--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I decided to become a bodybuilder, I…" description: "\"When I decided to become a bodybuilder, I actually marked down a date. It was Oct. 8, 2002. The rest is pretty much history. It was an amazing feeling ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/phil-heath-9062_amazing_when-i-decided-to-become-a-bodybuilder-i_1620257.jpg" --- # When I decided to become a bodybuilder, I actually marked… ![“When I decided to become a bodybuilder, I actually marked down a date. It was Oct. 8, 2002. The rest is pretty much history. It was an amazing feeling to know that I had the potential to become a champion.” quote by Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/phil-heath-9062_amazing_when-i-decided-to-become-a-bodybuilder-i_1620257.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/phil-heath-9062_amazing_when-i-decided-to-become-a-bodybuilder-i_1620257.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/68e/phil-heath-9062_amazing_when-i-decided-to-become-a-bodybuilder-i_1620257.jpg) > “When I decided to become a bodybuilder, I actually marked down a date. It was Oct. 8, 2002. The rest is pretty much history. It was an amazing feeling to know that I had the potential to become a champion.” [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Setting a specific start date sparked a transformative journey to champion status. **In simple terms:** Marking a start date launched his champion path. Key Takeaway Set a concrete date to begin transformation. Themes goal setting bodybuilding motivation Mood motivational focused Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - fitness planning - career milestones - personal records Key Concepts psychology performance science Questions to Reflect On - What helped maintain momentum after the date? - How can others set effective start dates? A Different Perspective A single date may not guarantee sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amazing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing/) [Amazing feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amazing-feeling/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Bodybuilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bodybuilder/) [Bodybuilder Actually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bodybuilder-actually-261236/) [Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/champion/) [Decided Bodybuilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided-bodybuilder-261235/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Marked Date](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marked-date-261237/) [Potential Champion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/potential-champion-261238/) [Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest/) ## Related quotes > [I believe that if you're able to eat as much as a bodybuilder is supposed to, you're probably not going to overtrain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-believe-that-if-you-re-able-to-eat-as-much-as-a-bodybuilder-is/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [My first bodybuilding competition was the 2003 NPC Northern Colorado, where I was a light-heavyweight weighing in at 192 lbs. I was very nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/my-first-bodybuilding-competition-was-the-2003-npc-northern-colorado/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [I'm always the guy on tour that tries to get guys chatting and a lot of banter back and forth so I definitely feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-m-always-the-guy-on-tour-that-tries-to-get-guys-chatting-and-a-lot/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [Most pro bodybuilders have bad relationships with their fathers. We want to prove something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ferrigno/most-pro-bodybuilders-have-bad-relationships-with-their-fathers-we/) [Lou Ferrigno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ferrigno/) > [I posed for a gay magazine, which caused much comment. But it doesn't bother me. 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I don't know why or how, but I just knew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-coleman/even-at-the-age-of-12-i-knew-i-had-to-become-a-bodybuilder-i-don-t/) [Ronnie Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-coleman/) > [To feel strong, to walk amongst humans with a tremendous feeling of confidence and superiority is not at all wrong. The sense of superiority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fredrick-hatfield/to-feel-strong-to-walk-amongst-humans-with-a-tremendous-feeling-of/) [Fredrick Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fredrick-hatfield/) > [Prayer and meditation are my inner secret and my outer secret. My muscles are next to nothing compared to the muscles of the professional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/prayer-and-meditation-are-my-inner-secret-and-my-outer-secret-my/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [I believe that true success in bodybuilding nutrition comes from some variety in diet. It allows for more creativity, enables a bodybuilder to enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/i-believe-that-true-success-in-bodybuilding-nutrition-comes-from-some/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [I'm lucky to have parents who used to be bodybuilders! They help me keep fit by going to the gym and training with me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janel-parrish/i-m-lucky-to-have-parents-who-used-to-be-bodybuilders-they-help-me/) [Janel Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janel-parrish/) > [A book has to be easy to open and you don't have to be a bodybuilder to lift it. I like books I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lagerfeld/a-book-has-to-be-easy-to-open-and-you-don-t-have-to-be-a-bodybuilder/) [Karl Lagerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lagerfeld/) > [Gold's was the first bodybuilding gym made for bodybuilders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-gold/gold-s-was-the-first-bodybuilding-gym-made-for-bodybuilders/) [Joe Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-gold/) > [I don't believe in bodybuilders using steroids. If a man doesn't have enough male hormones in his system to create, a nice hard, muscular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-reeves/i-don-t-believe-in-bodybuilders-using-steroids-if-a-man-doesn-t-have/) [Steve Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-reeves/) ## More by Phil Heath > [My first bodybuilding competition was the 2003 NPC Northern Colorado, where I was a light-heavyweight weighing in at 192 lbs. I was very nervous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/my-first-bodybuilding-competition-was-the-2003-npc-northern-colorado/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [My goal every year is to be bigger and better than I was the year before. The competition just keeps getting better, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/my-goal-every-year-is-to-be-bigger-and-better-than-i-was-the-year/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [It's an honour and a privilege to meet people who look at you as their idol , they actually lose weight and gain muscle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/it-s-an-honour-and-a-privilege-to-meet-people-who-look-at-you-as/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [I began bodybuilding shortly after I watched a couple friends compete at a state show and thought it would be cool to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-began-bodybuilding-shortly-after-i-watched-a-couple-friends-compete/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [I'm always the guy on tour that tries to get guys chatting and a lot of banter back and forth so I definitely feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-m-always-the-guy-on-tour-that-tries-to-get-guys-chatting-and-a-lot/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [I grew up as an only child, so I like being by myself. 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Every two hours, I'm usually eating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-eat-seven-if-not-eight-times-a-day-every-two-hours-i-m-usually/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [When I started out in the industry, I turned to magazines like 'Flex' and 'Muscle & Fitness' - the people on their covers were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/when-i-started-out-in-the-industry-i-turned-to-magazines-like-flex/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [I'm not trying to be average.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-m-not-trying-to-be-average/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [You can't be around people who appease you all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/you-can-t-be-around-people-who-appease-you-all-the-time/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [I grew up playing basketball in the inner city of Seattle, and by the time I was a senior, I earned a full scholarship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/i-grew-up-playing-basketball-in-the-inner-city-of-seattle-and-by-the/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [Whatever I put into my body, I want it to be the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/whatever-i-put-into-my-body-i-want-it-to-be-the-best/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) > [If you can get to the gym 4-5 days a week, that would be perfect. You can still do chest/tri's, back/bi's, legs, shoulders, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-heath/if-you-can-get-to-the-gym-4-5-days-a-week-that-would-be-perfect-you/) [Phil Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) [Explore all 75 Phil Heath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-heath/) ## More Amazing quotes > [My favorite galaxy of all is called the Sombrero, NGC 4594. 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