So does a lack of preparation.
Which brings me to my point, preparation.
Going from the green belt to the brown belt, my next test. It was going to be a harder test and a longer test. I prepared and prepared and I prepared in real time, meaning I kept my headgear on, mouth guard in, and fought like I was in that test in every class coming up to that brown belt test.
Even in my office, as stupid as it sounds, I was putting my headgear on and doing some of the drills. Preparing as if I was going to be in that test right there on the spot. The key to find a way to win is, your preparation.
Sure, maybe I have some talents, maybe I have some genetic ability, but the real key is preparation. I wrote a blog on this a while ago, where Michael Jordan says, “It’s your preparation that is the key.” He says, “if you don’t prepare, that’s when the doubts start coming in.”
When you under prepare, that’s when the fear starts showing up because you’re going to go to the test, or the game, or the business meeting, or the interview and you haven’t prepared and you get hit. All of a sudden, you lose focus, you lose control and that’s where the problem starts.
Another great quote that I love is from Mike Tyson. Tyson says, “everyone feels tough, until they get hit in the mouth.” It’s so true. You feel like, “Yeah. I got this.” Then you get challenged and the next thing you know, you are totally doubting yourself.
The whole key to finding way to win is to prepare, study, and plan. I love the stories of Tom Brady and Kobe Bryant, where they win a championship and the next day they’re going back to the gym. It’s crazy stuff. Maybe we’re not going to be at their level, but understand, wherever you are, in your business, in your job, with your family, with your friends, when you’re working out; whatever you’re going for, it’s your preparation that is the key.
If you’ll find the way to prepare, I promise you, you will find the way to win.