The Thin Line Between Martial Artist and Fighter: You Can Do This
So, this morning I grabbed a pair of pants that I hadn't worn in a long time, and found this ticket stub in the pocket. A few of you may remember this night as the one where I had, by MN standards, one too many Budweisers, or the night where Krista Leigh Olson received her nickname, "DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM!!??"
For me, this night represents a realization. It was a short, seemingly inconsequential sentence uttered by my coach, Chris Cichon, but it had a big impact on me. At the time, in my mind, there was a huge gulf between people like me who just loved martial arts, and people like Krista and Devlin Borders who were on the fight card representing The Cellar Gym that night.
After the fights, we were talking about some of the "fighters" from our gym, and Chris said something along the lines of, "We're going to get you up there too," referring to getting me in the ring. With that simple proclamation, the idea in my mind of having to cross some vast landscape to become a "fighter" was obliterated. The gulf suddenly became a thin line.
So, what is the difference? Sure, there's a level jump in physical dedication to the sport that's required, but what's the true difference? I've got a quote on my desk by Ajarn Greg Nelson where he's talking about belief. It begins, "One of the attributes that separates the good from the great, and even the great from the best is belief, a true confidence that they have what it takes to win EVERY match or fight." Coach Nelson's quote focuses on believing in one's self, and ultimately, once you've become a fighter, it really does come down to you believing in yourself. You're the one fighting after all, and once you're in the ring, the rest really is up to you.
I'd take it a step further though, and say that in order to transition from martial artist to fighter, it takes others believing in you. I would've never been one to think that my skill level was on par with the fighters at the gym. Having someone tell me, "you can do this too," made all the difference.
Surely there's a life lesson here. The importance of having people in your life that believe in you cannot be understated. If you're a mentor to someone, ENCOURAGE them to do things that they may not have the confidence to take on themselves. Encourage your peers and elders as well.
