(Approx 2 minute read)

Today, my focus is on the more practical and pragmatic side of karate. However, back in the 1970s and 1980s, I loved the thrill of competition. I’m not talking about street fights of course, but sport karate tournaments.
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I wasn’t world champion material, but in my mind, I was. Yes, I won a few tournaments, but I was never an Alfie Lewis or a Ticky Donovan. Still, I wanted to win just as badly as they did.
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For some reason, at our dojo, we used to get a lot of challenges, and I was often the one chosen to fight. Whether it was sparring or competition, I was always driven, always pushing, always chasing my opponents down.
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Success in sport, much like in life, isn’t just about winning every time but having a winning mentality. It’s about what you learn, how you face challenges, and how you grow from them. You might have the right skills or the potential to defeat your opponent, but once you’re on the mat, losing is easy without the right mindset. That’s the beauty of competition – it’s unpredictable and requires you to be at your best.
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When you step onto the mat, you have to give it your all. Perform to the best of your ability, and whether you win or lose, take away the lessons it offers. If you win, it doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement. Deep down, we all know our potential and what we’re capable of achieving. True success is when you push yourself to your limits and refuse to back down, even in the toughest situations.
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Facing an opponent and showing your full potential in competition – many of you have experienced this at least once in your lives I’m sure, whether in sport or other areas. To succeed, you must stay focused, disciplined, and determined.
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You need the courage to get involved and push beyond your existing limits. Winning requires a focused, disciplined mindset with clearly defined, measurable goals that fuel intense preparation, performance, and resilience. The ability to bounce back from setbacks, mistakes, and failures while maintaining composure under pressure is crucial.
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Mental toughness is often overlooked, but it’s vital. To push through pain, fatigue, and self-doubt is what separates the good from the great. This mental resilience includes having confidence in your abilities, maintaining optimism, and visualizing success, even in the face of setbacks. The conviction that victory is achievable through hard work, without self-limiting beliefs, is what drives true competitors.
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Cultivating this type of winning mindset requires disciplined mental training alongside physical preparation.
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As the great Alfie Lewis said, “No room for weakness when you’re in the center of the storm.” – Brilliantly put.
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AC
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Photo Credit: With thanks to Alfie Lewis for the photo and the quote above.
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