by Gene Crawford | Apr 2, 2025 | Blog
There’s a moment in every fighter’s journey when they step into the ring alone. The crowd fades. The coach’s voice is a distant echo. The opponent in front of them is real, but the real battle? It’s within.
That moment, the split second before the first strike, is where accountability lives. No one can throw your punches for you. No one can force you to move your feet. It’s you, and only you.
But here’s the truth: No warrior walks the path alone. Whether you’re a martial artist, an entrepreneur, or someone striving for personal growth, accountability is the unseen force that keeps you sharp, disciplined, and evolving.
Self-Management: Becoming Your Own Coach
Self-accountability starts in the dark, when no one is watching, when the comfort of excuses calls your name, when the easy road tempts you to veer off course.
So how do you stay on track?
- Set Clear Expectations – Like a kata in Karate, your goals need structure. Instead of vague aspirations, define your path with precision. “I want to train harder” becomes “I will hit the dojo five days a week and log my progress.”
- Track Your Progress – Whether it’s a notebook, an app, or a whiteboard in your gym, writing things down makes you accountable to yourself. When you see the numbers, the reps, and the effort laid out, excuses lose their power.
- Embrace Discipline Over Motivation – Motivation is fleeting. Discipline is built. The best warriors don’t wait to feel inspired—they train because it’s who they are. They lace up their gloves whether they feel like it or not.
- Face the Hard Truths – Self-awareness is brutal but necessary. If you skip a training session, own it. If you make excuses, call yourself out. Growth comes from honesty.
But even the strongest self-discipline has limits. That’s why every warrior needs a coach.
Who Coaches You? The Role of a Mentor in Accountability
Even the best fighters have a coach in their corner. But a coach isn’t just someone who yells at you to train harder, they see what you can’t, push you beyond your limits, and call you out when you’re slacking.
A great coach:
- Challenges you without breaking you.
- Sees your blind spots and forces you to confront them.
- Holds you accountable when your mind starts making excuses.
- Offers wisdom gained through experience.
Your coach might be a martial arts instructor, a business mentor, or even a mindset coach. The key? Find someone who demands your best, not someone who makes you comfortable.
Finding a Coach or an Accountability Partner
Not everyone needs a formal coach. Sometimes, an accountability partner, a training partner, a friend, or a mastermind group—can serve the same purpose.
Here’s how to find the right person:
- Look for someone who has what you want – If they’ve already achieved what you’re chasing, they understand the path.
- Seek brutal honesty – A good accountability partner doesn’t just encourage you; they call you out when you slip.
- Set clear expectations – “Let’s hold each other accountable” is vague. “We check in every Friday and review progress” is specific.
The Warrior’s Code of Accountability
Accountability isn’t about guilt or punishment. It’s about discipline, growth, and commitment to the path. A warrior doesn’t make excuses, they find solutions. A warrior doesn’t hide from failure, they learn from it.
So, ask yourself:
- How well do you self-manage?
- Who holds you accountable?
- What’s your next step in finding a coach or partner?
Because at the end of the day, no one will fight your battles for you. But the right accountability, whether from within or from a coach, will make sure you never step into the ring unprepared.
Now, are you ready to level up?
by Gene Crawford | Mar 31, 2025 | Podcast
Step into the shifting world of modern masculinity as we unravel the image transformations of tech icons—beginning with Mark Zuckerberg. Once the hoodie-clad coder, Zuckerberg’s new fighter-physique and stoic stare tell a different story. But why the change? We peel back the layers of this calculated rebranding and explore how media crafts masculine ideals—from the “tech bro” archetype to martial arts influencers like Joe Rogan.
Through vivid stories, personal reflection, and pop culture references, Shekeese and I examine the spectrum of masculinity: traditional, toxic, and healthy. What messages are we absorbing? What should we pass on?
This episode invites you to question the media mirror, seek authenticity, and redefine strength—not as performance, but as purpose. Tune in for a deeper look.
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by Gene Crawford | Mar 24, 2025 | Podcast
What does it take to turn a felony conviction into a story of triumph? In this powerful episode, Derek Tsuboi opens up about his transformation—from legal struggles and hidden truths to Spartan race glory and entrepreneurial success. With raw honesty, he shares how embracing authenticity, enduring hardship, and redefining failure led him to reclaim his life. Don’t miss this exclusive conversation about resilience, redemption, and the power of owning your story.
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by Gene Crawford | Mar 18, 2025 | Blog
Imagine carrying a brick every single day, not just any brick, but one with the name of the man who took everything from you. Georges St-Pierre did exactly that after the biggest loss of his career. But why? And what happened when he finally put it down?
The Brick That Built a Champion: How Georges St-Pierre Used Defeat as Fuel
The weight of a single brick is nothing compared to the weight of failure. But for Georges St-Pierre, a brick was more than just a brick. It was a constant, tangible reminder of the night everything fell apart.
The Night That Shook the MMA World
April 7, 2007. UFC 69.
The crowd roared as the cage door locked behind Georges St-Pierre and Matt Serra. Everyone expected the champion to dominate. Serra, the scrappy underdog from Long Island, had fought his way through The Ultimate Fighter reality show for a shot at the welterweight belt. On paper, he had no business winning.
But fights aren’t won on paper.
Just over three minutes into the first round, Serra rocked St-Pierre with an overhand right. The champ wobbled. The next few seconds were a blur, punches landing, balance lost, survival instincts failing. Before long, the referee was pulling Serra away, and St-Pierre was left staring up at the lights.
He had been dethroned. Humiliated.
The Weight of a Brick
Most fighters bury their losses. They push the pain aside, pretend it never happened, and move on. But St-Pierre? He carried his.
Literally.
At some point after the loss, he picked up a brick and wrote “Matt Serra” on it. That brick became part of his daily life. He took it with him to training. It sat in his gym, a silent witness to every grueling workout, every bead of sweat, every moment of self-doubt.
Why?
Because he refused to forget. He refused to let that moment of defeat become just another bad memory. Instead, he used it. Every time he saw the brick, he was reminded of what he had lost. But more importantly, he was reminded of what he was working to reclaim.
The weight of the brick wasn’t physical. It was psychological. It was emotional. And it was exactly what he needed.
The Road to Redemption
For a year, St-Pierre trained like a man possessed. Every takedown drilled, every punch thrown, every round sparred, it all led to one inevitable moment.
April 19, 2008. UFC 83. The rematch.
This time, there was no mistake. St-Pierre dominated Serra from the opening bell. He took him down at will, controlled the fight, and, in the second round, finished him with brutal knees to the body.
As the referee waved it off, the weight lifted. Not just the pressure of the fight, but something else. Something that had been with him every single day.
The brick.
He didn’t need it anymore.
The Lesson in Mental Toughness
St-Pierre’s journey from humiliation to redemption wasn’t just about skill. It was about mindset. Most people run from failure. He carried his. He turned it into fuel.
The brick was never about Matt Serra. It was about himself, his own doubts, his own fears, his own drive to be better.
When the time came, he didn’t just put the brick down. He crushed it.
And that’s what separates champions from everyone else.
Want to push yourself past failure like GSP? Next time you face a setback, don’t ignore it. Carry it. Let it remind you why you need to fight harder. Then, when the time is right, let it go.
But only after you’ve turned it into victory.
5 Key Takeaways from Georges St-Pierre’s Brick Story
- Failure Can Be Fuel – Instead of running from defeat, GSP used it as daily motivation by carrying a brick with Matt Serra’s name on it.
- Turn Pain Into Purpose – The brick symbolized his loss, but also his drive to reclaim his title, pushing him to train harder every day.
- Mindset Shapes Champions – GSP’s comeback wasn’t just physical; it was mental. His ability to embrace failure and use it constructively set him apart.
- Symbolic Reminders Work – Having a tangible object tied to a goal or setback can be a powerful psychological tool to stay focused and disciplined.
- Let It Go After Growth – Once GSP avenged his loss, he put the brick down, showing that after learning and improving, you must move forward without carrying past burdens.
by Gene Crawford | Mar 17, 2025 | Podcast
Unlock the secrets of honor, strength, and wisdom through Miyamoto Musashi’s 21 Principles for Life, a timeless guide to resilience and personal growth. We explore how his teachings transcend materialism and emotional dependence, drawing parallels with modern warriors like Jocko Willink. By embracing extreme ownership, discipline, and self-reliance, we uncover strategies for decisive action and acceptance of reality. Drawing from Stoic philosophy and Navy SEAL principles, we highlight the power of detachment, integrity, and responsibility. Through the samurai ethos and military discipline, we emphasize the importance of a guiding philosophy that defines true strength and the warrior’s way of life.
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