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 3, 2025 | Podcast
Unlock the power of Uketamo and transform your approach to life and martial arts. This episode explores the intersection of ancient Japanese philosophy and modern resilience-building techniques, revealing how radical acceptance can turn pain and failure into growth. Inspired by Yamabushi monks and the stoic mindset of “embracing the suck” used by Navy SEALs, we discuss how embracing discomfort with gratitude enhances adaptability and strength. Whether you’re a martial artist, coach, or navigating life’s challenges, Uketamo offers a path to composure and learning from setbacks. Share your thoughts, subscribe, and help us build a community rooted in strength and discipline.
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by Gene Crawford | Apr 22, 2024 | Podcast
Transform your never-ending ‘to-do’ list into a view of readiness with Dr. Daria Long’s expert guidance, as we explore practical strategies for achieving a state of preparedness. From the ER to your personal chaos, Dr. Long translates her frontline experience into actionable advice for managing life’s daily demands with finesse. We tackle the pitfalls of the ‘crazy busy’ badge of honor, advocating for a ‘ready mode’ outlook that prioritizes triage of tasks and simplicity in everyday life. By sharing techniques to step out of the whirlwind in your mind, we help you reframe stress as a manageable facet of a well-organized life.
In our continuing journey of self-improvement, we scrutinize the mental frameworks that dictate our actions and the results we achieve. Using personal anecdotes from my time as a martial arts coach, we expose how mindset and beliefs craft our reality, emphasizing the power of visualizing success and the necessity of confronting confirmation bias. This episode is an invitation to audit your belief systems, to dare to challenge the status quo of your limitations, and to take command of your own narrative. Join us as we break down barriers and foster a mindset of empowerment and relentless pursuit of personal growth.
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by Gene Crawford | Feb 5, 2024 | Podcast
As the seasons of our careers change, so does our perspective on the work we do and the lives we lead. This heartfelt discussion with Greg Storey, a dear friend and former owner of Happy Cog, not only traces his professional voyage from bagging groceries in Alaska to the boutique agency world and through the corporate colossus of IBM Design, but it also unravels the beauty of midlife career introspection. Embracing change, Greg has moved from leading companies to imparting wisdom through coaching, a journey that mirrors my own pivot towards fitness and mental health coaching, where the reward lies in guiding others to their zenith.
Join us for a reflective and thought-provoking episode where we celebrate the rich tapestry of our past experiences, while keeping an eager eye on the horizon. We revel in discussions about the legends who’ve shaped our industry, touching on the privilege of choosing our own adventures and the vitality of continuous engagement with our creative endeavors.
This episode is also a candid exploration of the complexities of the workplace, from the integration of AI to the dynamics of leadership. We debate the current resistance to remote work models, advocate for leadership that empowers and supports, and tackle the tough emotional realities of decision-making, like firing employees. Whether you’re a seasoned vet or just starting out, there’s wisdom here for anyone navigating the undulating paths of their professional landscape. Join us and take away invaluable insights that will enrich your approach to work and life.
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by Gene Crawford | Oct 26, 2023 | Blog
Developing perspective is a crucial skill that enhances empathy, communication, and understanding in various aspects of life. This simple practice can be incorporated into your routine to help you see situations from different viewpoints. In just 5-10 minutes, you can cultivate a more empathetic approach to interactions. Follow this step-by-step guide to start developing your perspective-taking abilities:
Step-by-Step Guide:
Step 1: Center Yourself
- Find a quiet and comfortable space where you won’t be interrupted.
- Sit or stand in a relaxed posture.
- Take three deep breaths, inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling slowly through your mouth.
- Focus on the present moment, letting go of any distractions.
Step 2: Recall a Recent Situation
- Think of a recent situation where you attempted to understand another person’s perspective.
- It could be a work-related scenario, a conversation with a friend, or a family interaction.
Step 3: Describe the Situation (3 minutes)
- Using a pen and paper or a digital note-taking app, write a detailed description of the chosen situation.
- Use bullet points to outline the key events and interactions that occurred from beginning to end.
- Include relevant emotions, words exchanged, and any notable actions.
Step 4: View from Their Perspective (1 minute)
- Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the other person’s shoes.
- Consider how they might have experienced the situation. How would they feel? What thoughts might they have had?
- Imagine how they would describe the interaction from their point of view.
Step 5: Reflect on Your Insights (30 seconds)
- Open your eyes and take a moment to reflect on what you learned from the exercise.
- Consider what you did that helped you understand the other person’s perspective better.
- Acknowledge any new insights or realizations you gained during the exercise.
Step 6: Repeat and Expand (3 times a week)
- Throughout the week, repeat this exercise three times, choosing a different situation each time.
- Select scenarios that vary in nature and involve different people or contexts.
- With each practice, aim to refine your perspective-taking skills and deepen your understanding of others.
Benefits of Regular Practice:
- Enhanced empathy: By consistently putting yourself in others’ shoes, you’ll develop a more empathetic mindset.
- Improved communication: Understanding various viewpoints helps you communicate more effectively and avoid misunderstandings.
- Strengthened relationships: Developing perspective fosters deeper connections and minimizes conflicts.
- Better decision-making: Seeing situations from multiple angles enables you to make well-rounded decisions.
Incorporating this perspective-taking exercise into your routine can lead to profound personal growth and more harmonious relationships. Dedicate a few minutes to this practice, and you’ll find yourself becoming more attuned to the thoughts and feelings of those around you.
I originally found an approach this this via Coach Mark Divine’s Email Newsletter.
