Over the past five months, I’ve trained at some of the best fighting gyms I’ve ever experienced. If there’s one lesson I’ve taken to heart, it’s that consistent effort and self-belief outweigh intensity and skill. You can have all the talent in the world, but without belief in yourself, success is out of reach.

I see it all the time in the gym. Someone dominates every sparring round, and you’d bet on them as the best fighter, only to watch them get knocked out in the first round of a real fight. The ones who succeed on fight night are those who keep showing up, day after day, regardless of yesterday’s losses. They believe in themselves enough to persevere, no matter the setback.