It was Anne Frank who wrote “The weak fall, but the strong will remain and never go under!” Frank, who herself was strong and brave beyond her years suggests that remaing steadfast is an indicator of strength, and conversely strength is inherent in perseverance. Competitive athletics have been my pursuit, and in them I have grown strong. Over the course of what I’ll refer to as my Jiu Jitsu career, I’ve learned not just to push my limits, but to redefine them. The first period of redefinition was competition. Competing scared me and I wanted push my limit and diminish that fear. However, just as competition has the power to help us overcome fears, it also has the power to make them come true. Mine certainly came true that day. Consequently, my first tournament experience ended in many losses and eventually tears. I felt the sting of defeat; but I also I also felt the flame of determination. After this, many tournaments followed and many ended in defeat. However, others resulted in the thrill of a win. Slowly but steadily, I began to win more and more. This began a new stage of redefinition, one not categorized by redefinition of my limits, but a redefinition of my viewpoint towards competition. I finally saw it as something other than stressful, grueling work. It was rewarding. But competition is unpredictable, and an environment built on unpredictability ensures that no one remains on top for long.

My most devastating loss came soon after. Entering the tournament, I was sure I would walk out of the arena with a big grin on my face and a gold medal around my neck. But as I pushed open the doors to greet the roar of the crowd, the familiar sense of dread set in. This day’s going to be hard, I told myself. I was right. Stepping onto the mat for my very first match felt surreal. Without having warmed up properly and gotten into the right state of mind (both of which are essential before you compete), I nervously shook my opponent’s hand and tried to muster some confidence. However, none really came and I proceeded to get thrown around for six minutes or so. Defeated and confused, I began my next match with much the same attitude. Unsurprisingly, this resulted the same way as my first. Now 0-2 and spirit broken, I wanted nothing more than to go home where I would be comfortable, and forget the events of the day. Telling my father I didn’t think I could put myself through that experience again, I scoffed down a large lunch. I knew full well that such a large meal would make me too full to compete in my second division. I had given myself an out.

I’d like to say that my father gave me a moving speech about tenacity or that I recalled the words of my coach, telling me to remain steadfast and decided to keep competing. Frankly, that would have made a better story. Instead, I told myself to suck it up. Stop whining and get out there. So stomach full but mind determined, I geared up. This doesn’t mean, however, that I became fully confident and turned into a dominant athlete, ruthlessly running through my division and taking home the gold, as much as I wished it did. No, I’m afraid that only happens in the movies. In fact, my second division produced two losses yet again. However, it gave me something more important than the outcome: strength of will.

Stepping onto the mats for the second time, despite my previous experience, provided me with a sense of ease. Knowing that I had already suffered two brutal losses and hit my mental low point, I found comfort in the fact that I had nothing to lose, yet everything to gain. This outlook drove me to fight two warlike matches. I stepped off the mat beaming from ear to ear. I didn’t care about the outcome, I cared about the resolve I displayed.  I had told myself I would walk out of there with a grin on my face and a gold medal around my neck. Instead, I walked out with perseverance in my heart and confidence in my head. To me, this was worth more.

I won’t try to convince you that winning doesn’t matter. Since that tournament, I’ve won my fair share of gold and they each come with an unparalleled rush of excitement. However, an easy gold, one received through no feat of mental toughness, isn’t a gold worth having. True gold is a result of perseverance and grit. Only by remaining steadfast may we be strong, and through strength, we can achieve anything. Perseverance is inherently strong, because it takes strength to pursue your goals in the face of adversity.