This is the Monday Mindset Newsletter that was sent on Monday 9/19/2022…
Happy Monday Team!
This weekend, my family and I watched the ADCC World Championships where the best no-gi Jiu Jitsu athletes gathered in Las Vegas and for two days, fought their way down the path of a single elimination bracket.
There were several brackets according to weight and gender.
Watching the world’s best Jiu Jitsu athletes fighting for a World Championship was incredibly impressive. They came to fight and everyone was hunting for gold.
But there was one moment after a new champion was crowned that stood out to me more than any other and I wanted to share it with you today.
That moment came when Ffion Davies from Wales was being interviewed immediately after winning her final match and securing her spot as World Champion.
In a moment when she was exhausted from her match and overcome with emotion with having just been labeled the best in the world, Ffion was asked what it meant to her to bring back the gold to her country.
Ffion replied, “It’s amazing and I’m really grateful for the support. I didn’t really think I could do it really deep down but I’m really glad I did pull through”.
“I didn’t really think I could do it really deep down…”
When I heard her say that and saw the emotion as she answered, it struck me…
Even the BEST in the world experience Self-Doubt.
This wasn’t Ffion’s first World Championship. Earlier this year, she secured her spot as the best in the world as a black belt in Gi at the IBJJF World Championships.
Ffion is no stranger to competing on the world stage and knows what takes to compete at the highest levels.
So hearing her say that deep down she wasn’t sure she could do it, just goes to show that even World Champions have that little voice in the back of their heads that whisper things that create doubt.
But here is the difference between Champions like Ffion and so many others…
Even though she had doubts that she could actually beat all of her opponents and win gold, she didn’t allow that to sabotage her goals and the process of showing up ready to win.
For months prior to this weekend’s fights, she trained constantly every day. Everything she did was to prepare her mind and body for this weekend. And while there was some doubt in herself, she trusted the process of hard work and discipline.
And it paid off.
So here is the lesson for all of us as we start this week…
We will all experience self-doubt when challenging ourselves. Anytime we set big audacious goals for ourselves, part of achieving those goals is going to require overcoming that little voice of self-doubt. And the best way of shutting it off is to trust the process of hard work and discipline. Then show up and give it absolutely everything you’ve got.
Just like Ffion did.
Go forth and conquer
,
Matt
P.S. If you want to watch Ffion’s fight for gold, here is the link. Her post-fight interview referenced in this email begins around the 25-minute mark.