Here’s to Grinding Out 2014
In mixed martial arts, the term ‘grinder’ is used to classify a specific sort of fighter. They are not the guys with the flashy kicks or the soul-stealing right hands or the slicker-than-oil submission game. No, the grinder is a guy who uses dogged tenacity as his primary weapon. The grinder is not likely to fill out a long highlight reel, nor will he promise anyone any differently. What he’s going to do is walk into the cage, eat every kick and punch his opponent hits him with, and just keep pressing forward. He’s going to get his adversary against the cage or down on the floor, and he’s going to grind elbows in his face, knee the thigh, press his forearm on his throat, until the adversary has simply had enough. The grinder is out to break his opponent’s will.
The UFC, highest court of the MMA world, seems to be phasing out grinders. If the smaller organizations follow suit, we may never see the likes of Yushin Okami, Jon Fitch, Clay Guida, Mike Pierce, Chael Sonnen, or Jake Shields in a couple years. Those guys could become nothing more than stories of the past. The ever-expanding MMA crowd doesn’t want to see guys grind out decisions. They want flying dragon kicks and spinning elbows and cartwheeling leg locks (not sure if that’s actually possible). It’s a shame, really, because the grinder represents one of the most beautiful aspects of the human experience…which is the ability of spirit to overcome all obstacles and get the win.
It’s hard to believe that grinders choose their style from a wide palette of options. If a guy has the ability to end any single fight with an overhand right or a left hook, earning the bloodthirsty applause of the money-bearing fans, then it’s hard to imagine to he would opt to do otherwise. Grinders are grinders because that’s where their talent lies. They are tenacious. They are tough. They are unbreakable. It’s no small thing for a man to say, “I am going to go out there for fifteen minutes and stay on that guy until he can’t fight anymore. I am going to eat every shot, ignore all fatigue, and just keep dogging that guy until he can’t breathe anymore, until he just wants out of this cage, and then I’m going to dog him some more.” The ability to keep up a pace like that is no small thing.
But, this isn’t an MMA fan post. This is my post for my 2014, and my note to all the other grinders out there. I was not born with exceptional intelligence or talent, sure as hell not exceptional access to resources. I was born with only one thing, and that’st he refusal to quit. 2014 is going to be the best year of my life. I’m going to get right out there and press it against the cage and beat on it until it doesn’t want to fight anymore. I am going to take huge strides towards my goals…financial, artistic, athletic…all of them. Nothing flashy. Nothing crazy. I’m just going to put my head down and keep grinding out every single day, every single hour, until the obstacles crumble. Victory by erosion. Victory by persistence.
That’s all really, just my thoughts on this New Year’s Eve. I’m coming at you 2014, and I just thought you should know.
Good luck to all you other grinders out there. I respect the hell out of all you. I hope you make 2014 the best year of your life…or at least go down fighting in the attempt.
Here’s to grinding out 2014.
