At Live Bearded, we believe our life is our fault...

But what does that mean?

It means we are entitled to nothing in life. That it is our responsibility to do better. That we grow through - and learn from - our failures. That we hold ourselves accountable. 

It's been said that humans have 40 million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse. 

And we can't think of a better personification of that than Miles Taylor. 

If you haven't seen the viral clip, Miles Taylor, a powerlifter with cerebral palsy, deadlifted 200 pounds... more than TWICE his body weight!

Miles had the help of his personal trainer and Live Bearded Ambassador, Nicolai Myers. Nicolai is a 200-pound U.S. Strongman National Champion and has been dubbed America's Strongest Veteran. 

We caught up with Nicolai to talk about the viral video, how Miles changed his life and his glorious man mane!

Live Bearded: What were your first impressions when you met Miles?

Nicolai: Well, we’ve been friends since high school so it was pretty organic. I’ve always known he was a super capable dude! I saw it first hand with him loving sports, messing around on the field with a soccer ball or football. He was easily the most popular kid in school so he left an undeniable impression. The fact that he has every reason to be mad at the world and always has a smile on his face says it all...

Live Bearded: You mentioned in a recent media interview the amount of things you've learned from Miles. What are some of those? 

Nicolai: I’ve learned several things from Miles over the years. One of the main things is how limits set by society and medical professionals these days tend to be... well... to be honest they tend to be complete bullshit. He wasn’t ever supposed to walk on his own or run... much less deadlift 200 pounds like a damn boss. How can that not push you to be better as an athlete and a person?! 

The other thing I’ve learned from him is that he has a mean right hook and he likes to throw it when you’re not looking...

Live Bearded: The video of Miles deadlifting twice his body weight exploded, with the likes of J.J. Watt and Arnold Schwarzenegger offering their props and kind words. What was that like? Did you expect it to go viral?

Nicolai: The viral video was definitely not expected. But also not a surprise as to how much everyone loved Miles as a kid. Literally everyone in school loved him. It’s hard not to! He just has a light about him and a really interesting story to go with it. It was awesome to see him get the recognition that I personally think he deserved. I couldn’t have been prouder, whether it be as his coach or best friend. He’s always supported me in my strongman, athletic and military endeavors and was honored to return the favor to be there and help him!

Live Bearded: You have a glorious man mane yourself. What's the best thing someone has said to you about your beard?