True Test of Character

Fighting is the only time you can really be true to yourself. It is your challenge, your victory and your loss. Some people fight to prove they are tough. Others fight to prove something to themselves and the people they are close too. Others want to challenge themselves against another person. When preparing for a fight you are the one who wakes up early to run. You are the one who puts in the long hours at the gym. The one who stays disciplined with their eating in order to make weight. At the end of the fight it’s your victory. Even though your friends, family and co-workers are not dieting, working out and sacrificing with you, they want you to win just as bad as you do. Even in defeat they feel your pain and sorrow. Handling victory is easy; how you handle defeat is the true test of your character.

Defeat can be hard; you can learn from it, make improvements or just give up. All the sacrifices made can feel like it was for nothing. It’s how you use defeat. Defeat can be a priceless gift if you let it. A chance to prove to yourself you can bounce back. It can provide an opportunity to reinvent yourself. Handling defeat with humility, professionalism and grace speaks volumes of a fighter’s character. Jamaal Brathwaite, Orange Co. SD. said after a close decision loss to Brian Stevens, LASD. “If I put my focus on the decision I will lose the whole experience leading up to the fight and the fight itself. I will learn from the fight and know what I have to do next time.”