Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Otule.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My story starts out after I graduated college. I was very very skinny and I wanted to put on some size. So, I did what any normal person would do, hit the weights. Once I found a coach that was tough enough on me and would teach me things I didn’t know, it was game time. After a couple of years, I started to put on muscle mass pretty fast, which lead people to ask If I ever considered competing in bodybuilding competitions.
I told my coach at the time and we went to our first show. I feel like that’s when things changed for me. I saw how confident it made everyone feel whether on stage or in person. I saw how open and willing everyone was with tips and tricks on the competition lifestyle. I saw how comfortable everyone was knowing that they are in a place of like-minded people. It was a beautiful community that I couldn’t wait to be a part of.
From there, I went on to win a couple of competitions awarding me the prestigious award of an IFBB Pro Card. This award usually comes with sponsorships, a wider audience, and a chance to compete at Olympia. (the Olympics of bodybuilding) During my journey, I wanted to make sure I was open about my ups and downs and began putting them on social media, which helped me gain a loyal audience that continues to grow today. With this platform I have created for myself I don’t want to only share my experience, but I want to use this platform in different ways as I don’t want to be placed in a box. I feel as humans we are built to have many talents. Some of the talents that I share on my platform, or will be sharing in the near future are:
– Mental Health advice as I consider myself a Mental Health Advocate in training taking classes to help guide others to a healthier version of themselves.
– Starting a Health and wellness podcast discussing all things on mental, physical, and spiritual health.
– Also, in collaboration with brands that I feel help push the agenda of building a better version of oneself.
And that’s just to name a few that I have up my sleeve. After coming out of depression in 2017, I realized that there is way more to life that needs to be explored, celebrated, and cherished. I just want to bring everyone who is willing along the way. You may learn something!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Like with anything, we work so hard to get, there were definitely some ups that I’ve celebrated and taken in, but there were definitely some downs that almost took me out of focus. Isn’t that what life is about? Learning from your ups and downs and never letting them take you off the road to your goals. Some of the challenges I’ve faced are finding the motivation to keep going, finding friends that fully understand what I’m going through, and finding time to do everything that I want to do.
Most recently, I’ve been bit by the self-doubt bug. Worrying if I’m doing enough, or If I am even on the right path. Am I worthy of such dreams and aspirations I have for myself? And to that I say, besides talking to someone you are comfortable with or even a therapist, take it one day at a time, one task at a time. I harass my mentor with these thoughts and he reminds me that I need to break down my main objective into digestible tasks that will eventually get me to my ultimate goal. I must say, it works wonders!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I like to tell people “I am a Senior Business Analyst by day and a Renaissance Bodybuilder by night!” At first glance, one would think I am a football player or a trainer. Unfortunately, I’m neither. Though I don’t have the patience it takes to train people, I am very good at giving out advice and tips and tricks so that people could use that to help them along their own journeys. I am most proud of how I am still discovering what motivates me to get up every day and spread peace. Whether that be through bodybuilding, advocacy, a podcast, or soon to be movie reviews. I want to make sure people know that they can be a master of many talents and still make an impact in the world.
What does success mean to you?
I define success as true happiness and peace in whatever drives you.
Contact Info:
- Email: michael.otule@gmail.com
- Website: https://linktr.ee/Mikeotule
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/otulefitness/?hl=en
Image Credits:
Noel Daganta
Elvis Piedra
