9. Go through fire to forge your mental resilience

"I never lose. I win or I learn."

To achieve greatness, one must be willing to go through fire. This means facing challenges, accepting failures, and persisting through obstacles. It is much like refining metal ore through fire; it is a rigorous process that burns away impurities and strengthens the metal. Similarly, when we face difficult circumstances and push through them, we grow stronger and better equipped to face the next challenge.


Practice failures, and always play your best game

Rather than waiting for failure to happen to us, we should actively seek out opportunities to make mistakes and learn from them. Deliberately making mistakes can help us overcome challenges more effectively in the future. For instance, before they learn how to score, hockey players learn how to fall and get back up again with a sense of humor. Similarly, pilots intentionally practice stalling their planes so they know how to respond if a malfunction occurs. By embracing failure, we can develop our flexibility and adaptability in the face of adversity.

Many individuals fall short of their potential in both gaming and life because they do not consistently perform at their best. Rather than focusing on their own game, they look to the performance of others as a benchmark, and unconsciously shy away from trying their best for fear of failure.

It's important to acknowledge that even when you give your all, there is no guarantee of success. Failure is a natural consequence of striving for excellence. We invest time and energy into researching, planning, and gathering resources, but sometimes things don't go as anticipated. However, when we encounter setbacks, we can reflect on what went wrong and identify areas for improvement. Failure can provide valuable lessons.

Winners view failure as a source of motivation, while losers are defeated by it. The most important secret of winners is that failure drives success; they are not afraid to lose. Instead of trying to emulate others or succumbing to peer pressure, successful individuals embrace failure and regard it as an opportunity for growth. It is through failure that we learn the most. Therefore, we should not be afraid of failing, but rather embrace it, fail often, and always strive to play our best game.


Thick face black heart

Everyone has setbacks in life, but not everyone has the mental strength to overcome them. That's where developing a Thick Face and Black Heart comes in. These two concepts, coined by author Chin Ning Chu in her book Thick Face, Black Heart, can help you build your fighting spirit and become more resilient in the face of adversity.

Thick Face: The Shield

The concept of Thick Face is all about developing a positive self-image that is impervious to negative feedback from others. It's human nature to question ourselves and our abilities, but a person with Thick Face can shrug off doubt and criticism and maintain a positive outlook on their accomplishments.

To develop Thick Face, you need to be able to ignore the boundaries that others try to put around you, and more importantly, the boundaries you set for yourself. You must have confidence in your own abilities and not let others' opinions bring you down. This doesn't mean being confrontational or overly confident; it simply means being able to act in any given circumstance without worrying about how others see you.

An example of someone with Thick Face is the ancient Chinese warrior Han Xin. When two men challenged him to a fight, he chose to crawl between their legs rather than fight, which was seen as a cowardly act in his society. However, he later established a reputation as a brave and formidable soldier. Han Xin had always known he was a strong fighter, and he didn't let the opinions of others shake his confidence.

Black Heart: The Spear

The concept of Black Heart is about being able to do what needs to be done without being affected by how it will affect others. This doesn't mean being malicious or cruel, but rather having the ability to make tough decisions without being swayed by emotion.

For example, a surgeon must be able to perform surgery without being moved by the patient's cries or pleas. A general must be able to make decisions that may put his troops in danger without being swayed by feelings of compassion. A person with Black Heart doesn't let the potential costs of their actions affect their decision-making process.


Believe big!

Developing a fighting spirit is crucial in achieving success in games and in life. One key element to developing this fighting spirit is to believe big. This means having faith in ourselves and our abilities, and not underestimating what we can achieve.

Belief is a powerful force that can shape the way we think, act, and ultimately, achieve our goals. By believing that we can succeed, we are more likely to achieve success. Conversely, if we believe that we will fail, we are more likely to fall short. Therefore, it is essential to train our minds to think positively and focus on success rather than failure.

The first step replace negative thinking with positive thinking. Instead of thinking about failure, we should focus on success in every aspect of our lives. When faced with challenges, we should tell ourselves that we will succeed, not that we will probably fail. This positive mindset will help us create plans that lead to success and train our minds to think in a positive way.

The second step is to remind ourselves regularly that we are better than we think we are. We should never undervalue ourselves or our abilities, as successful people are regular people who have faith in themselves. By reminding ourselves that we are capable of achieving great things, we can develop the confidence we need to succeed.

Finally, we must believe big. The size of our belief determines the size of our success. We should have big ambitions and think big plans to achieve huge results. By having faith in ourselves and our abilities, we can accomplish things we never thought possible.

In conclusion, developing a fighting spirit requires us to believe big. By thinking positively, reminding ourselves of our potential, and having faith in our abilities, we can unleash our creative potential and achieve success beyond our wildest dreams. So, let's believe big and watch our psychological strength soar!

“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting... And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” ~Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist