Dexter Jackson: The Total Destruction of Quitters Day

 

There's a lot of talk about Quitters Day: that second weekend of the year when motivation and enthusiasm for New Year's resolutions completely fade away. That critical moment when the initial New Year euphoria ends, and we have to restart our work, family, and social routines while the excitement for physical activity starts to vanish. Statistically, it's said to be the date when the most people quit their gym memberships after having started just a couple of weeks earlier.

I started training at 16 or 17 years old and haven't stopped in more than three decades. I've been training at a new gym for a couple of weeks now, after almost two years of training at home and nearly five years of training at gyms outside the city. I've trained in many of those gyms they call "old school" or "hardcore" ones, where the floor is broken, the roof is made of tin, the windows have no glass, there are no fans, and there's no hot water in the showers. Oh, and don't even ask about the state of the bathrooms: that's only for the brave.

For me, the character who represents the perfect antithesis of Quitters Day is the 2008 Mr. Olympia, "The Blade" Dexter Jackson.

Personally, I think Jackson possesses one of the most impressive, complete, and aesthetic physiques in the history of bodybuilding. A man who faced giants, was defeated, came back again and again until he finally won the ultimate title.

On his record, Jackson has a total of 21 participations in the Mr. Olympia, a record that only he holds and no one is even close to beating. He competed in his first Mr. Olympia in 1999, at the age of 30. He won the title by defeating Jay Cutler and Phil Heath in 2008, at 39 years old, proving that age is just a number when discipline is unbreakable.

In 2012, Jackson won the Masters Olympia title for competitors over 40 years old. Jackson is the only bodybuilder to have won both categories: Mr. Olympia and Masters Olympia. In 2015, at 46 years old, he nearly reclaimed the title, finishing just behind Phil Heath. He competed in his last Mr. Olympia in 2020, at 51 years old.

Jackson retired, but he did it like no one else in bodybuilding history: with 29 professional wins, another absolute record that seems increasingly unbeatable. What a powerful example for those who want to give up after just two weeks.

If you visit his Instagram, you'll see that at 56 years old (and turning 57 later this year), Jackson is still training like in his prime and maintains an enviable physique.

Sounds good? Well, as if that weren't enough, Jackson holds another unique sporting distinction that no one else has: he is the all time record holder for the Arnold Classic with 5 titles spread over a decade of participation. In 2008, he became the second bodybuilder after the king Ronnie Coleman to win the Arnold Classic and the Mr. Olympia in the same year.

In an ideal world, Jackson would belong to the great elite of bodybuilding alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lee Haney, and Ronnie Coleman. His longevity, consistency, and ability to adapt place him in a category of his own.

Jackson is a clear example that discipline goes much further than motivation. You can lose motivation, but what's important is to keep trying again and again. Our best times sometimes seem to be behind us, or perhaps they are still ahead, we'll only know if we keep moving forward without giving up.

Maybe Jackson only won one Olympia, and he won it on his eighth attempt in the competition. However, he made the Arnold Classic his territory and conquered and defended it like no one else has. He turned what others would consider a "Plan B" into an unstoppable legacy.

Reasons to give up? There are none. Think of Jackson.

Reasons to feel sad on Blue Monday? There are none. Think of Jackson.

When Quitters Day knocks on your door, remember "The Blade": sharp after 21 years on the toughest stage in the world, shining when everyone expected him to rust. Motivation makes us start. Discipline is what makes us come back.