No Choice but Forward: The Discipline Behind the Drive

Keeping the stoke high can be incredibly difficult. There are times I catch myself asking, Why do I keep this up? Why do I always feel the need to push so hard? Why can’t I just slow down and coast for a while?

Sure, I could do the bare minimum and probably be marginally happy. But the truth is — I wouldn’t be happy. I’d be bored. And while I try to make space in my life for stillness and rest, that kind of boredom would drive me insane.

I’ve had friends laugh when I talk about the idea of retiring someday — not just from competition, but from work altogether. People who know me genuinely believe I’m incapable of retirement. They might be right. The grind is part of who I am, something I learned through years of trying to survive poverty.

If you’ve never grown up wondering where your next meal will come from, I don’t recommend it. It’s stressful. It creates a deep sense of insecurity. And if you’re lucky enough to climb out of that deficit, you often find yourself in middle-class life still feeling like you can never stop moving — never stop grinding.

I don’t work this hard because I’m afraid of boredom. I work this hard because survival has always been the only option.

So how do I maintain the level of discipline it takes to go the distance — even when I want to quit, even when it feels like too much to bear? The short answer: I have no choice.

I’ve made it my mission to give my kids the kind of life I was jealous of growing up. That means making hard choices and real sacrifices. I can’t stop grinding — not for me, but for them.

My latest challenge — stepping into the world of digital content creation — has tested me in new ways. The time it takes to plan, film, edit, and produce meaningful content is insane. Add in the digital marketing it takes just to be heard above the noise of the internet, and it becomes a full-time battle.

But I feel like I’m making progress. My blogs are going out on time, engagement is growing, and my traction is improving. I know it’s only a matter of time before I break through.

So how does this help you as a martial artist? How does this help you keep your stoke high?

Because this — all of this — is what training is really about. It’s about finding a way to keep going especially when it’s hard. This is where discipline and self-control are forged.

Learning “to do,” always.

The road to self-mastery is difficult and never-ending. But if you can build a consistent level of sacrifice, focus, and perseverance — you will be unstoppable.