That’s it.

Learn to make due. 

Not every day is going to be a great day.  Not every opportunity will come to fruition.  Not every training partner will level you up.  Sometimes, just showing up, having fun, and getting a subpar workout or training session in is fine.  It’s OK not to be pushed to your limits every single day.  It’s ok to hold someone’s hand through a drill.  It’s ok to feel like you didn’t level up.

Fighting is, quite literally, the art of making due with what you have.  If you’re short, you’re short – you have to make due.  If you’re slow, you’re slow – you have to make due.  If you lack skill in one area – guess what, you have to make due.

Being resourceful is one of the most elite skills you can master, and it quite literally saved my ass in a fight.

I was having issues with my shin from a training injury that didn’t heal up in time.  In the first round, I threw a hard rear kick that was checked and my entire leg went numb (yes, ouch).  I wasn’t able to use my rear leg for the rest of the fight.  But, I still won.  Why?  Because I made due.  I adjusted my gameplan, got into the clinch, and eked out a decision win against a tough opponent all without my go-to weapon.

I didn’t panic, feel sorry for myself, or give up because I wasn’t at 100%.  I made due.

And that’s not a reflection of any internal, awesome character trait that I have.  It’s just a reflection of years of training up to that point where I happily made due and worked with what I had on any given day.

Ultimately, to be able to go into a gym, move around freely, and build some skills is an extreme privilege that many people do not get to enjoy.  So even when things aren’t optimal – make due!