COMMITMENT, Do you know what it means? Do you have it? When you make a commitment, do you keep it? Can you set a goal and keep it with no excuses? This post is aimed at everyone. Fighters, Coaches, Trainers, Managers, and Promoters. EVERYONE.

When you commit yourself to being a fighter, know going in what that means. It means you will push yourself beyond your limitations. It means buckets of pain, discomfort, and sweat. It means always pushing yourself to the next level in your conditioning and training. It means not eating the things you want, and eating the things you might not like. It means killing yourself doing your cardio and watching your weight. It means doing what your coaches and trainers tell you to do. And when you commit to a fight, don't come up with lame excuses at the last minute. If you don't want to be a fighter, don't waste your time and your coach's time.

If you commit yourself to being a Coach or Trainer, you make a commitment to help someone exceed their limitations to become the best he or she has ever been. That means you will do the same. You will pass on the lessons you have learned in your training. You will continue studying and researching techniques, fitness, and nutrition to help your athletes reach their full potential. The health and safety of your fighters should be first and foremost in your mind. When I tell my guys that they're going to hate me, they know that I am going to push them beyond what they think they can do, and I will not let them quit. They might resent me for the session, but they thank me later, especially after a tournament or a fight.

If you commit to acting as a Manager, realize what that means. It means taking the time to know the people you represent. Knowing their records and weight classes. Knowing their level of training and commitment. Contacting promoters and finding fights for them. Scouting their opponents. Knowing their records, skill levels, and strengths. Making sure the promoter is not trying to use your fighters to pad someone's record by mismatching your fighter against someone with far more experience.

Lastly, if you commit to being a Promoter, be ethical and professional. When you contact a manager or coach and ask if he has fighters for an event, know that you are setting a lot of wheels in motion. When you get names, weights, and records, set up fair fights with fighters of the same records and skill sets. Be honest and be expediant. Remember, from the first second contact is made, the fighter's life goes into overdrive. It's called Training Camp. Training intensity levels escalate. The battle to get to fighting weight begins. Keep in close contact with managers and coaches. Don't call them 5 days before a fight and tell them that they don't have an opponent and won't be fighting. By this time they've been going through hell for 6 to 8 weeks. Let them know within 10 days of initial contact whether they will be fighting or not. The quickest way to get me to not return your calls is to pull that stunt a couple of times.

So there it is. My definition of commitment in a nutshell. Remember, no matter what level you are on, Fighter, Coach/Trainer, Manager, or Promoter, there's always more than just your personal reputation on the line. It's the reputations of everyone involved. The Fighters reputations reflect on coaches and gyms. The Coaches reputations reflect on their gyms and fighters. The Managers reputations reflect on their agencies and the people they represent. And the Promoters reputations reflect on the quality of the events they hold and the businesses they run. Consider that when you are ready to make your COMMITMENT.