Fighting for Success: Lessons from the Cage Applied to Life

Fighting for Success: Lessons from the Cage Applied to Life
(Article first appeared in MMA Authority Magazine)

By Dr. Randy Borum

Today’s mixed martial artist has become an icon of the modern gladiator. For centuries, combatant athletes and their sports have captivated the public’s interest. The events are exciting, of course, but the fighters themselves symbolize the virtue of an indomitable spirit. The mindset and character traits possessed by successful fighters can cultivate achievement in other areas of life as well.

Think about that project you have to manage, the deadline or quota you have to meet, or the critical presentation you have to deliver at work. Each of these tasks requires preparation, planning and personal readiness. You will probably encounter glitches and obstacles that you will have to overcole. Success is your ultimate goal. This is all true for fighters as well.

In this article, we will look through the eyes of a fighter to find out what it takes to succeed in whatever you do.

Make a Game Plan:

Chinese general and military strategist Sun-Tzu said: “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.” Planning and preparation are the cornerstones of success in nearly any endeavor. Great fighters set goals for themselves to guide their training. Each goal is embedded in a larger overall training plan. Goals give a competitor something specific to strive for. Research shows that having a specific aim enhances performance beyond what you get with an unfocused, but still “go hard” attitude.

Effective goals are driven by your motivation Proper motivation provides your will to win… or to succeed. Whether you are a fighter or a businessperson, you have to understand what drives you if you are going to excel. It’s not enough just to want it, you have to be able to tap into a source of inner strength that will propel you in the direction you want to go.

Human motivation can be complex. We are drawn – simultaneously - to strive to achieve and attain our desired outcomes, while avoiding undesirable outcomes. Our driving motivations may come from within - like feelings of accomplishment or fun – or come from outside- like money or praise. Psychologists often refer to the internal motivators as intrinsic and the outside motivators as extrinsic. The top achievers in nearly every endeavor – even if they desire and receive fame and fortune – also possess a high degree of intrinsic motivation. They have the “fire in the belly.”

Ask yourself when it is that you feel most successful in what you do. What gives you the greatest feeling of joy, pride or satisfaction? What kinds of experiences make you say to yourself: “I love this stuff”?

When you understand your motivation, think about your short and long-term objectives. Think about where you want to be in your chosen field one year from now. Then chart a course – marked by a set of short-term goals – to make it happen. You may, for example, want to increase your sales volume by 10% each month for four months before asking for a raise.

A popular formula used for effective goal-setting in business and in sports in the SMART model. This suggests that your goals should be:

- Specific – because studies show that specific goals exert a greater effect on motivation and are more likely to be achieved. A specific goal might consider a time frame, units of change or other particular elements of task-related behavior.

- Measurable – because you should have a way to judge whether or not you goal has been achieved. Think about what it will look like when you meet your goal, then write it down and use that written description as your measure of success. You should also state your goal positively, stating what you WILL do, not what you WON’T do. Telling yourself what not to do almost never works.

- Attainable – because although people who set more challenging goals do tend to accomplish more than those with easy goals, the goals still much be realistic. Set yourself up to succeed.

- Relevant – because you are more likely to persist in working toward a goal that is meaningful to you. You should choose goals that are consistent with your values and priorities, so that you will be motivated to press toward them.

- Timely – because it helps to set timeframes or deadlines for specific goals, rather than just thinking it will happen “whenever.” Putting a timeframe on your goal will help to keep you focused. You can modify it if necessary, but don’t abandon your deadline without first setting a new one.

OK. Let’s say you set a goal, but you miss the mark. What do you do? Re-group, Re-formulate, and Renew your commitment. Plans are valuable. Goals are great. Their primary purpose, however, is to guide and motivate you. Let them work for you even if you do not reach them. “A goal is not always meant to be reached,” Bruce Lee said. “it often serves simply as something to aim at”

The process of planning helps you to create a blueprint for success. It focuses your mindset on victory even before you enter the ring or the boss’ office. Goal setting promotes success in a variety of ways. General (and later President) Dwight D. Eisenhower once commented that: “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.” Do not get overly wrapped up in the outcome.

Get Tough

One of the most inspiring qualities of champion fighters is their mental toughness – the ability to persist through adversity; to never quit. In a study of the psychological characteristics of ten Olympic champions (who had accumulated a total of 32 medals), mental toughness was the most frequently mentioned trait (along with focus) by the athletes and their coaches. Many sport psychology studies highlight its importance in sport performance, particularly among elite-level athletes.

What is mental toughness? Well, it carries different meaning to different athletes. Researchers have even conducted surveys just to better understand how to define it. One of these studies conducted by Jones and colleagues and published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology came up with the following proposal:

“Mental toughness is having the natural or developed psychological edge that enables you to:

1) Generally, cope better than your opponents with the many demands (competition, training, lifestyle) that sport places on a performer; and,
2) Specifically, be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, and in control under pressure.”

For more than a hundred years psychological researchers have recognized the importance of qualities related to mental toughness. Through the years, in-depth interviews have been conducted with those considered to possess “genius” in the fields of art, music, finance, business, science, law, medicine and others. Consistently, the “stand out” performers are the ones whose passion and commitment allow them consistently to persist through adversity.

More recently, researchers in the field of “positive psychology” have explored a similar idea that they call “Grit.” University of Pennsylvania psychology professor Angela Duckworth has pioneered this line of research on “grit” without even drawing on sport psychology studies of mental toughness. But many features are remarkably similar. Duckworth defines grit as “perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Grit entails working strenuously toward challenges, maintaining effort and interest over years despite failure, adversity, and plateaus in progress.”

One of the most remarkable findings from the research on grit is that it appears to be just as important as – or perhaps more important than – IQ (natural ability) in predicting grades among Ivy league college students, retention among West Point cadets, and achievement in the National Spelling Bee. If grit and mental toughness are that important in determining who will achieve in such “intellectual” tasks, and it also consistently distinguishes top-level athletes, it probably deserves attention from anyone who wants to perform at their peak.

When a fighter has been dominated for two rounds of a three-round bout, what makes him want to continue? If an MMA fighter loses his first three professional bouts in a row, what would drive him to keep training? When you have worked tirelessly on a business proposal or project only to have it “shot down” by your supervisor, what makes you want to continue working on an idea you believe in and press on to make it better?

Recall that the research definition marks mental toughness as a natural or developed psychological edge. Mental toughness is, indeed, a skill. One that can be developed and trained. How do you develop that kind of resilience? Through preparation and practice.

A first step is learning how to pull yourself through the rough spots. As Winston Churchill said: “If you are going through hell…keep going.” This ability to transcend adversity is a key element of what psychologists call resilience. It is as important to success in business as it is in fighting.

Learning to modify and control how you think about a bad situation can really help to take the edge off of its negative effects. The best fighters don't ruminate endlessly over a loss or repeatedly beat themselves up over it. They develop an explanation that makes sense to them about "what happened" – then they figure out what they need to work on to keep that from happening again.

They console themselves with the realization that an occasional loss is virtually inevitable when you are competing at the highest levels of your sport. They do not define themselves as a “loser” simply because the lost a particular match.

When bouncing back from a loss, those with well-honed mental toughness will typically find a way to accept the loss, keep their confidence up, and develop specific, measurable goals they want to achieve in moving forward. They then get swiftly to the task of working to achieve them. Looking forward works better than continuing to look back.

Rely on Work, not Talent

Have you ever watched a co-worker deliver a pitch or conjure up an amazing report on short notice and envied their natural talent? And have you ever watched a talented fighter who doesn’t seem to work hard enough to get better? Raw talent or natural ability is not the best predictor of long-term success. And if you think it is – talented or not - you will probably limit how far you will go.

What does it take to be a champion? What separates the good from the truly great? Why do some succeed and move ahead while others are left behind? How you answer those questions probably reflects your mindset about human performance. And your mindset will drive your confidence, effort, persistence, and – ultimately your achievement.

In the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success Stanford professor Carol Dweck contrasts two basic mindsets that people bring to learning or mastering a task. She calls them the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. The basic difference is whether you think a person’s ability to do something is determined more by talent or by hard work. Those who give priority to talent tend to have a fixed mindset. They believe their success comes from a fixed trait that they either do or do not possess. Those with a growth mindset view natural talent just as a starting point – not an end point. They believe ability can be improved through commitment and hard work.

Have you ever wanted to do something but thought that you were just not “cut out for it”? You could be falling prey to a fixed mindset. If you let it take hold, it will cause you to avoid challenges, to sulk over obstacles, to moderate your effort, and to eschew criticism or feedback from others. It will actually prevent you from growing, from learning, and from getting better.

If you don’t already have a growth mindset, can you develop one? Absolutely. But you have to take responsibility for the choices you make and for how you think and act in challenging situations. Dweck says there are four steps to creating a growth mindset. First, you have to recognize the self talk or inner voice of the fixed mindset. When you hear it tell you something like: “Don’t even try that move” or “Don’t even share that idea”, “You don’t have what it takes to make it work,” label that in your mind as the fixed mindset talking. Second, recognize when faced with a challenge you have a choice. You must acknowledge that you will choose whether to listen to the fixed mindset or challenge it. Third, talk back to the fixed mindset with a growth mindset response – like “It takes courage to try. By trying, I’ll make myself better.” The fourth step is to act on the growth mindset voice. You have muster faith and follow-through. By consistently making choices to listen to the growth mindset voice, it will become your more natural voice. Your mindset will encourage, rather than limit you.

There are other things you can do too to fabilitate a growth mindset and to bolster your inner climate of success:

Keep a positive focus: The best fighters never let their doubts take over. They maintain a faith in their ability and steadfast confidence. They constantly look for positive cues in their environment and say positive messages to themselves. As a result they are less often bothered by negative thoughts, they are happier, and they perform better.

Control your intensity: Champions have learned to play or fight “in the zone.” They know how to keep their mind calm and their body energized without amping up to the point of feeling “jittery”. It takes fine tuning, and a strong awareness of your own body, but you can lower your heart rate with deep breathing, release tension from your muscles, and quiet a worried mind – all with a little practice.

Manage distractions: As you cultivate a growth mindset, you are learning to filter through negative messages from the inner “fixed” voice and buffering external distractions that do not facilitate your best performance. You might develop positive “cue words” to help yourself quickly get back on a positive track. Or you may just drown out the distractions with your own growth-oriented messages of confidence. Either way, you will be increasingly focused on what is important and indifferent to what is not.

Prepare to perform: Prepare to confront expected challenges. Sometimes challenges catch us by surprise. At those times we need to work quickly to recognize and act on our choices. But often we know in advance about an important meeting, presentation, sales pitch….or match. This gives us an opportunity both to practice and to create an inner climate for peak performance. Run through the task several times in your head, watching it go well every single time. Listen to the positive voice speaking to you. Feel the sensation of confidence and the inner calmness. Delight in the flow of being “in the moment.” And when “you’re on” in a real situation, your brain and body can respond as if you have been there and done this before.

The greatest athletes, the greatest performers, and those who excel in business – or nearly any task – use some common strategies. They set goals for themselves so they have a game plan and a roadmap for success. They learn to be tough and resilient – persisting through adversity and disappointment and pressing ever forward. And they constantly seek to improve their skills, while always working to get better. They surround themselves with the best people and listen to what they have to say. Whether in or out of the cage, these strategies – combined with your passion to achieve – can take you to the top.

Martial Arts Training – For Life!

Martial Arts Training – For Life!
(Article first appeared in Black Belt Magazine, June, 2008)

By Dr. Randy Borum

In their book, Martial Arts Mind & Body (Human Kinetics Press, 2000), Claudio Iedwab and Roxanne Standefer describe martial arts as “the original mind and body experience.” Historically, they say, striking and defense techniques in the martial arts were just a method or vehicle for learning to integrate mind and body. In essence, the martial arts evolved as a path to personal development, not principally as a technique-driven means to teach people to fight.

It makes sense to teach people to defend themselves. But research shows that most people seek out martial arts training – like motivations for other sports - looking for health benefits, social benefits, and skill development. Martial arts participants, however, - more than in other sports - tend to rate character development, increasing perseverance, and integrating mental and physical health as important reasons for their participation.

Some people who want to learn self-defense are seeking the confidence and inner security that comes from knowing they can do it. The late Ed Parker, founder of American Kenpo, has been quoted as saying: “It is not danger that causes us to be afraid, it is the fear of danger.” Self-defense students often want to know that they can perform under pressure and that they will respond to peril with courage and sound judgment. That’s a character skill that can come in handy in a variety of situations, not just a personal attack.

The Martial Arts are filled with skills and lessons that can enhance our general well-being and help us perform better in many areas of our lives. Have you ever set a goal to attain a particular ran, then made a plan and successfully followed through? Have you persisted in sparring or training when you were tired and just wanted to rest? Have you ever been frustrated with an instructor or training partner, but took a deep breath, put the emotions aside and continued working? Many of the demands and challenges you face in your gym or dojo require the same skills as the challenges you face at work, in the classroom, or in social interactions. The lessons you learn in martial arts training can teach you something about life.

Rodney King – founder and director of the Crazy Monkey Defense Program (crazymonkeydefense.com) – believes in using martial arts – not just for fighting or self-defense- but as vehicle to help his clients face challenges more effectively and achieve to their potential. King has recently developed a program called Martial Arts-Life (MA-Life) to span the gap between martial arts teacher and life-skills consultant. At the heart of King’s coaching program is what he calls the G.A.M.E. approach, which has Grounding in the client’s existing strengths; develops Attitudes that build resilience and facilitate peak performance; and helps clients boost their Motivation to prepare and Execute a personal plan for success.

Does the integration of self-defense and life skills signal a new trend in martial arts training? I don’t know. Rather than paving a new path, in many ways, it seems to bring martial arts back to their conceptual origins.

Consider the journey of Kano Jigoro, a pioneer in creating the modern discipline of Judo in 19^th Century Tokyo. As a frail and physically slight teenager, Kano was often teased and bullied and wound up on the losing end of many scuffles. He resolved to learn jujutsu to defend himself. As Kano evolved as a student and teacher – assembling elements from existing arts ultimately to create his own – he insisted that the word Judo was not only a “martial art, but names a principle applicable to all aspects of human existence” and that the ultimate goal of training should be to “perfect oneself and contribute something to the world.” Through his own training, Kano had learned to use martial arts both as a metaphor and a vehicle for personal development and social consciousness.

In the modern era, numerous research studies in psychology and sport science have shown that lessons learned in martial arts can apply to life. Among the physical benefits – aside from fitness - studies have shown that martial arts training may improve body image and enhance physical self-confidence. Research evidence also shows improvements in self-esteem, autonomy and positive response to challenges. All of these things may also contribute to well-being.

Importantly, research on martial arts training has fairly consistently found positive benefits on “self-regulation.” Psychologist Roy Baumeister calls self regulation “the process by which the self alters its own responses, including thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.” That concept is one the most important psychological processes in all human development. It is the foundation for our performance in nearly everything we do. It is the mechanism by which we think, feel and do the right things at the right time. Self-regulation also drives “self-discipline,” which many psychological studies have found to be perhaps the single most important ingredient in determining success – more than self esteem or even pure intellect. And martial arts can help us develop this.

At the end of your next training session, try a quick exercise in reflective learning. First, write some notes to yourself about what you learned that day – maybe that includes technique and strategy, but reflect also on what you learned about yourself and how you perform. Then, think through some non-training situations where you could apply those lessons - maybe to improve your mood, to perform better, or to navigate a particular relationship. Use your martial arts training not just to feel confident or to defend yourself, but to learn to succeed in life.

You Gotta’ Have Faith

You Gotta’ Have Faith

(Article first appears in Black Belt Magazine, May, 2008)

By Dr. Randy Borum

“Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right” Henry Ford said. Our expectations for success and belief in our own abilities have powerful effects on our performance.

In the early 1970s, psychologists conducted an experiment in which they objectively measured the strength of each participant. Each person was assigned to arm wrestle another participant. Both participants believed that the objectively weaker one had a clearly superior level of strength. In 10 of the 12 arm-wrestling matches, the objectively weaker opponent prevailed. Their beliefs about who had superior strength mattered more than their real physical strength.

So, we need confidence, right? Yes, but the top martial artists and competitors have more than that. They have faith; a solid foundation of self-belief that transcends the outcome of any given performance. It is close to what psychologists call self-efficacy -a belief in one’s ability to successfully perform a task or action. It is task specific and it is grounded in self-belief.

Self-efficacy works together with skill and motivation to produce success. You have to want to achieve the outcome and have the ability to do so. When both those conditions are met, then the nature and degree of self-efficacy will often decide the winner.

Leading sport psychologist, Robert Nideffer, argues that the distinction between confidence and faith is an important one for the competitive athlete. While confidence can be easily shaken, faith endures. As Nideffer says, “Faith is believing in the absence of success.” If you are practicing a form, preparing for a rank testing, and you make the same mistake twice in a row, faith is what allows you to proceed confidently forward, assured that your next attempt will be successful.

In 1994, twenty years after losing his world heavyweight boxing title, George Foreman chose to re-enter the ring against the undefeated Michael Moorer. At nearly fifty years of age, many scoffed at the idea of Foreman competing, let alone fighting for a title. Moorer dished out a hefty dose of punishment on Foreman for nine rounds and seemed to be headed for a victory. Foreman, however, showed amazing heart and maintained faith in his ability. In the middle of the 10^th round, Foreman delivered a straight right to Moorer’s chin than sent him to the canvas. Moorer could not recover through the ten-count and George Foreman was, once again, the heavyweight champion of the world.

One of the reasons that skilled athletes sometimes “choke” in competition, is that they allow themselves to get absorbed in some mistake. Instead of re-focusing and driving forward, they allow themselves to react to the error emotionally and to entertain negative, self-critical thoughts like “That was so stupid”; “I can’t handle this pace”; or “I thought I was better than this.”

It is important for any martial artist or competitive athlete not to let mistakes damage their self-belief. You must prepare yourself to know that there will be time to process and learn from any mistakes, but that time is not in the midst of a competition. Your faith in your ability allows you to persist through adversity.

During the 10,000 meter track finals in the 1972 Olympics, 23-year-old Lasse Viren of Finland fell near the halfway mark. At this elite level of competition, such an error should have sealed his fate. But Viren maintained his composure, quickly got back to his feet and finished the race, winning the gold and setting a world record.

Viren stayed focused, kept his faith, and never even entertained the thought of not continuing. His faith in his ability to win was greater than any disruption, disappointment or embarrassment his fall could cause.

Even the greatest competitors make mistakes or suffer defeat. They do not cease to be great because they err, but they do continue to be great because of how they respond to their errors. A foundation of faith and self-belief can defend your heart and mind against negative, destructive thoughts that seek to undermine your confidence. Without negative thoughts interfering, you can fully commit to action without being burdened by the outcome. You can strive for excellence without being burdened by a need for perfection.

How does a person acquire this kind of powerful faith? By choice and commitment. The true martial artists must first acknowledge that the pursuit of excellence is her or his own responsibility. With the responsibility, comes the need to chart a course of action – a plan for how it will be achieved. Then, the martial artist must commit – continuously – to giving his or her best effort in following the plan.

Psychologist and pragmatist philosopher William James said: "There is but one cause of human failure. And that is man's lack of faith in his true Self." That faith is rarely, if ever, bestowed on anyone. It is cultivated and earned by daily choices. Choosing not to ruminate or tolerate destructive negative thoughts. Choosing thoughts and actions that will promote their best performance. Always moving forward, looking for opportunities to learn. Growing from mistakes, rather than suffering from them. Striving for your personal best, rather than for perfection.

“Runner’s High” Gains Traction

“Runner’s High” Gains Traction
(from Training & Conditioning - training-conditioning.com)

By R.J. Anderson

New scientific data supports the endorphin-releasing process that has long been hypothesized to follow intense bouts of exercise. The term "runner's high" was once considered folklore by some scientists, but an article published in the March issue of the journal Cerebral Cortex may prompt non-believers to adjust their thinking.

After completing a challenging, lung-burning workout, many runners and cyclists describe having a feeling of euphoria or a sense of calm that drapes their minds and bodies. Commonly called a “runner’s high,” scientists have hypothesized that running or intense physical activity can elicit a flood of endorphins in a person’s brain, producing analgesia and a general sense of well-being. Though it has long been accepted in the athletic world, the biochemical mechanism behind a runner's high has previously been elusive.

Now, for the first time, the theory of the runner’s high is backed by scientific data collected by researchers in Germany using positron emission tomography (PET) scans and newly available chemicals that reveal endorphins in the brain. In addition to proving how and why runners reach a euphoric state, their research could have even wider-ranging effects as these findings reach into the medical community, helping physicians understand the relationship between exercise and chronic pain.

Despite having countless athletes buy into the idea of runner’s high, many scientists have long been unconvinced by anecdotal accounts. Instead of an endorphin rush, many thought that a runner’s high was simply a byproduct of the mental good feeling that accompanies a sense of accomplishment, in this case, completing strenuous physical challenge.

But in March, researchers published an article indicating that when athletes are pushed beyond a threshold of intense physical activity, it can provoke a release of endorphins. The scientists, who work in the fields of Nuclear Medicine, Neurology, and Anesthesia at the Technische Universität München (TUM) and the University of Bonn, scanned the brains of 10 athletes before and after a two-hour run. Their data showed that athletes produced endorphins during workout and that those endorphins attached themselves to the limbic and prefrontal areas of the brain, which are associated with controlling a person’s emotions.

"We could validate for the first time an endorphin driven runner's high and identify the affected brain areas,” Professor Henning Boecker, who coordinated the research at TUM and who is in charge of the Functional Neuroimaging Group at the Department of Radiology at University Hospital Bonn, told the online magazine, Science Daily. “It’s interesting to see that the affected brain areas were preferentially located in prefrontal and limbic brain regions which are known to play a key role in emotional processing. Moreover, we observed a significant increase of the euphoria and happiness ratings compared to the ratings before the running exercise."

Professor Thomas Tölle, who heads a research group called Functional Imaging of Pain at TUM, says these results could unearth another tool in the battle against chronic pain.

“The fact that the endorphins are also released in areas of the brain that are at the center of the suppression of pain was not quite unexpected, but even this proof was missing,” Tölle told Science Daily. “Now we hope that these images will also impress our pain patients and will motivate them to take up sports training within their available limits.”

Boecker is investigating these possibilities as part of a follow-up study about whether running affects pain perception. Using PET scans to monitor 20 marathon runners and a similar number of nonathletes, Boecker is studying the test subjects’ perception of pain after running and walking.

One of Boecker’s goals is find out whether intensity of exercise affects levels of endorphins. By including nonathletes in the study, Boecker is looking at whether a love of exercise has anything to do with endorphin production.

“There are studies that showed enhanced pain tolerance in runners,” Boecker told the New York Times. “You have to give higher pain stimuli before they say, ‘OK, this hurts.’ ”


R.J. Anderson is an Assistant Editor at Training & Conditioning. He can be reached at rja@momentummedia.com

FREE Training Journal e-book for Martial Arts

Rodney King and I have just released a new resource for functional martial artists. The Official CMD Training Journal is a FREE eBook that has been created to help athletes develop greater focus in their training and to develop "deep learning" by systematically tracking some key mental, emotional and physical elements of their performance.

Not only is space provided to fill in and to track all this important information, but the journal also includes the ‘how to’ material to help you realize your ultimate training goals.

There are brief, quick-reference sections that cover:

• Goal Setting

• Recovery/Overtraining

• Taking Care of Your Body: Sleep, Nutrition, Energy

• Sharpening your Mental Game: Motivation, Focus, and Commitment

• Learning from your Training

The book is referred to as a “mixed martial arts” training journal, but that term is used very broadly here. It can be used for MMA training, but it is also very general and flexible, so that you could use it for virtually any kind of martial arts training. The “training journal” itself is just a record form that you can copy and use to track your progress and to monitor your individual patterns for success.

In an effort to give back to the martial art community that has given both authors so much, they are now offering the Training Journal absolutely free.

All you need to do to get your FREE copy is register (also free) on the Crazy Monkey Defense site.

We hope you enjoy it and that it will keep you focused, excited and motivated to train.

A Winning Mindset

A Winning Mindset

By Dr. Randy Borum

(Article first appears in Black Belt Magazine, April, 2008)

No competitor likes to lose, but the best competitors in virtually every sport seize a loss as an opportunity to improve. Even if you do not compete in martial arts, you can apply the same lesson to any challenge or undertaking: You are not shaped by a particular loss or failure, but by what you do with it.

Research conducted by Stanford psychology professor, Carol Dweck has shown that most people have one of two types of “mindset”: Fixed mindset or Growth mindset. Those with a fixed mindset believe that their positive traits and potential for success are essentially fixed. You have them – in whatever amount - or you do not. On the other hand, those with a growth mindset are more grounded in “possibilities.” They believe that positive traits and skills can be developed and that they can overcome failures to ultimately achieve success.

In rebounding from a loss, your mindset will affect how you understand and explain what happened. Developing some explanation – for yourself and for others - for the loss is usually the first step in determining whether and how you will move forward. Losing can be devastating for a fixed mindset competitor because they will assume they lost because they were “just not good enough.”

Georges St Pierre demonstrated the advantages of a growth mindset after losing his UFC title to Matt Serra. St Pierre consulted a sport psychologist who helped him realize that “it isn’t always the best team that wins the game, it’s the team that plays better." GSP modified his personal explanation for the loss, saying: "I truly believe I’m the best fighter in the UFC but, that night, Matt Serra fought a better fight than me."

When questioned about why he did not fight to his potential in that bout, Georges said: “I forgot what was my number one priority. My number one priority is to stay champion and being the best in the world. I forgot that. I paid for it, I made a mistake. But I'm the type of guy that never makes the same mistake twice." Remarkably, his conclusion: "I truly believe that this loss is probably the best thing that ever happened to me."

Being an effective competitor in martial arts (or doing any challenging task for that matter) requires that you develop faith in yourself and in your ability. Having faith means that you can believe in yourself when you are consistently landing your strikes and when you miss them. Faith “is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Although you missed the last takedown attempt, you are confident that you will get the next one. The key to bouncing back from a loss is never to lose faith in yourself.

Different people recover from setbacks in different ways, but here is a quick formula that you can adapt to your own needs.

First, you will have to develop an explanation to “frame” and understand the loss. Try to explain it from a growth mindset, rather than a fixed mindset. It is natural and acceptable to feel disappointment, but keep it in perspective and try not to let yourself wallow in it. Disappointment, not devastation. If you let yourself spiral down into a self-critical cycle, it will undermine your faith and confidence. Maintain your core belief in your ability, grieve the loss, and move on. Some athletes say that if you have never lost, you are not competing against the best people.

Second, develop a plan for what and how you can improve. If you identified any “holes” in your game, work with your coach or training partner on strategies to fix them. Reflect on your loss – not the emotional or self-critical element – but like an objective observer. If you were coaching yourself, what would make you better.

Third, envision that plan working. Once you have a clear explanation of what went wrong and an account of what needs to change, then spend some time visualizing what your game will look like after you successfully enact your plan. In your mind, take time to see and to feel the success of your plan. Image what you will be like when you have taken your game to the next level, then step inside that image. Experience the unwavering confidence and faith in your ability.

Finally, move forward with confidence. The loss was an event. You disappointment was just a mental event. It does not define you and it does not determine your future. Part of the “envisioning” is to set yourself mentally on a forward-moving path. That vision contains everything you need to retain from the past event. It is over and reliving the negative emotions will not enhance your performance.

Your task is to implement your plan with faith and a positive focus. Scientists suggest that the human brain is naturally “wired” to be negative. If you do not take control of your thoughts, images and emotions, you might have to spar a couple of more rounds with the “what ifs.” But you can thoughtfully direct what you say to yourself and the emotions that you generate. Reduce the negatives and create positive messages, images and emotions. With resilience, you can grow as a martial artist and create a mindset that will accelerate your path to success.

Psychology of Teaching Martial Arts to Kids

Psychology of Teaching Martial Arts to Kids
(Column appears in Black Belt Magazine, March, 2008)

By Dr. Randy Borum



All advanced martial artists and martial arts instructors should invest in kids. Not just because kids will determine the future of our sport, but also because they will choose our nursing home when we get old. :-)

Anyone who has taught or observed a kids’ martial arts class, however, knows that they are not just “little adults.” They often get into martial arts for different reasons. They learn differently. And they stay in or drop out for different reasons also. Effective advertising and marketing may bring kids to your school, but their experience, the climate of the class and their relationships with the instructor and other students is what will keep them there.

Over the past 25 years numerous studies have explored why kids participate and continue in sports. Having fun is consistently at the top of the list. They also want to achieve and improve their skills and to hang out in a positive environment with other kids (and an instructor) that they like. Winning doesn’t even make the top ten. Young people enjoy the excitement of competition, but winning isn’t the most important thing or the “only thing.” In fact, most kids say they would rather get to play more on a losing team than have to sit on the bench more on a winning team.

Participation rates in youth sports peak between the age of 11 and 13, then steadily decline through adolescence. The main reason that kids drop out of organized sports, research shows, is that they are no longer having fun. The other specific reasons that kids cite include a perceived lack of ability, too much pressure, and poor coaching. All of those things might understandably take some of the fun out of sport participation.

Parents are also a big part of the equation. Studies show that when parents support and encourage their kids’ sport participation that the kids enjoy the sport more, and tend to have more positive feelings about their own performance. On the other hand, when parents create pressure for the kids, it reduces their enjoyment and increases their stress about how they perform – both factors that cause dropout.

What are the implications of this research for martial arts instructors and parents?

First, when teaching kids, consider how you might make learning fun and enjoyable. This does not mean that you only do “fluffy” drills or never critique students’ performance. It does mean that you can choose to create an instructional climate in which kids are more or less inclined to learn and retain what you are teaching.

Second, consider how you can provide regular feedback to students about their progress. As an instructor, you understand the difference between effort, skill and ability. Young kids often do not. They think if they lose it is because they did not try hard enough. Without correction, they may just continue to repeat the same mistakes but with greater effort. When they continue not to do as well as they would like to do, they may conclude, they just don’t have the ability…and drop out. Young people - particularly in a competitive environment – may only gauge how well they are doing by whether they win. As an instructor, you can help kids find other ways to monitor and assess their progress and give them specific feedback so that they can focus on their performance, not just on the outcome.

Third, remember the power of specific, positive feedback. Being specific is an important part of making feedback effective. If we equally praise good and poor performance and effort, then it loses its impact. This may mean that you will have to look more actively and more closely for specific signs of improvement.

Correction will also work better when delivered along with positive feedback. Some have recommended a “sandwich” technique in which corrective feedback is embedded between two positive comments. For example, an instructor might say: “You were giving really good effort right there. Remember to keep your hips low on that move. Your timing is excellent.” In general, you can consider the ratio of positive to negative comments you make in any given class or lesson, as well as the tone and manner in which they are delivered. You might even videotape a class and count them for yourself. If they are out of balance, try to even them out a bit more.

Some research suggests that positive feedback from the instructor may be even more important for male than female students. This may be – as other research shows – because girls’ sport participation tends to be more strongly motivated by intrinsic factors – like enjoyment – than is boys’ participation, which may be driven more by needs for achievement and status.

Finally, martial arts training provides a venue for kids to learn and apply important life skills. Instructors and parents will model these lessons whether or not they intend to do it. How we handle frustration, how we treat and speak to others, and how we exercise our authority will not only affect how kids learn martial arts, but also how they navigate the challenges of youth and develop their character.