For me, everything is a fight. There is a Zen statement “If you can do one thing well, you then have the tools to do everything well.” That is why I look at everything as a fight. I know how to do that very well and it gives me the structure to take on just about any other task or handle any issue that comes my way.
A thing I stress with amateur fighters coming up is; don’t worry about winning or losing. Just do better then the last time. In combat sports, amateur competition is all getting better. Amateur titles don’t really mean much to an aspiring pro but can be everything for one who will never venture beyond that level. If you are looking to go pro and make a living thru combat sports, don’t fixate on the score so much and focus on the skills.
I have a young guy who is 0-3 between Kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA. This guy has been training for a number of years but didn’t take it serious until recently. His 0-3 looks really bad on paper but in actuality has been a huge trans formative process. The 1st fight was a train wreck. He was in a bad head space due to personal issues and wasn’t prepared for the roller coaster ride that nerves provide pre fight.
The 2nd fight was a new person. Still a bit nervous, but not the nightmare he was in fight 1. The diet was better, the training was better, and the personal side was much better. It all came into line so that at the end of the fight we had a guy who believed in himself.
After some experience, more training, and continued self improvement – fight 3 was great. Confidence and skill came into the picture and the fight went really well. The decision was a bad one and we now have a guy who is 0-3 but should be 1-2. Whatever, it doesn’t matter because this guy has stepped up his game every single time.
The moral to the story here is along the lines of finding balance so you perform, finding confidence through action, and simply doing better each time then the time before. This is success. It may not be a winning record in the beginning but it is success that will lead to sustainable success going forward.
Don’t use this as an excuse to not care about winning or losing. Losing sucks and should never be accepted as OK. It is a reality that you have to deal with but not be OK with. If you don’t hate losing you don’t have the fire that you need to win. Losing can be fuel for the fire or a weight that drags you down. Fuel the fire and always play to win.
It doesn’t matter what your fight is; school, work, conditioning, BJJ, Muay Thai, MMA, LIFE….. Take on every task or challenge with the intent to be better then the time before. As long as you are moving forward and building on what you did before, you will find success that you can maintain and continue to grow.
There is a time to learn and a time to win. Know your battles. You may lose some along the way but it isn’t about winning every battle, it is about winning the war. Learn from every battle and gain the knowledge and skill necessary to succeed.
Brian Wright
Real Elite