Perspectives: Don't Fight Until You're Strong
"And if you think tough men are dangerous, wait until you see what weak men are capable of" - Dr Jordan Peterson
I've always admired combat.
When I was younger, I would sit down for hours watching old Jet Li movies where he was basically a one man army beating the living shit out of a million bad guys.
Naturally, I also enjoy combat sports like boxing, MMA and fencing.
The idea that a man can use his body as a weapon is truly amazing to me.
The thing about fighting though is that it is incredibly dangerous. Whenever you engage in combat, you run the risk of injury and even death. Both to you and your opponent.
It's definitely not roses and sunshine.
When fighters step into the ring, they know they’re putting themselves in considerable danger. To prepare for a fight, they need to undergo training that is mentally and physically demanding. And even then, there is no guarantee that they will win.
The landscape is difficult. The terrain is unforgiving. Every other fighter wants the exact same title and is training just as hard or even harder in order to get it.
Many have gotten life changing injuries. Many have even died in pursuit of the glory and recognition that comes with winning.
It isn't a game for little boys. It is war! and only the strongest will survive - and even they need a bit of luck
War and The Nature of Competition
War is a state of intense ( armed ) conflict between different countries or different groups.
Wars are often fought because two sides want the same things but can't agree on a way to share it. Wars are also fought when both parties have conflicting ideologies that they just can't reconcile.
One thing that most people can agree on is that war can get very ugly very fast.
When a nation decides to go to war, it's already guaranteed that thousands of people will die, families will be displaced, businesses will crash and the experience of that nation will change forever.
Competition is very similar to war. As far as I'm concerned, it's one and the same.
Competition is defined as the activity or condition of striving to gain something by defeating or establishing superiority over others.
Sounds like war to me.
As far as you want something that someone else also wants for themselves, as far as you strongly uphold an ideology that others want to tear down, you are at war.
In that sense, life as a man is constant, never-ending war. Especially if you are ambitious. Especially if you dare to dream.
A hundred other men want the same woman you want.
A thousand other people applied for the same job you want.
There is only one of that perfect apartment in the city that you dream of, and a thousand other people want it as well.
You Are The Edge
In a zero sum world, you will quickly realize that no one is coming to save you. They are way too busy fighting their own battles and chasing their dreams to prioritize your success over theirs.
If you've ever wanted something, I want you to quickly realize that it's up to you to take it.
If you sit silently, waiting for some miracle of chance to deliver your dreams to you, then I can almost guarantee that you will end up disappointed.
It's all up to you
You are both the sword and the wielder. You are the very tool that will elevate your life. You are also the only person that can properly wield that tool.
You have to internalize that.
God has bestowed you with a great power. He has also burdened you with the responsibility to direct that power.
You have to understand that. You have to put your tools to work.
Why You Should Train
The way that you make people resilient is by voluntarily exposing them to things that they are afraid of and that makes them uncomfortable - Dr Jordan Peterson
Just like the sword-smith sits down for hours in front of the blazing fire to sharpen his blades, you have to set out time to build your body and become strong.
Just like the carpenter oils and polishes his tools, you too have to edify your mind by reading and meditating.
You need to not only keep yourself alive, you need to continue to refine yourself, to make yourself more capable so that you can thrive.
Because it's all up to you.
Because in a world where war and conflict are GUARANTEED, it is wise to always be prepared for war.
It is wise to condition your body before engaging in physical competitions.
It is wise to make a habit of studying long before writing your exams.
It is wise to research your prospects before your first meeting with them.
Even 5 minutes of preparation beats no preparation at all. Yet, you can never be too prepared.
That is why you have to train always. Every single day. No excuses
There is always a battle somewhere in your future that you could be better prepared for.
Choose Your Battles
Sometimes it doesn't matter how hard you train. You are destined to lose some fights, and that's okay. The truth is that no matter how much we prepare, we will always encounter the world in a state of deficiency.
At the end of the day, you have to be wise enough to know when to fight and when to take a step back.
Combat sports like boxing feature weight classes for a reason. It doesn't matter how much a 60 kilogram man trains everyday. When he goes up against a 120 kilogram giant (who also trains), he will definitely go home with quite some trauma. If he even survives in the first place.
The problem with fighting from a place of weakness is that you increase your exposure to the ultimate risk in that conflict. That is not wise at all.
Several problems I've faced in my life have happened as a result of me trying to punch above my weight class.
Which is why I know that you should expose yourself to risk, danger and challenges in order to grow.
But you should never expose yourself to ruin.
You only have one life right?
"Right Now" is hardly ever the best time to fight.
Test Yourself
So what should you do then in this zero sum world? You aren't sure if you are strong enough to compete. But you've been training non stop in pursuit of your goals.
The answer is you need to test yourself.
Between training and the actual competition. You need to organize a deliberate test to understand just how ready you are.
Students write mock tests before writing National tests.
Fighters spar with each other at the gym before they head to the ring for the main event.
Before my last stage presentation, I gave 4 mock presentations to increasingly larger audiences.
You need to deliberately expose yourself to increasing levels of hardship and pain so you can beat your chest and say "I am that guy", "I did that shit".
For a test to be effective, it needs to do two things;
It has to closely mimic the conditions in a real competition. If you are not sweating the way you would in the real situation, then it's not a good test.
There needs to be a way for you to get clear, fast feedback from the tests. You need to be able to quickly identify your strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement from the results of the test.
The World Is Yours If You Are Willing To Take It
There has never been an easier time in history to get every single thing you ever wanted.
There has also never been a time in history where people were this distracted. Most people don't even have the attention span to even fathom committing wholeheartedly to something for more than 5 minutes.
Most people are weak and comfortable because it's very easy to fall into that category.
They will "try their best" and fail and they will curse the world for not handing their dreams to them on a silver platter.
They will resent you for prioritizing yourself over them.
They will fight from a place of weakness and give up bitterly without even stopping to consider that they might be able to get even a little stronger or more capable.
Do not be that person.
Do not fight from a place of weakness.
Do not resent competition.
Instead, preserve yourself. Retreat deep into the mountains to a place where you will be free and focused to train and prepare.
Test yourself against increasingly difficult obstacles and steeper peaks. Do not stop until you are a feared competitor in any realm of human endeavor and even then, keep getting stronger.
The world is yours if you are willing to take it. So get to training.
Don't fight until you're strong
Love,
Udoka
