UFC World Champion Georges St. Pierre is arguably one of the best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters ever.
He started training Karate at an early age and discovered his passion for martial arts. Because he was dedicated to his craft, St. Pierre became proficient in several martial arts.
In addition to Kyokushin Karate, which he took up at age 7, St. Pierre has a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). He also trained in Muay Thai and boxing for a number of years.
The desire to keep learning and improving is one of the things that propelled St. Pierre to the top of his game. And he has the titles to prove it. He defended the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s welterweight title multiple times and came out of retirement to grab the middleweight title. St. Pierre has had an accomplished MMA career, with only two losses over a 15-year career.
So just what makes Georges St. Pierre tick? And what makes him succeed?
A few of his quotes can give us an idea. So let us take a closer look at the winning mindset of this impressive MMA legend.
1) Embrace Life’s Challenges And Use Them As Motivation
Georges St. Pierre is one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time.
“The truth is that I didn’t start as a winner. When I was a kid, I was just another reject. I started at the bottom. I think all winners do.”
This quote puts us at the beginning of St. Pierre’s journey. Like many kids, St. Pierre dealt with bullying. The bullies made his school life miserable. They stole his stuff and beat him up. But lemons can make a refreshing glass of lemonade. Instead of chipping away at his will, St. Pierre’s circumstances motivated him right into a life of martial arts.
You see, George St. Pierre, better known as GSP, decided that he would learn to defend himself. That is when he started to train in Kyokushin Karate. The rest is history, right? The quote suggests otherwise. Between that very first Karate lesson and a record-breaking MMA career, there was a lot of effort and sacrifice. There was a lot of training and tournaments, even in childhood.
And at the start of St. Pierre’s MMA career, there were cold, dinky apartments, late-night jobs, and early morning train rides. Those are just a few of the sacrifices that GSP made as he took up the training that would equip him to compete in the world of mixed martial arts.
Georges St-Pierre Teaches At Evolve MMA
Legendary multiple-time UFC World Champion Georges St-Pierre at Evolve MMA!
Posted by Evolve MMA on Saturday, March 9, 2019
Many of us have to make such sacrifices when we choose to pursue our dreams. Like St. Pierre, you should keep your eye on the end goal, even as you start at the bottom. Your end goal will give you the fuel you need to scale your way past the sacrifice, past the endless hours of work, and to the top.
Like many winners, George St. Pierre is proud of how far he has come. He knows how it feels to look back at his humble beginnings from his perch at the top of the MMA pantheon.
Your takeaway? Take pride in starting at the bottom. Winners know that the work it takes to get to the top is what makes them winners.
2) Focus On Your Goals
“There is a difference between a fighter and a martial artist. A fighter is training for a purpose: He has a fight. I’m a martial artist. I don’t train for a fight. I train for myself. I’m training all the time. My goal is perfection. But I will never reach perfection.”
This quote captures the essence of martial arts. It also explains why St. Pierre kept training, even as he won one title after the other. With martial arts, the journey is an end in and of itself. Winning MMA matches is great, but a better goal is constant self-improvement.
George St. Pierre knows this, so he keeps learning new skills or perfecting the ones he already acquired. The fact that he has only lost two matches throughout his MMA career is almost a happy side-effect. Or to put it another way, all the titles that St. Pierre has won or defended are simply a testament to his quest for perfection.
MMA Legend Georges St. Pierre tries to stay positive, no matter the situation.
For you, the martial arts enthusiast, this quote should remind you to focus on the essential goals. Namely, to be better than you were yesterday, and to be better tomorrow than you were today. This is the kind of mantra you need to keep yourself motivated.
By working towards self-improvement, you will make martial arts training a part of your life that brings fulfillment and perspective.
3) Always Strive To Continually Improve
MMA Legend Georges St. Pierre never settles. He is always trying to learn and improve.
“Standing still is never a good option. Not in the ring, and not in life. When you stop moving, you’re done.”
In a way, this one is pretty self-explanatory. Standing still in the ring makes you an easy target for your opponent. Since your opponent is a solid mass of muscle and fists, you are motivated to keep it moving as you spar. Life is not so clear cut. Many times, our opponents in life are in our psyche. They are invisible.
The most deadly opponents in our spar with life is apathy and complacency. They are silent killers that you rarely notice. Not until they cause a monumental train wreck. It is only as you survey the damage that you get a sense of the powerful, slow-motion bomb that is your comfort zone, a.k.a, apathy and complacency.
Keep it moving, and keep doing better. Never settle for ‘good enough.’ By pushing yourself, you will keep your life interesting, with no shortage of new experiences.
MMA World Champion Georges St. Pierre loves the process of learning and growing.
Again, keep it moving. It bears repeating. Forward motion will serve you well as you train, and it will serve you well in the boxing ring of life. The most effective aspiration you need is to improve yourself with every new day.
It is a mindset that will keep you motivated as you reach your goals, step by tiny step.
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