I first heard this idea of succor and comfort from beliefs being expounded upon by Lee Kuan Yew. 

I misheard it as sucker comfort. We believe in silly things simply because it helps us make sense of things as they are. Everyone has these beliefs.

Be it for health, wealth, work, personal relations, accidents, good luck, misfortune or anything trivial or of note, belief is a useful construct to fall back on. Be it religion, habits, hobbies, consumption habits. We find comfort in the silly, simple and the profound. 

Lee Kuan Yew defended the beliefs of ethnic Chinese, Malays and Indians based in Singapore against evangelical Christian churches who derided those groups for being superstitious and were seeking greater influence: 

His words: 

You may say superstition. That’s Chinese and Indians gods and the stories are superstition. But they have provided succor and comfort to successive generations for 1000’s of years. Who are you say that your bible is not superstition? 
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Lee Kuan Yew was a rationalist. He didn’t belief in a god or an afterlife (his words). People have a variety of beliefs. Holding on fiercely to them in private. In public, all groups find common ground to build an economy and country. Chineses, Tamils, Malays would learn English. And places of worship would be discreet. And an education and national identity would exist alongside your ethnic identity. 

You did what you have to for public peace, a thriving city and economic prosperity. And Lee Kuan Yew was harsh on any religious tenet that came at the expense of a coherent national identity that could maximise economic potential and social cohesion. 

Back to the topic at hand. I find sucker comfort in trying to get stronger and I made that my work, sole investment and my hobby. Not in religion, language, politics, god, identity, culture, institution or anything that we usually find sucker comfort in. 

It’s the only thing other than family that i can wake up for in the morning at 4 am. To get to the gym every single day regardless of how I feel: tired, ill, under-appreciated, craving for novelty or wanting to be on a quiet, clear beach. Ideally to train but most of the time to coach. 

And it’s absolutely irrational for me to be like this. Clients come and go. Not everyone buys into the cause and understands why it matters. And showing people the science is not enough. 

People who I thought had the genetic gift for lifting and strength would walk away to do little about it. It would anger and baffle me. I’ve learned to mute this feeling. And plug away at making more people into believers. Where they practice what I preach should not matter.

The sucker comfort I find in training is not something everyone can or will find appealing. Nor will the need for it feel obvious. But try to sell it I will. On the gym floor, zoom rooms and beyond.