Even though I saw her for only ten seconds while sitting in an Odessa cafe, she was as close to female perfection that I could lay my eyes on. Her face were nothing short of flawness and her body was in catwalk condition. She could easily slack off in other areas because having a high-octane face and body are enough to get the best men in the world, but she also had long hair that went down to her lower back. I can only imagine how long it took her to maintain it every day. Having a great body, face, and hair is more than enough to get the best men in the world, but she was also wearing 5-inch heels. She also had carefully applied makeup to accentuate her eyes and bring out the thickness of her lips. She also had nails that were long and painted. She also wore an outfit that was feminine, tasteful, and modern. She was the most ravishing woman I’ve ever seen. The man she was there to see must’ve felt proud to have her.

It’s rare to see a girl with a pretty face spend extra time on her body because she will have realized from a young age that her face is good enough to get by. It’s rare to see a handsome man grind out hundreds of approaches to improve his game since his appearance is good enough to get by. It’s rare for a man of high income to spend time on his style since his money is good enough to get by. It’s rare for a bodybuilder to spend an hour a day reading difficult books. It’s rare for an intelligent man to spend time learning what he sees as the pedestrian rules of seduction.

When you start to identify yourself as having a strength, you slack off on another area of your life that could be improved with effort. In aggregate, this means that people are equally balanced out when you account for their entire being. If you line up a hundred men against a wall, less than five of them will be obviously superior. It’s just too much work to push for multiple strengths in different areas or disciplines when having one good strength is enough to get most of what you want out of life.

So why is the Ukrainian girl in Odessa not satisfied with her genetic beauty? Why does she continue to work out, grow her hair, wear uncomfortable shoes, and spend time on style when her face is good enough? Why does she care while back in America a girl hopes to ride a pretty face to the alter at 33 years of age while carrying 20 extra pounds on her frame?

I thought about the Ukrainian girl on and off for three months, not out of a desirous passion to sleep with her, but because I wanted to know why she didn’t stop working on her beauty when she could have easily done so. I could only come to one conclusion: she wanted to be the best. She wanted to be the prettiest girl in Ukraine, and was willing to do everything to make it happen. When other girls stop short of their full potential, content at the drunken male attention or internet dating messages they’re getting, this girl kept going. Her efforts were so strong that a 10-second exposure to her stayed in my mind for months.

She made me look at my own behavior. I have constructed a comfortable lifestyle for myself where sexual, intellectual, monetary, and fitness pursuits are at acceptable levels. My game is good enough to get laid with pretty girls. It would be too much more work to bang 9’s. My body is good enough to look good in a t-shirt. It would be too much more work to get a six pack. My income is good enough to travel. It would be too much more work to double it. I’ve reached a stage in my life where everything is good enough, where I believe most other man would say, “I appreciate all that I have, and going further will just put me past the point of diminishing return.” The Ukrainian girl didn’t have to grow long hair and she didn’t have to wear uncomfortable heels—it only brought an additional 5% of pleasure upon my eyes on top of what she already had, but it was nonetheless inspiring. It was admirable for her to do so in a world full of people who just want to get by.

I know that making a little extra money won’t make me happier. I know banging a prettier girl or selling more books or having a body with 3% less fat won’t change me much. But why not try? Why not try to reach the absolute limit that I can achieve, to be the best possible man with my unique genetic construction? This means I must view all my strengths as weaknesses that need further improvement. I must continue to push for growth, continue to breach my comfort zone, and find ways to stay hungry. I must look in the mirror and not wish to be a happy man, or even a good man, but the best man that I can become, and only rest when I hit a ceiling and can go no further. I want to be a man where someone meets me and thinks, “He could have stopped years ago, but he kept going.” And then maybe it will inspire him to reach the absolute limit of what he himself can achieve as a human being.

Counterpoint: Do Not Eat If You’re Not Hungry