PMA….
That’s what separates those that succeed at the top from those that are just kind of ehhh. Everyone handles winning just fine, everyone wants to believe they have what it takes to pull off a victory.
What about when you are down by points, or your competition seems to have an edge on you?
I’m going to bring it a little closer to home, what about your training partner? You have been training together for a while and one day he seems to be on point with his technique or his conditioning while you are slacking, running out of gas, tired, dropping your hands, getting hit with shots you normally wouldn’t get caught with.
You start to ask yourself, has he been training more than me, is he doing two a day training sessions? Is he running further than me or sparring more than I am?
Or you lose 3 fights in a row, or lose anything that you do 3 times in a row.
You will start to doubt your own abilities in these moments. These are the little moments that separate us. That separates the competitors you see at the top. You see their videos, you’re watching them on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook.
Their training is no different than yours or what we do at the gym. They Run, hit pads, spar, clinch etc…the same as you.
But where the difference stands, is how they handle the moments of adversity. However, there are things going on behind the scenes that you don’t see. They are human just like you: wives, girlfriends, sometimes working a fulltime job while training for fighting on the side. These are real stresses that everyone deals with. It’s how you answer those situations that makes the difference.
So what’s PMA you ask? Positive Mental Attitude. Now let’s get something clear. I’m not saying everything in life is all sunshine and rainbows, cause it’s not! But here’s where the difference is. Are you willing to grind out those tough moments – eat dirt, get a few scratches, be willing to face humility?
I will bring it even a little closer to home. What about when you are trying to lose weight? You tell all of your family and maybe friends too. Then what happens at a dinner party? Your friends are saying to come on just one piece of cake, one piece of bread won’t hurt you. How do you handle those moments? Do you cave in or are you going to stand strong? If you struggle, will you not be down on yourself just because of a little setback?
The only one who can answer those questions is you. Yeah you say yes in your head while sitting at your computer reading this or on your phone. But those moments are what separates everyone.
I’ve experienced those moments, had 3 and 4 losses in a row, had family and friends wanting me to eat whatever. Getting knocked down in training and thinking to myself when I left the gym that day, is this what I really want to do?
I’m still here, so either I have a thick skull or I’m too dumb to realize when to quit. ; )
It’s PMA, no matter what is going on there is always something positive no matter how bad it may seem at the moment.
You want to be on top of your game, get ready to eat dirt – and a lot of it! Focus on the positive outcome and you will get there.
As always, train hard, be a beast!