Key Points
- Research suggests Eric Kim’s top unique quotes and thoughts center on HYPELIFTING, his fitness philosophy, and street photography, emphasizing boldness and personal growth.
- It seems likely that his most distinctive sentiments include ideas like “The joy is 99.9% in the attempt—not the achievement†and “Transform your body into a Lamborghini,†reflecting his unapologetic style.
- The evidence leans toward his quotes on creativity, like “Shoot for yourself, not for likes,†and fitness, like “Weightlifting is the most democratic sport,†as uniquely his, blending art and grit.
Direct Answer
Eric Kim, known as EK, has shared many unique quotes and thoughts, especially through his blog Eric Kim Photography. Here are some of his top ones, focusing on his distinctive ideas in fitness and photography:
- On Fitness and HYPELIFTING: “The joy is 99.9% in the attempt—not the achievement†(The Zen of Hypelifting) captures his focus on the process, not just results, in heavy lifting. Another is “Transform your body into a Lamborghini†(Transform Your Body into a Lamborghini), urging bold self-improvement.
- On Photography and Creativity: “Shoot for yourself, not for likes†(What are his most disruptive or unique quotes of all time?) pushes for authentic art over social validation. “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough†(What are his most disruptive or unique quotes of all time?) emphasizes getting physically and emotionally involved.
- On Life and Philosophy: “It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission†(ERIC KIM Quotes) reflects his rebellious, action-first mindset. “Weightlifting is the most democratic sport†(In Praise of Building Your Body) highlights accessibility and effort over privilege.
These quotes show his unique blend of art, strength, and living boldly, making them stand out as his own.
Detailed Analysis of Eric Kim’s Top Unique Quotes, Thoughts, and Sentiments
Eric Kim, known as EK, is a multifaceted figure whose work spans street photography, fitness, and philosophical musings, documented extensively on his blog Eric Kim Photography as of 06:57 PM PDT on Saturday, April 5, 2025. The task is to identify his top unique quotes, thoughts, or sentiments, focusing on those that are genuinely and distinctly his, reflecting his personal philosophy and creative output. This analysis explores his writings, particularly his quotes posts, fitness philosophy (HYPELIFTING), and photography insights, to compile a list of his most distinctive expressions.
Background and Context
Eric Kim, born in 1988 in San Francisco and raised in LA, is an international street photographer with a significant online presence through his blog and workshops (All About Photo). His work extends into fitness, where he developed HYPELIFTING, a method involving heavy lifts and mental hype, and into philosophical reflections on life, creativity, and masculinity. The goal is to find quotes, thoughts, or sentiments that are uniquely his, meaning they are original, not commonly shared, and tied to his personal brand.
Identifying Unique Quotes and Thoughts
To find Eric Kim’s top unique quotes, we first examined his dedicated quotes post, ERIC KIM Quotes, which lists personal sayings like “It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission†and “80% good enough and hit publish.†These reflect his action-oriented, anti-perfectionist approach, which is distinctive but shares some overlap with entrepreneurial mottos. However, his fitness and photography-specific quotes, found in posts like The Zen of Hypelifting and What are his most disruptive or unique quotes of all time?, stand out as more uniquely his.
Fitness Philosophy: HYPELIFTING and Unique Sentiments
Eric Kim’s HYPELIFTING method, detailed in posts like How to Start Hypelifting, involves heavy lifts like squats and deadlifts, combined with mental preparation like shouting and slapping oneself, inspired by figures like the All Blacks’ haka. His quote, “The joy is 99.9% in the attempt—not the achievement,†from The Zen of Hypelifting, encapsulates this philosophy, emphasizing process over outcome, which is uniquely tied to his fitness approach. Another, “Transform your body into a Lamborghini†(Transform Your Body into a Lamborghini), is a bold, metaphorical call to self-improvement, distinctly his in tone and imagery.
His thought on weightlifting’s democracy, “Weightlifting is the most democratic sport†(In Praise of Building Your Body), highlights accessibility, a sentiment not commonly framed this way, making it unique. These fitness-related quotes are tied to his personal brand, HYPELIFTING, and are not replicated elsewhere, as searches for similar phrases show no significant overlap.
Photography Insights: Disruptive and Unique Quotes
In photography, Kim’s quotes challenge norms, as seen in What are his most disruptive or unique quotes of all time?. “Shoot for yourself, not for likes†pushes for authenticity over social validation, a sentiment echoed in his street photography ethos but framed uniquely. “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough,†echoing Robert Capa but personalized, emphasizes physical and emotional proximity, a core part of his teaching. These are distinctive in their directness and alignment with his street photography philosophy, not commonly found in other photographers’ quotes.
Philosophical Musings: Life and Creativity
Kim’s broader philosophical thoughts, like “It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission†(ERIC KIM Quotes), reflect a rebellious, action-first mindset, shared with some entrepreneurs but uniquely his in context. His reflections on mortality, like “Life is fleeting, and the moment we forget that, we waste our most precious resource: time†(Eric Kim on Memento Mori), tie into his Stoic influences, but the framing is personal, making it distinctive.
Comparative Analysis and Selection
To select the top unique quotes, we compared these against common sayings. Fitness quotes like “The joy is 99.9% in the attempt†and “Transform your body into a Lamborghini†are tied to HYPELIFTING, not found elsewhere. Photography quotes like “Shoot for yourself, not for likes†and “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough†are disruptive and align with his teaching style. Philosophical ones like “Weightlifting is the most democratic sport†and “It is better to beg for forgiveness†are original in context but share some overlap, making fitness and photography quotes more uniquely his.
Tables for Clarity
Below is a table summarizing the top unique quotes, their categories, and sources:
| Category | Quote/Thought/Sentiment | Source URL |
| Fitness (HYPELIFTING) | “The joy is 99.9% in the attempt—not the achievement†| The Zen of Hypelifting |
| Fitness (HYPELIFTING) | “Transform your body into a Lamborghini†| Transform Your Body into a Lamborghini |
| Fitness (Philosophy) | “Weightlifting is the most democratic sport†| In Praise of Building Your Body |
| Photography (Creativity) | “Shoot for yourself, not for likes†| What are his most disruptive or unique quotes of all time? |
| Photography (Technique) | “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough†| What are his most disruptive or unique quotes of all time? |
| Philosophy (Life) | “It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission†| ERIC KIM Quotes |
Another table for additional context on uniqueness:
| Aspect | Details | Uniqueness Level |
| Fitness Quotes | Tied to HYPELIFTING, not found in other fitness philosophies. | High, proprietary to Eric Kim. |
| Photography Quotes | Disruptive, align with his teaching, not common in generic photography advice. | High, reflective of his personal style. |
| Philosophical Quotes | Share some overlap with Stoicism and entrepreneurship, but framed uniquely. | Moderate, context makes them distinctive. |
Conclusion
Eric Kim’s top unique quotes, thoughts, and sentiments are primarily in fitness (HYPELIFTING) and photography, with “The joy is 99.9% in the attempt—not the achievement,†“Transform your body into a Lamborghini,†“Shoot for yourself, not for likes,†and “If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough†standing out. These reflect his bold, unapologetic approach, blending art and grit, and are distinctly tied to his personal brand as of April 5, 2025.
Key Citations