It was a casual chat after training when my kickboxing mentor shared something that stuck with me.

I had been complaining about aches, pains, and bruises when he told me a story from a recent world kickboxing championship.

After the competition, the top four fighters were interviewed, along with the champion.

The fourth-ranked fighter mentioned he was dealing with intense pain during the match and struggling with personal issues. The third place finisher said he performed well but blamed a lingering back injury and family problems for not securing the win. The second-ranked fighter, who lost to the new champion, said he went into the match feeling confident, but his old back injury flared up, preventing him from giving his best.

Then they asked the winner how he felt. His response? “I felt great, both physically and mentally. No issues. Zero.”

Here’s the twist: the same interview had been conducted a week before the championship, in reverse order. Back then, the current champion was the underdog, and when asked how he felt, he said, “I felt great, both physically and mentally. No issues. Zero.”

Meanwhile, the other three fighters had the same complaints both before and after the competition.

So why did the underdog become the champion? We can only speculate. But his unwavering narrative speaks volumes about his mental consistency. It’s not that he had no problems – that’s unrealistic – but he didn’t let them define him.

Now, I truly understand the meaning of “No excuses.”