Today was my first competitive fight (amateur kickboxing). I won in the first round by TKO. Here is why it was a good experience for me:

Test of discipline: I order to prepare for the fight I trained 3-4 times a week. I almost entirely quit drinking during that time, and for the last two weeks I cut sugar out of my diet almost entirely. This was difficult because there were times (quite often) where I didn't want to go to the gym, or try to improve myself, but the thought of my opponent improving while I slacked off kept me from missing practice.

It was also very difficult for me to cut sugar and alcohol out of my diet, but I thought of all of the work I was putting into my training and the idea of throwing it away for a drink or a sweet treat just wasn't worth it.

Overall this experience helped me build and test my discipline for future endeavors and challenges.

 

Introspection: A large portion of my training required me to appraise my skills honestly. I had to examine where I was deficient, and seek to improve myself. I didn't have the luxury to inflate my ego because doing so would have costed me the match. I had to look at myself in the mirror many times then honestly and humbly tell myself I am lacking in a certain area - then make a determined effort to improve said areas.

This was hard, because I received a lot of criticism while I was training from both my coaches and peers. I had to put my pride away and listen to what they had to say.

This was good for me because learning to take criticism is an invaluable skill. Sometimes other people really do know better than we do and being able to listen to what they have to say and learn from it will take us further than remaining prideful and ignorant. In the future I believe I will be able to take criticism more effectively, and look at myself honestly while working towards self improvement.

 

Planning: Another significant factor was planning for the fight. I had to come up with a strategy, look into the future, anticipate problems, and adapt to changing circumstances. I built my game-plan with careful feedback from my coaches and sparring partners, along with a hefty amount of introspection. During the fight I really didn't have time to think about anything, so I ended up using what I had rehearsed the most. I didn't come into the ring expecting to wing it. I had a rehearsed plan, and I executed it more or less the way I wanted to.

Planning for the fight was a challenge, as an amateur I still have a lot of weaknesses as a fighter. I had to think of the best way to maximize my strengths and minimize my weaknesses. I also had to anticipate problems I might encounter, and have a way to overcome them. I did encounter problems in the fight due to my weaknesses, but because I had a solid plan I was able to work around them for a win.

 

Handling Stress: Doing something, and doing something under stress are two much very different things. It's the same reason people don't like speaking in public, or get stage fright when giving a performance (you could include approach anxiety in this list). Being able to perform under stress is an invaluable skill that one can't really describe the importance until you fuck something up from being stressed out.

This was a benefit to me, each time I accomplish something difficult, I am already one step closer to accomplishing my next goal. I constantly put myself under pressure so I can thrive, and grow as a man.

 

Frame: One of the main reasons I joined an MMA gym was because I was an arrogant asshole and I needed to humble myself. Part of the reason I was so arrogant was because I felt like I had something to prove, and I was trying to prove it in the wrong places. Instead of being an asshole to those around me, I was able to challenge myself in an appropriate situation, at an appropriate level.

This is a personal victory for me because now that I have tested my skills against an opponent of similar strength, size, and skill as me, I don't feel the need to prove myself to others. I am confident in my skills and it makes no difference what some asshole trying to get under my skin thinks of me. I think this is the real difference between true confidence, and arrogance.

 

Last Thoughts: It felt great to get in that ring and beat the shit out of that guy. I was ecstatic to fight, and even more so to win. It was a healthy challenge for me, and I think It was one of the things I needed to mature and grow as a person. It take balls to step into a ring and fight, but it takes a lot more to win. It wasn't just a win for my record, but also an affirmation of my believes and methods for self improvement.

This post might come off as posturing or humble bragging, which isn't my intent. I hope to share a positive experience in my life, and maybe more of us here at TRP can benefit from something like a competitive fight.