M3:D89 Selfish?

What's on my mind today?
I got in a rather heated discussion today with someone close to me regarding this blog and my daily accountability pictures.  I was told that by doing this I am being selfish and everything is about me.  I was told that anyone who takes pictures of themself and worries about how they look is selfish.  I was really hurt by the comments, more than the person realizes, that is for sure.

I wonder how it is selfish to take daily progress photos?  I wonder why it is selfish to be living a healthy lifestyle?  I wonder what it is about wanting to get in good physical shape that is selfish?

I can hear alot of you already saying “They just don't understand what we do” but I am not willing to just accept that as an answer.  Whether you understand what we do or not, it is pretty harsh to call someone selfish for taking daily pictures.  The daily pictures I take involve nobody but myself. I have a tripod and I use it for the purpose of taking my pictures.  I don't interfere with anyone else's plans to take my pictures.  I don't insist that anyone else get involved with my picture taking.  I do my pictures when it is the most convenient.  I do them to track my progress and to be accountable.  By posting the pictures, I am not proclaiming how great I look or anything vain like that, I am merely saying “Here I am, hold me accountable for my actions.” 

The pictures tell the real story.  Anyone can sit behind a blog and claim to be doing great things and claim to be sticking to their plans, but the pictures won't allow you to hide.  If you are not doing the work you claim to be doing the pictures reveal that to the world.  The pictures are part of the checks and balances that go along with getting into good shape. 

When listening to how selfish I am, it brought me back to M340 Powerful Reasons Why and that got me thinking about each of those reasons.  Are they selfish reasons?  Yes, some of my PRWs are selfish, but alot are not.  I am reprinting them along with some commentary:

1. I want to win a bodybuilding competition in my age division (selfish)
2. I want to reshape my body (selfish)
3. I want to be healthier overall (not seslfish)
4. I want to lower my chances of heart attack, diabetes and stroke–all things that run in my family. (not selfish)
5. I want to prove every naysayer wrong–all the people who told me after my back surgery that I would never be able to lift again. (selfish)
6. I want my family to be proud of me. (not selfish)
7. I want to feel good about myself (selfish)
8. I want to be in the best shape of my life (selfish)
9. I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror and smile (selfish)
10. I want muscles (selfish)
11. I want to be around for many years to come (not selfish)
12. I want to be strong (selfish)
13. I want people to take notice when I take my shirt off (selfish)
14. I want to be appealing to those that matter (not selfish)

    
So alot of my reasons are definitely selfish, but alot are not.  9 out of 14 are selfish reasons, but is there anything wrong with finding motivation from selfish reasons?  Is the act of taking daily photos selfish?  Is wanting to be in the best shape I've ever been in such a bad thing?

Why do people feel the need to disregard an accountability blog like this?  Why don't they take the time to understand the reasons behind it before they bash it?

Selfish?  Not selfish?  I don't know, but I do know my feelings are deeply hurt by the comments that were made in that regard.

Mission 1, Day 89: Ratcheting up the accountability!

Until tomorrow…GET BACK TO LIFTING!