This past weekend I watched UFC 140.
It was a great series of fights, matching some of the best martial artists the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has ever known. I am continually astonished by the skill these men have developed from years of hard work and training.
I was impressed by one challenger in particular whose opponent had a clear physical advantage over him. He was taller, stronger, and his reach was a full 10 inches longer than the smaller man. In the world of Ultimate Fighting, that is the kind of contrast that can get someone hurt.
Nonetheless, they squared off, but the smaller opponent had a fantastic game plan.
He knew he couldn’t win if he stood in front of his rival and traded punches. The difference in their arm lengths was too great an obstacle at that distance. So he kept moving around the octagon, staying far enough away to avoid being hurt.
Then at varying points, he would see a weakness in the bigger man’s defenses and attack viciously with punches, kicks, knees, and elbows. He was so fast that you might’ve missed the barrage if you blinked.
And it was a very effective strategy.
The commentators said that with all the fighters this bigger man had fought and beaten (some of the best in the sport), that no one had ever done this kind of damage to him. It was a brilliant plan.
The Weaknesses in our Defense
We all have to be like Ultimate Fighters.
We all have weaknesses that need to be overcome in order to live an abundant life. If we don’t, those weaknesses will provide the perfect opportunity for destructive influences to beat us down.
Our destructive influences can be:
- Fear
- Anger
- Sorrow
- A nutritionally deficient diet
- Negative thinking
- Inactivity
- Drug dependence
- Or a hundred other things
You know what they are. They are referred to as our “demons” and we fight them every day.
We developed these problems and bad habits because of our weaknesses physically, mentally, and emotionally. The longer we allow them to remain, the larger the “holes” in our defenses become.
Next thing you know, we’re getting strategically dismantled in every area of life.
There is one thing you must understand, though, about becoming an ultimate figher: You cannot defeat your demons overnight.
How do these men become some of the best martial artists in the world? They practice, every day, without fail. Some days are very hard. They bleed, sweat, and get hurt. Do they quit when they make a mistake? No, they train harder and in new ways.
They systematically close those gaps until they have eliminated every possible vulnerability. Why?
Because they want to win. They want to be the best they can be. They want to be champions.
How To Be An Ultimate Fighter
Do you want to be a champion in your health, life, and relationships? Then you have to train, every day, regardless of how you feel, what’s going on, or how many mistakes you’ve made. You have to keep your goals in mind and pursue them relentlessly.
Those that don’t take their training seriously will never triumph. You can want it with every ounce of your being, but if you don’t do the work, you won’t get the results.
I have said this many times before: It’s later than you think.
Start now, and never stop.
Become an Ultimate Fighter.
