When I’m not working as a product manager I am a professional MMA fighter. Last Friday (5/10/19) I learned a valuable lesson in the cage.
The thing about mixed martial arts and most combat sports it’s about controlling moments. In a fight there are several moments. Some moments you control and other moments you work to control. The fighter who can control the most moments typically win the fight.
Last Friday I was the underdog fighting the number 1 guy in the organization. The fight started with both of us trying to take control. We went back and forth until I took the advantage. I hit my opens with a left hand that stung him. He took a shot and I sunk in a choke. It was tight from there I took over each moment. My opponent was left to react to my moments. However that all changed in an instant.
At one point my opponent reversed the position but knowing the round would be over soon I figured I would just wait until the round was over or until I heard the 10 seconds left mark and would get out of the position.
As I was just holding on to my opponent waiting for the round to be over my opponent was getting to work. He began crawling up my body and started to sneak in a choke. Before I knew it I lost the fight.
I got complacent. I thought I had done enough to win the round. I decided I would take a break while in a bad position instead of fighting. In that moment I lost. It was not the
moment of the actual choke. The moment I became complacent in a bad spot it was only a matter of time.
Now I am forever going to be a highlight reel finish for my opponent. It was only a matter or hours before the ending of my fight reached over 50k views on the internet. But that is okay because the lesson I learned from this fight will be invaluable to me.
The longer we are complacent the harder it becomes to control the subsequent moments that follow.
Don’t become complacent. Do not take a break in a bad position. Fight until you are out of that position. If you are not in control of the moment do not stop. Don’t allow yourself to be complacent in life.
If you are running a business do not ever think you have earned enough or done enough to get by. The second you allow yourself to be complacent in your business your competitors will begin to take over.
If you are in a spot in life where you have not reached your goals or you are not where you want to be in life keep fighting. Take it moment by moment. When you get tired do not allow yourself to coast. Recover when you are in a spot to recover.
Don’t be complacent. Don’t end up on someone else’s highlight reel.
Westin Wilson 