“When you’re afraid, just train.

When something doesn’t feel right, just train.

When you don’t believe in yourself, just train.

The only thing that won’t betray you is your training.”

I think this quote is genius. The context for training here is martial arts, but it can and should be used for anything you want. 

In today’s world, many struggle with taking action, especially when dealing with negative emotions. While it’s easier to navigate positive feelings, negative emotions often lead people to flee or freeze. The quote touches on a few negative feelings: being afraid, when things don’t feel right, when you don’t believe in yourself. A few more I’d add are shame, guilt, anger, and grieving. I say this from my own experiences as well as others. These emotions are part of the human experience, yet many of us (including me) lack the preparedness to respond effectively when confronted with them.

The reason I like this quote so much is because I think it serves as a mental model for action in the face of adversity . “Your training won’t betray you” highlights the undeniable evidence of the work invested.

During challenging moments, doubt tends to cloud the mind with questions like, “Can I really do this? Am I good enough? Why is this so hard?”

This is where training reveals its strength. By redirecting your focus to the effort you have dedicated to reaching your current position, you gain renewed determination and energy to persevere.

Reflecting on my own experiences, I participated in wrestling throughout middle and high school, but I never put that much effort into practice. Towards the last few years, I remember giving up during overwhelming matches because I realized how little I’d trained compared to my opponent. Had I trained harder, I would have felt more confident during those matches and been more satisfied with my performance.

One of the greatest benefits of training lies in the ability to draw upon it during difficult times. Success in any pursuit heavily relies on one’s mindset. To me, training includes any activity that refines your skills. I hope you too can find something to build upon, even when you don’t believe in yourself.