In the ISV, we translated the word didaktikon in 1 Tim. 3:2 not as "able to teach," but rather as "teachable." The lexicons show both meanings, but we felt the latter was intended here, especially when you consider that ALL of the other qualifications to be an overseer had to do with character qualities, not skills or aptitudes.
Now, I'd like to apply this to strength training. I think a major reason why so many lifters are killing their gains is their ego. It's their arrogance. It's people thinking they know everything. It's the guy who's been in the sport for maybe 6 months and all of a sudden knows everything. Now they're a guru. You know, I'm 73 years old. I've taught Greek for 50 years. I study very intensely all the time. Greek is what I do for a living. But I'm not even close to knowing everything. I'm not even a 1 out of 10 in my mind. There's always more to study and learn.
Friend, keep learning a priority for yourself. When you're at the point of saying, "Okay, I know everything, I'm the expert, I know more than anyone else," that's a very dangerous place to be. That's when you're not going to get any better, be it in your Greek studies or in your strength training.
If you want to continue to make gains and get better and progress and eventually reach the top of your genetic ceiling as a bodybuilder, you're going to have to keep an open mind. You're going to have to read and study and think and rethink. You're going to have to listen to people in the field who are credible. Not all of them are, of course, but still there are great sources of information. Find people who know more than you do. Follow them, keep learning, and keep experimenting.
The thing I think I've done fairly well over my career is I love to grow and learn. So I've been able to find a lot of things that work well both as a Greek student and as an athlete. And not only have I found that they work well for me, they've worked well for others. I want you to have that inquisitive mind where you're always trying to learn, always trying different things. I think if you do that it keeps you fresh. It gives you energy. It will keep those gains coming.
So let's make sure we push the arrogance aside and ego to the side and keep learning!