Written by “Winning is not a sometime thing; it’s an all time thing. You don’t win once in a while, you don’t do things right once in a while, you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.” – Vince Lombardi
Hi, I’m Phillip Debord. I’m honored to be your fight coach for the 2024 OneHeart Challenge. I’m a black belt in Isshin-Ryu Karate and in the Filipino martial art, escrima. I started my karate journey in 1992 and I’m excited to share some of the knowledge I’ve gained over the years.
All of you participating in this challenge are embarking on a tough but rewarding journey. Whatever your reason for participating is, the OneHeart Challenge is difficult. A year is a long time, and the requirements will push you to the limit.
But remember, that’s why it’s worth doing.
When I was asked by Sensei Oliver to be a fight coach, I had to reflect on what that means. All martial arts instructors teach their students about fighting. What makes a fight coach unique? After meditating on it I realized the answer is simple. I’m here to help you win. Fighting is a metaphor for taking on challenges, and there’s no substitute for victory in a fight.
Completing the OneHeart Challenge means fighting against laziness, self-doubt, and everything else competing for your time. Here’s the uncomfortable truth. You might fail, because a worthwhile endeavour has a risk of failure.
Failure and the idea of it, can evoke feelings of shame. If this is something you struggle with reflect on the quote at the top of this blog post. Vince Lombardi was one of the greatest NFL football coaches of all time. He tells us that winning and losing are habits. Winning is what happens when you do things right all the time. That’s what the OneHeart Challenge is about. Completing small goals until you achieve your big goal.
Know that failure doesn’t mean you’re undeserving of love and affection. You’re more than a record of wins and losses. Winning and losing are things you do, not things you are. Life gets better when you understand that. Having a winning mindset doesn’t mean you don’t think you can lose. It mean’s that you’re detached from the end result. You’re focused on gaining the inches, not the miles.
When you have a winning mindset opportunities begin to appear from nowhere because fear and self-doubt stops filtering them out.
Look at the big picture and embrace the possibility of failure with all your heart. Then go forth and do your absolute best. Vince Lombardi had another quote that goes like this…
“If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.”
Even the greatest coach in NFL Football history understood that mistakes are necessary to become a winner. But you’ll never get there if you don’t play the game.
