I want to talk about a concept that I brought up recently in a post about becoming undeniable. There are so many self-help books and websites out there that talk about winning at life and playing to win at everything you do, but what they all seem to miss out on is how to go from good to extraordinary, and how winning sometimes just isn’t enough to get you where you want to be.

 

But I’ll take a step back for a second to explain. What does it mean to be undeniable?

 

To be undeniable means you have reached such a level of excellence and mastery in your field or craft, or even your life, that no one can question your value or authority. Being undeniable means that you have surpassed your competition to the point that they are no longer even relevant. It also means that you have made yourself indispensable and irreplaceable.

 

I’ll put it in an MMA context. Take a second and think about fights that you’ve watched in the past and consider how even winning fighters are sometimes criticized. You’ve heard the term “winning ugly” before. That phrase is used in team sports, combat sports, and even in business. While winning ugly produces the intended results, it’s not exactly excellence, is it?

 

I’ll give you an example of what I mean. We all know how nasty and terrifying Derrick Lewis can be, but let me take you back to UFC 226.

 

If you don’t recall, Lewis was matched up against Francis Ngannou, and it was expected to be a blockbuster fight.

 

Until it wasn’t.

 

Even though Lewis won the decision, every media outlet in the country was quick to point out what a terrible performance it was by both fighters and said that it ranked as one of the worst fights (as in most boring) in UFC history.

 

It was so bad that during the post-fight press conference, Lewis himself said, “…it was a really bad performance. And I know for sure I don’t deserve a title shot. You know, I believe that it hurt me more than helped me. Even though I got the win, I believe it set me probably about two fights back”.

 

And this is coming from the guy who won the fight!

 

Look, I’m a huge fan of Derrick Lewis, but in that moment, he proved my point. Sure, you can compete to win, and even beat your opponent, but when your opponent isn’t doing shit, then winning means you only had to do a little more than that. And no one is impressed by that.

 

Which brings me back to my point: playing to win is not enough if you want to be undeniable. Playing to win is a reactive method, not a proactive one, and if you’ve read anything I’ve ever said, then you know proactivity is the key to overcoming so many challenges in your life.

 

Let me give you an example of undeniability in the cage. Just watch one of Khabib’s fights. They are so predictable that you can almost set your watch to it. He takes people down, keeps them there, and pounds on them until he decides to submit them, or until the ref jumps in to save them. Everyone knew exactly what he was going to do…everyone. But even with that, he still went in there and did what he said he was going to do…every time. That is undeniability. How else do you get into the GOAT conversation with less than 30 pro fights?

 

Playing to become undeniable requires a different mentality altogether. Like I said, it is proactive, not reactive. In this mindset, you are not concerned with what others are doing, but with what you are doing. It involves constantly challenging yourself to improve and grow by setting your own standards and goals, and then striving to achieve them.

 

This concept reminds me of a Kobe Bryant quote when he was asked about how he pushes himself to be better: “I want to see if I can. I don’t know if I can. I want to find out. I want to see. I’m going to do what I always do; I’m going to break it down to its smallest form, smallest detail, and go after it. Day by day, one day at a time.”

 

To be undeniable, it takes a certain level of passion, perseverance, and curiosity to want to know how great you truly can become. But just thinking about it won’t make it happen. 

You know me, and you know I don’t sugar coat anything. In fact, I hate processed sugar (and you should too, FYI). The truth is this: playing to become undeniable is really f*cking hard. It takes a lot of time, effort, and dedication, but it also gives you more satisfaction, fulfillment, and sense of purpose in your life.

 

It also makes you stand out from the crowd which can help you attract more opportunities in life. It might even turn you into the leader you always wanted to become.

 

 

 

I’ve learned so many things from many great minds and great leaders. I used to play to win and realized that I found myself unfulfilled. This is why I’m imploring you to break free of those comparison mindsets of you versus the competition. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in sports, work, or life in general. This is you versus you. It always has been, you may just not have realized it. 

If you answered yes, then I’m proud of you. Wanting to become undeniable is actually the first step in achieving it. You’ve got to want it.

 

The next step is to take action! Proactivity is the key to all of this. I’ve outlined some examples and steps that will get you started, but this one is on you. Becoming undeniable is not a one-time event, but a continuous process that requires practice, repetition, focus, resilience, and I’ll say it again…proactivity.