Get the most out of your experience as a fighter. I've spent a lot of summers climbing peaks in the Sierra Nevada. One thing my experience in the high-country has taught me is that a disproportionately long time is spent ascending and descending the mountain as compared to the 20 minutes or so spent at the summit- just long enough to take in the glorious view before the early afternoon thunderheads roll in and it's time to scramble back down.

The time atop the mountain is so fleeting that it's important to fully appreciate the hike up and back from the summit. Similarly, the euphoria after a victory is relatively short-lived compared to the months and years dedicated to preparation. Be present and savor the journey.

In my nearly thirty years in combative sports I've experienced a handful of profoundly satisfying victories. What resonates most after all the battles and grueling workouts, though, are the relationships I've developed with training partners, coaches and fellow competitors, and the self-knowledge I've gleaned through challenging myself. Certainly it's useful and desirable to keep your goals in sight. At the same time, however, the patient and persistent journey towards excellence itself yields an enormous measure of meaning and satisfaction. Remember that success should never be gauged solely in terms of victories or titles, but also to the extent you enjoy what you're doing, strive to do your best and conduct yourself ethically.