Can You Use a Create Abundance Mindset to Win at Combat Sports?

Article by Zhang Xinyue of Create Abundance.

Combat sports are some of the most mentally demanding competitions on the planet. From Olympic-style point fighting to full-contact bouts of boxing and mixed martial arts, every competitor must learn to manage their fears of pain and injury. But what if the key to winning the mental side of a fight lies in creating abundance and mindfulness in the middle of a round?

At their core, combat sports are martial arts. Martial arts are not just for physical fighting but also for instilling discipline, spirit, and self-respect into practitioners. For many years, meditation has been a crucial part of training in arts such as kung fu, karate, and taekwondo. This type of mental training teaches you to understand yourself and your opponent. It also teaches you to perform your best during a high-stress situation.

There is a concept in Zen and Japanese martial arts called mushin, which refers to a state of mind in which a fighter is free from negative thoughts such as anger, fear, or ego. Fighters can be trained to enter this state, not only by practicing their techniques but also by training their minds for an upcoming fight.

Bruce Lee spoke about the importance of “flowing” in martial arts. To truly understand the meaning of this, fighters must not overthink their own movements or their opponents’ movements. Instead, they must train their subconscious to respond instinctively in the most efficient manner based on the dictates of the fight. Letting go of your anger, fear, and ego is the first step to acting without hesitations that prevent you from achieving victory.

Zhang Xinyue is the founder of Create Abundance organization and author of the book with the same name. Create Abundance is a book full of advice on practicing body-mind-spirit cultivation. IT aims to promote a meaningful and applicable approach to the philosophical issues in life.