So not what you thought but I definitely got you’re attention right? So there is this phrase that people use when speaking of or to “underdogs”.
“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”
I always like to ask this. How the heck did the “big” dog get so big? It’s very possible that that dog used to be small, and got tired of getting kicked around. So instead, chose to be the big dog. To do the work that it takes to be better than they were the day before, and as they stand toe to toe with their opponent. They don’t need to have fight in them. They live the fight, they are the fight, greatness was a choice made long ago, and they are going to let that other dog know not to mess with them ever again, and eventually the little dog becomes big too.
I think we all know combat sports can go south real quick, it takes one punch, kick, or poor judgment call while grappling to end a fight. That leaves a lot of other games, races, events, challenges, and opportunities for greatness to be decided in a much less abrupt manner.
Quite often, I would even say the majority of the time. The athlete(s) who have wanted it longest and have had that internal fight within will find themselves as the victors. So the Fight in the dog was decided and the size was earned.
We as compassionate human beings love a good underdog story. They work real hard, they get their opportunity and magically they are in the right place at the right time. Interestingly enough that just generally does not happen. There are always favorites but it’s the faster, stronger (read here: bigger) athlete that takes the day.
So moral of this story, train smart, eat smart, Lift often, run hard, be the big dog in the fight, because some punk always thinks they have your number.
Oh and keep smiling, that’s important!