And I thought he was just trying to be like cool, no man, his hands are messed up. So I realized everything comes with a price and that's okay, because he's got the ring.

Speaker 2: 7:26

And I thought I want that. I want to be pro. I want to be pro at something. In fact, when I was interviewed after I got my Division I scholarship, my senior year to the University of Denver, I was interviewed by the Seattle Times and they said you already have high hopes to do something in the hoops. What are your thoughts? And I said well, I don't know about the NBA, but I'm going to be pro at something.

Speaker 2: 7:41

And that was a godsend, man, because I know that I was never afraid of hard work. I was always being competitive at every little thing. Every little thing who could do the fastest this, who could do the best, that, like? That's just what mattered back then and I still think it matters today. And that's what. When I was introduced to bodybuilding, it was the perfect sport for me because it was all about just the effort that I was willing to put forth. You know, you could spot me, but that's not getting the job done. You can encourage me, but I still got to eat those meals. I still have to be willing to do the work when no one else is watching, and that's something I know you preach about all every day.

Speaker 1: 8:20

Oh, we are going to talk about that, but I got to make one more hoop story before we get into that. And breaking Olympia, the Phil Heath story in this amazing documentary that, like you all, better watch it. I'm going to put links to it, clips to it. If you don't want to buy it, I'll buy it for you, like like I didn't rent it, I bought the thing.

Speaker 1: 8:38

I'm like thank you, watch it again I'm like this is my guy, I'm purchasing because I will watch this multiple times over. It's that and it was even better than that. But before we get there, there's one story you shared with me which is really unique, because sometimes I think when I talk about this concept of the burn and people hear my mom's story, they're like I could understand that, like you're, you're fighting to continue to write her story every day and some people have that pain and then other people they're like wow, I've never had anything happen to where I figured out what that burn was and part of your burn. And you shared this amazing story with me about your coach who got mad at you for not dunking the basketball, who lit a fire, and that to me that's part of the burn. Like he helped you find this fire inside of you. You got to tell us that story before we start talking about that seven-time mr olympia body of yours oh man.

Speaker 2: 9:30

So a shout out to coach bethea at rainer beach high school, which you know. They've got a lot of great champions that have come out of there. It's got nine state titles. I mean it's phenomenal. But you know I I eight titles is phenomenal.

Speaker 2: 9:45

But I was always really athletic and my biggest thing, being under six feet, was to jump high and just to get the shot off and I used to lay the ball up or do a floater and it would get blocked and he would get so upset, along with a lot of other people saying, well, why don't you just dunk it? That's all you got to do, phil and I was timid. So he decided to bench me and I'm a starter, I'm like supposed to be the man you know. Like he benched me and I'm like okay, not only did he bench me, he made me run during halftime. I was like, okay, you're embarrassing me now. So of course you know any competitive person that gets embarrassed, they want to get some get back. So I remember stealing the ball from a guy. Instead of going down court and just laying the ball up, I dunked it so freaking hard where the ball like went through and it bounced like super high almost me, you know, and you're like getting back, instead of like pounding your chest and like, yeah, you know, you're like I're like getting back, instead of like pounding your chest and like, yeah, you know, you're like I'm like dead eye, looking at my coach, like see, you know, like F, you, you know, like whatever you know. But then it clicked and he's looking at me like see, I already saw it within you. This is what I had to do to pull it out of you, and now you're able to get a glimpse of what your potential truly is. And now it's your job to say hey, no limitations, never again. And I didn't. In fact, I remember after that moment I thought there's nothing I won't do for this man and I didn't share this with you. Know, moment I thought there's nothing I won't do for this man and I didn't share this with you earlier.

Speaker 2: 11:28

But I remember we had, we had a game my junior season to go to state and I played really, really good in that second half. I think I had like 19, like all threes, just got like six threes and and and one on a three and I hit the free throw but we lost. And then we lost one guy missing assignment and the guy just drained it. I wouldn't even call him crazy, but this is how intentional my coach was with winning. He was so disappointed because of the talent that he had on roster that, as we lost you shake hands and stuff like that he was lying on the floor like in shock, in disbelief, so long that the next teams were doing their layup drills around him.

Speaker 2: 12:21

He goes to the locker room, does the speech. Seniors, you, you know, thank you, everybody else we have, you know, open gym, blah, blah, blah. You know, put your jerseys and throw them in the bag and we'll take care of we'll see you guys in a week. And I remember going up to him and I said and I was the prim and proper kid, but I went up to him and I said, hey, coach, he goes.

Speaker 2: 12:46

What I said? That shit will never happen again. You know. You know I was always raised never to not to curse anyway, but I was like very like with it. I was like no, he needs to know. I said I said that shit will never happen again. And he goes, whatever man. And I remember thinking to myself he's just upset because of what just happened. But I remember making sure that following year we were going to win state and we were going to win it for him, because it's the same guy that believed in us more than we believed in ourselves. And we went 27 and two that year, third on the West Coast and 21st in USA Today National Poll. That year, third on the West Coast and 21st in USA Today National Poll Wow. And the team that we beat Ben was Olympia High School.

Speaker 1: 13:32

No way.

Speaker 2: 13:36

And the number I wore in high school Seven, 22. 22. 22. The number I wore as a competitor in 2011 was 22.

Speaker 1: 13:53

Some things just happen no, hey, like, like I said, like we talked about before we hit record, and then there's no coincidences which, when we share this story later, people are going to know what it means for there to be no coincidences.

Speaker 3: 14:07

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Speaker 1: 14:41

So Breaking Olympia, the Phil Heath story Amy and I are watching. Man, it was like 9.45. I'm halfway through. Everybody knows I wake up so damn early in the morning Like I'm usually out by 9.45. I could not go to bed. Amy's watching with me. She's getting all into it, man. It goes till 10.45. I finished it and Amy's like I can't believe you're up until 1045. I'm like I can't go to bed. Like this story is amazing.

Speaker 1: 15:14

And Phil, where you went emotionally in the documentary, I want to start with find your edge in the details and some things that I pulled out which were amazing, which helped me better understand your mindset and how you did what you did seven times. But then I know there's this whole deeper, passionate level of Phil Heath that wants to help men, women, people in life understand that it's okay to be you, it's okay to be wrong, but it's okay to be authentic man. I've got tears watching the documentary, the partner in the documentary where they pause and we hear your tears with a black screen. Like Phil, this is so deep. This documentary needs to be watched by everybody. How special was it for you for the Rock to approach you, to have this opportunity to finally tell your story. What was that like for you?

Speaker 2: 16:12

It's a dream come true, to be quite honest, because being an athlete and having reporters tell your story is one thing, because they usually have an agenda and sometimes that may not serve. You may just serve their narrative right. And I've been a part of different film projects which in fact did not share who Phil Heath really is. It've been a part of different film projects which in fact did not share who Phil Heath really is. It's just a facade of something else, of what they envisioned a seven time or just a Mr Olympia wanted to be. This was all about what I wanted when I was approached with this project. It had nothing to do with protein shakes and training. It had all to do about me to the core. And once I was able to visit with our director, brett Harvey, I recognized that his intention was to tell a story that's never been told and that's one of extreme vulnerability. So I did the interviews and then I realized my wife and I both we realized that's not good enough. That's only good enough for one audience. This needs to be something that everyone can relate to, and in fact I had stories that I felt like they did, but I never wanted to share them because of the pain, because of the hurt, because of the disappointment and the embarrassment. And then I realized like this will probably be the most therapeutic session I could ever have, by sitting in front of a director and him asking me these deeper questions and just run with it and see what happens. And, you know, give it up to the man upstairs and just run with it, right, and that's where you get to see some really cool moments within the project. And in fact, I felt like there was a great energy. Without me talking about this to the other members of the film, they all collectively gave themselves to it as well, with Jay Cutler, with Ronnie Coleman, with my coach, honey Rambod, who had lost his father during COVID. It was just incredible to see.

Speaker 2: 18:16

You know, we all put a lot into this sport of bodybuilding, but we, you know, we're willing to share our true self, our true emotions on camera, knowing that there could be judgment, because, you know, when you're vulnerable, a lot of people are they refuse to be emotionally available because of the vulnerability being taken advantage of. It can be weaponized and we've all been hurt once or twice in our life. That we're like. You know what? I'm not going to. I'm not going to go there. I'm not going to let you see this, because if I do, you can hurt me and I don't like that. This was like nope. I'm so secure with myself right now, like this is going to help me help somebody else and working in that space of speaking in front of large audiences you know sports teams and one-on-one coaching like how can I pour into anyone else when I don't pour into myself? And that means I have to self audit the hell out of Phil Heath and expose the demons. And breaking Olympia allowed me that opportunity, so I went for it.

Speaker 1: 19:18

It's, it's incredible the, the depths that you go to and the emotion that you show. Um, before we get to that emotional side, I want to attack one thing, because there's something that blew me away when I was watching and I tend to watch things really scrutinized to the details, which I think why you and I get along so well because our brains, like we got these crazy brains, the way we operate and attack the details.

Speaker 1: 19:45

But when you would have a competitor and I want everybody, when you're listening, do you just show up and I talk about this all the time. There's a difference between focus and intentional focus and when I was watching the documentary I realized like man Phil just elevated to a level of intentional focus Like I don't even think I knew existed, like I think I could get better with intentional focus and I'd teach it and talk about it every day. I think I could get better with intentional focus and I'd teach it and talk about it every day. But you would literally not just say I'm competing against Jay Cutler, you would take pictures of your competition. You're marking on their bodies, comparing it to your body. The level of detail that you went to was absolutely amazing, phil, and I can't imagine that there's other people doing what you did from a focus standpoint to attack those details. How much did those details mean to your ability to do what you did seven times?

Speaker 2: 20:45

Oh, thank you so much. It meant everything. Because you know, you have to carry yourself a certain level of humility right and saying look like these are the people who I'm going against and they're champions in their own right and, let's be honest, they don't want to lose either. So what are they not doing? Well, maybe they're doing a self audit, but they're not recognizing the competition. So let me recognize the competition.

Speaker 2: 21:10

So if this guy has a little bit better shoulders than I do or let's say it's the best body part they have and I don't have them it doesn't mean that I'm going to be able to make up that much ground within one calendar year. No, but what are my strengths? Hmm, maybe, if I etch out a little bit more detail here, maybe I create a little bit of roundness here. Maybe by doing that with the shoulders, I can shrink the waist just a quarter of an inch. Because what are most people doing when they train for shows? They want to get bigger. They're just thinking of the scale.

Speaker 2: 21:47

I'm thinking about a certain look. They're just thinking of the scale, I'm thinking about a certain look and I'm thinking about how much more muscle per square inch I can put on this frame. So therefore, you get two people that let's just say they weigh the same and they actually have the same frame. The difference is going to be the muscle per square inch. So if you look at two television screens, both are 60 inches the one that's 1080p, okay, the one that's 4k man, and then you got the 4k oled man. Now you got the ak1.

Speaker 2: 22:20

Oh my god you know like I want to be imax 3d, everything. And that's how I was like, okay, I got to be meticulous about every gram of protein, carbs, fats, sodium, everything. I got to know that in order to become and stay the champ, I have to gamify everything, from the steps on the step mill to how much sleep I'm getting, to what type of sleep I'm getting, to understand what modalities are available, instead of just spending my money on, you know, garbage. Let's make sure this is, this is one for you, ben. So everybody says, oh, you eat steak. I'm like, yeah, I eat steak, I eat fish, I eat chicken.

Speaker 2: 23:09

But I was going through a company that was their farms. You know, oh, free range this, and that I wanted to know how they slaughtered them. Think about that, because if you think about how something is slaughtered, it'll tell you a lot about the quality of the meat or, in fact, the chicken. So if you just cut its heads off, don't you think it's going to tense up? If you do an incision, it's more humane, they bleed out and it's more relaxed.

Speaker 2: 23:46

So then, when you cook it and then you reheat it, it's not tough. So then, when you cook it and then you reheat it, it's not tough. But if you flash freeze it, it'll be okay. But if you just freeze them, it crystallizes. But when you defrost it, what happens? You have like this little juice on the bottom of it, right, and then you throw it on the stove. You just cooked away all the damn nutrients. So I'm thinking about that, and then I take it a step further. Now I want to know where your water source is, and do they fly planes over it? Because the radiation gets in the water source, that gets in the soil. That, then, this is how I think, bro.

Speaker 1: 24:26

Golly, that's what I said. I knew you never told me this stuff and I'm like I knew what I'm like. Ok, this is intentional focus on another level. This is like elevated beyond, like this is why you did what you did and, phil, this is unbelievable and I know there's people listening and the great thing about a podcast is I can't see you shaking your head, being upset about what you are. You aren't doing.

Speaker 1: 24:53

But for Phil and I, just stop doing it, don't trip on anything that's behind you. Phil and I have made so many mistakes and he continues to make mistakes. I make mistakes, but, like, if Phil can do that with the meat that he puts in his body to make sure that the nutrients stay in the meat when you cook the meat, then you could be a little more focused when you say goodnight to your kids. You could be a little more focused when you read the book to not just read it, but to read it. You could be more focused when you cook your food. You could be more focused to actually do your workout. You could be more focused in your work so you don't live with regret.

Speaker 1: 25:25

So, I had to get in. Get that in there, because you've got me hype just thinking about how I could take intentional focus to a whole nother level.

Speaker 2: 25:32

This is unbelievable. No, thank you. And you're absolutely right. You know, I think it's. You know, a person that leaves with great intentions has no regrets, right? A famous person said that, and I think that we all need to continually do that. But then we have to be conscious. We have to be conscious and unfortunately, because of you know, we have laptops, tvs, phones, tablets, noise pulling at us. We think about what a million thoughts a day, how many of those mean anything and how many of those are producing anything. No-transcript. Turn off the radio and take some deep breaths, recognizing my day.

Speaker 2: 26:50

And even if I had the worst freaking day, I am not bringing that home to this woman, these kids but just being that intentional right can make the world of difference, instead of just driving your ass home, getting out of the truck, slamming the door, and then you have what what I call the blank stare, which every man has done at some point in time in their life. Hey, honey, how you doing. I'm fine, fine, fine, hey, dad, fine, hey, hey, hey, that's what comes out of your mouth. You don't know it, but that's what's coming out of your mouth. Nothing of substance, you're just lights on. No one home. That's what you are Because you're not in your freaking body, because you haven't taken any time. So it's not something that I just did my whole life. It's something I had to learn and I fail at that sometimes, but I have to install and re-update.

Speaker 2: 27:47

You know, like, hey, phil, you just did a full press junket for Breaking Olympia. Did you even manage to take your wife out to dinner? And the answer was no. This was just a few days ago and I was tired and this and that, and she'll understand. Yeah, dude, but you know what, man? She deserves that extra gear. So what did I think about all night, phil? You got to have an extra gear just for her. She should not get the worst bit of you after you just gave everything to these photographers and journalists and fans. She deserves that extra gear. There's a reserve fuel box that you have for certain things in your life. She deserves that because she's willing to give. And my wife. You'll see and you saw in the.

Speaker 1: 28:39

I was just going to say she's awesome. I'm not going to give any of it away. You want to talk about sacrifice. You want to talk about I miss making me emotional thinking about this. You want to talk about sacrifice. You want to talk about I miss making me emotional thinking about this. You want to talk about love. You want to talk about two people who supporting each other. There's so much to breaking Olympia that, like people think that they think what they're going to watch, you don't even know what you're going to watch yeah, they're not, and I'm just so and I appreciate that, brother.

Speaker 2: 29:10

Yeah, sheree's everything you know and yeah, but those are those things. It's like we have to carry ourselves with greater understanding of how we show up, how we show up for work versus how we show up at home and vice versa. And you know for I can only speak for men out there you know we have to remind ourselves that we're dealing with a lot of pain and it's how we understand it and how we're able to communicate it in a healthy way. Understand it and how we're able to communicate it in a healthy way, but to get through it, because a lot of the times we're just and I get it top performers, high performers, we all do this. You know you're tucking under, you're tucking under, but at some point in time you're going to have to address it. You got to address it. And if you can put real words to it by sitting in an empty room sometime and just, whether it be journaling, you know, whether it be hiring a coach or a therapist to get these words out and to understand how to communicate.

Speaker 2: 30:10

So when the next obstacle comes, you know how to get through it, because you can't always go over or go under or go around it. Sometimes you've got to get through it. If you really go through it, that means you go through the pain, that means you go through the BS, you go through the disappointment, the everything. It's like Andy Dufresne and freaking Shawshank he had to go through the three football fields of crap to get through to the promised land. Where are you doing that in your life? You don't want to do it because you know that it's going to hurt. You don't want to go through it all because you know it's going to be painful. It's going to unveil some different parts about you. That's not so perfect, but in order to be someone of substance, of high quality, high value, that can pour into other people that you care about, you got to go through it. You can't always go around it.

Speaker 1: 31:00

And your injury that you sustained, which took you through a different level of pain, which opened up a deeper level of emotion, which showed a support from Cherie, even when there was almost resistance to it, which we tend to do as these high charging, high performing individuals.

Speaker 1: 31:19

And you had a career that was like injury free I mean other than free, I mean other than I mean you go back to you know, basketball days, but from when you stop hooping to really this amazing run seven times, mr Olympia, like it was relatively injury free. And then this significant injury, which you guys will see, but I I'd like to discuss before we we talk about this unbelievable coincidence of ours, what was it like going through what you went through, phil, going to that deep place of darkness that you hadn't experienced, which was probably masked by bright lights, a perfect body that you became obsessed with, tweaking every inch. But when you had to go to that dark place, what got you through it? And how important is it for even a champion like you, one of the best to ever walk the face of the earth, doing what you did? How important is it to be transparent, to be vulnerable and to figure out what really goes on in your heart, your mind and your spirit.

Speaker 2: 32:21

It's the greatest superpower that you could find. The minute. You know. For context, if you think of any hero's journey, they all had to be aware of something that was within them see that something is greatly possible through work. Face their own fears, which is really themselves. Face themselves in the mirror, or Luke Skywalker, go through the cave, or Neo in the Matrix, or whatever you want to call it. You got to face yourself. You got to know everything it is about you and then you have to apply it with such relentlessness. You have to be so tenacious that people just get out of the way and if they don't, you show them the door. You move through them. It's move over. Get ran the F over time and you don't care. You move through them. It's move over. Get ran the F over time and you don't care. And you can't always care about.

Speaker 2: 33:27

You know, being promoted to a higher level and over your friends, over your colleagues, you know the circle will get smaller and you have to be happy about that. And it's not for everybody. You know. I would get ready for those shows and I realize like that friendship right there is going to end soon. I can see it, because this person is, this person's been stealing from me man all those years and he doesn't think I know. Okay, this person's been talking behind my back and he doesn't think I know. Okay, this person has been talking behind my back and he don't think I know. Okay, all right, but I still got to go to work, still got to go do my thing. It doesn't matter, I'll handle it. I'll handle it. You know, people come and go, whether it be in the physical form or not, but overall, I just recognize that I have an opportunity.

Speaker 2: 34:27

And once basketball didn't work out and I got into bodybuilding, I had to kind of look back and be like, start laughing, especially during those hard leg days where you're like I can't do no more. You start thinking, yes, you can. What would my future version of self say? He'd say get your ass up and get to work, phil. You got more greatness within you, don't you want to be the champion? And what are you declaring, phil?

Speaker 2: 34:57

So when I won, I said I wanted to win 10 Mr Olympias, and people called me every name in the book, ben, I mean everything, things that I can't even say, but what I can tell you is that that was their own insecurity and I said watch me, watch me do it. And I'm going to do it, with that grim, that grin, that grimace, that Mamba mentality. Look that Jordan smirk, that Ali. Like you know, like whatever you want to call it. I mean I nicknamed myself the freaking dream killer because I'm going to crush your dreams, because you're trying to crush mine, and I'm going to get you first and I'm going to beat you so bad that you'll never want to show up again. And that's how I looked at it. I mean, I was nuts, but I realized that you have to be. You have to be nuts to be so detail-oriented with your body, with every ounce of protein, to every ounce of sleep, to understanding that every modality out there, from hyperbaric to acupuncture, to decompression, to infrared saunas, to like all this stuff collectively.

Speaker 2: 36:06

And this was like 15 years ago, before even anybody knew about this stuff. I was the one going online trying to figure out stuff. I was the one figuring out okay, where? Like who's the best doctor in Denver? Okay, what is this person doing? I'm finding out what other Olympic athletes are doing in colorado springs at the olympic training center.

Speaker 2: 36:24

I'm now trying to get a new sponsorship so I can invest that money into what they're doing, bringing into my house, like that's what it takes, and you gamify everything because I must be on the highest score on that pinball machine. I must be I. And you know what the cool thing about that is is that what do do we do if any old school guys or new school guys that ever go to an arcade go to an arcade? The beautiful thing about it is they always save the highest scores, always, always. So maybe this was all derived from the fact that maybe when I was a kid, going to a pizza joint, you know where the tabletop video games were, or whatever I wanted to have that high score. You know why? Because that meant that every time I would go back to that arcade, I'd stand there and wait to see where I was if I was still in that top 10.

Speaker 2: 37:26

But I always challenge people where are you doing that in your life? Where are you willing to really put it on the line to say, no, I want to be on that reader board. Show the stats If you're in sales and you got a team. Show the stats. Put them out there for everybody to see. Now we know, and now you know why that person got a raise and you didn't. And then you realize what work they had to put in. So I was always about that. I'm still about that.

Speaker 2: 37:54

I'm like freaking fired up right now because I'm like I got to gamify more stuff. I got to get more. I got to gamify more stuff. I got to get more. You know like I have to, because these lights are going to get shut off. Man, I'm not promised tomorrow and I got to know that. I gave it everything because it was required. Man, it's not going to, and it's also been. We already know. Like your plot of land where you're going to be buried, it ain't going to say seven times Mr Olympia on it. It's going to have my full government name on there, but what follows underneath of it is something of value. That is what I'm working for I don't want lies in my obituary. I don't want anyone to have to lie and to sugarcoat something and make me look cool in my obituary. You know what I'm saying? No doubt. Think about how many people probably have been to a funeral and people are like man, he wasn't really like that.

Speaker 1: 38:48

But no, I want people to be like, yeah, no, he was that dude, he wasn't perfect, but he was, yeah, he worked hard and he gave back and he wanted to see everybody win. Because he's won. Yeah, there's a, there's a. It comes out in the documentary. There's this special, deep side of Phil Heath that you guys think you're hearing it now. Everybody needs to watch this documentary and so you can feel it, you can experience it and there's no doubt in my mind that what you will continue to do and I want to be a part of it in connecting you with it just for your story to be told as many times as possible, because there is no doubt, with the strength that lies in you, that came from a lot of pain, that these next chapters will be greater than what people know of Phil Heath, and a lot of that comes from how we choose to live with the days we're given that other people cannot get. And you know I watch and it's such a powerful way for us to finish.

Speaker 1: 39:59

I watched the documentary and I see this relationship that you have with your dad and even this unique picture. I'm going to let people watch it and see it, but just your level of detail of what you saw. It's amazing. But then we see your father passing away and your father dying and obviously I'm sad watching the documentary. You're losing your father and you're trying, with your crazy schedule of competing to get there to see him as often as you can and flying when you don't even have the time to do it. But you're doing it because that's what your heart tells you and that's who you are. Your father passes away and you and I we're just cutting it up before we hit record today and I'm telling you parts of my story and I mentioned how my mom dies from amyloidosis and you put your hand over your face and you look down and I'm like, wait a second. You finally look up and your father died of amyloidosis. And before you share how powerful no coincidences means to you, me almost doing this 20 years, you all who have listened to the podcast, you've heard me do solo episodes talking about my mom and she was only the second woman under 40 years old they'd ever seen or heard of the disease.

Speaker 1: 41:27

And you can give statistics and there's still no cure. But I'm going to give you two stats and then I'm going to turn it over to Phil to talk about the power, how there's no coincidence and how we will forever be tied on a level that I don't think we ever could have possibly expected from Ed saying we needed to meet, and Grover and Dr Lyon, because now it's like a brotherhood that I don't even think people can really understand. Phil is maybe the ninth or tenth person I've ever met in my life who had somebody die from amyloidosis. That was that close to them. Maybe there's a couple handfuls of people who even knew what it was, but like actually somebody who I'm the first person that Phil's ever met who had a loved one who died from amyloidosis that is how rare amyloidosis is. Phil, I don't know what you felt, but there was just this amazing bond you and I'll forever have. I'm still. I mean, it just happened an hour ago. I can't even put it into words.

Speaker 2: 42:28

No, you know you meet people. We met, finally, and you're right, man, you know you meet people and you're like man, we just vibe out. Right, man, like you know, you meet people and you're like man, we just vibe out. And as we were both talking in that gym, it was like we were staring at each other, not sizing each other up, but just the intention. And now I know why. Now I know why Because we were connecting with each other, soul connection.

Speaker 2: 43:02

And to have that, oh, man, brother, I always knew you were my people, man, I always knew that. And to have this you're right, I never met someone, never, Never. And right when you said it. Even now, I'm just like wow.

Speaker 2: 43:36

And for added context, it'll be 10 years tomorrow, march 29th, and it hurts, you know, but through that you realize that there's other people, and I believe that that's what life is about is to find community wherever you can, to be open, to be vulnerable, not to be scared, to be vulnerable because you just might be able to find your people and you're not alone. If you wouldn't have shared that, I wouldn't have shared that right, and you had to be willing to share that and I had to be willing to just listen and I had to be willing to just listen and I'm just thankful. I'm thankful, man. I know our parents are like, yes, because, see, they see things in a much more quantum-filled realm and they knew that it was going to happen. And I'm just glad that it did, because we'll always be tied to that and many other things. So for everyone listening, I mean, it's just remind yourself that life is worth living. Be open to new conversations, but be intentional when you speak to someone, because it is your time to engage or to disengage at some point, you know.

Speaker 2: 45:12

But I tell you what, man, I'm so thankful for you, ben, and wow, I needed this conversation because I still, every year, man, every year it hurts, oh man, it hurts so bad because I wasn't raised by my father and we started making amends and he got to see me compete. Thank God he got to see me win. He got to see me compete. Thank God he got to see me win. But one of my greatest achievements was to know that he was there rooting me on and I was able to capture some of those moments in this film and I and I do know that it will bring a lot of other people closer together through this film.

Speaker 2: 46:06

So I'm just, you made my day, brother, and I love you, man, because you fight, you work your butt off and you fight some more, man, and you just keep going and, you know, have your, your heart, and that's something that I know a lot of men need to. They need to see from us, right, so then they can get through their own stuff. We're all carrying so much weight and I'm over here in tears because I'm like I'm alive and I'm experiencing life and I want people to do the same. I just want everybody to do the same. I don't want them to miss out on this beautiful alchemy of human experience. To just enjoy and to get through this pain the best way you can by connecting with somebody else. Man, get through this pain the best way you can by connecting with somebody else. Oh, man, Phil.

Speaker 1: 47:06

I love you too, brother, and this is the beginning of a very, very strong friendship. And it's going to make me so emotional to say this. And we're going to drop all the links for you guys to see the documentary and all that, but we're going to end the burn differently, because that was really just the mic drop. But you said something, and this is how I want to finish.

Speaker 1: 47:29

You said my tombstone is not going to say seven time Mr Olympia, it's going to have my God-given legal name, and then there's going to be something underneath it and something tells me those words are going to say his greatest strength lied within, and this documentary people are going to see that in you and you alluded to it Coaching and speaking and the things you can do. I meant it when I said it. Because of that strength that lies within you that people are now getting a chance to see, Brother, you are going to win more times. Those 10 Mr Olympias are going to come in another way. These next championships are going to be greater and anything I can do to make that a reality, I'm going to fight for you, brother, because your greatest strength lies from within.

Speaker 2: 48:22

Thank you, brother. Wow, thank you, man. I got to see you dude, like man oh man, god bless you, brother.

Speaker 1: 48:37

People are probably like man, how did these two guys that we didn't expect this to happen take us here and I'm just, I'm so grateful for you, I'm so grateful for everybody listens to the burn and, like I'm telling you right now I'm normally not this straight you all better share this with somebody that you deeply care about, and maybe it's that person where the relationship is broken right now and you want to reengage, or it's that person that you just want to. Just this episode has got to be shared. I love each and every single one of you that spend time with us every single week, and this is this is, if not the most, one of the most special episodes of the burn we have ever had. Phil, I cannot thank you enough.

Speaker 2: 49:15

Thank you for having me and I wish you guys all the best. God bless you all. Thank you.