Okay, so get ready for this one.
You send us an article about like the mental game
in fencing, right?
And what pops up.
A philosophy that's all about not giving up.
Well, you get the idea.
Right.
It's not your typical pairing, is it?
Not really, no, not what you'd expect.
But that's what we're diving into today.
And trust me, there's a method to this seeming madness.
Right, I mean, we're talking about a sport
where precision strategy.
Absolutely.
It's like chess at lightning speed.
Yeah.
How does this whole not giving effect thing
actually work on the Pist?
Well, picture that there's this anecdote in the article, right?
It's right from the comment section.
A veteran fencer is in a bout
and the referee makes a scoring error
in his opponent's favor.
Wow.
Now most people would let it slide.
Maybe even see it as an advantage, right?
But this fencer, he stops the whole bout.
Oh, wow.
Points out the error and makes sure
that his opponent gets the point that they deserve.
Wow, talk about sportsmanship, right?
Absolutely.
But honestly, that takes guts.
Yeah.
To put the integrity of the sport
above your own potential win.
Exactly, and that's a perfect illustration
of this not giving effect philosophy in action.
It's not about apathy or not caring
about the outcome at all.
It's about choosing your battles,
focusing on what truly matters,
in this case, fair play and self-respect.
And that is powerful stuff, both on and off the Pist.
Okay, I'm hooked.
So break this down for us.
Sure.
What are the core principles of this philosophy?
Yeah.
And how do they apply specifically
to a sport as technical and mentally demanding as fencing?
So how does this choosing your battles thing
actually play out like in the middle of a fencing match?
Yeah.
It seems like there'd be a lot to worry about
in the heat of the moment.
Oh, absolutely.
There's a lot going on.
Footwork, blade work.
Right.
Anticipating your opponent's moves.
It's a lot to process.
Yeah.
But that's where this philosophy really shines.
One of the core principles is about
focusing on what you can control.
So instead of getting caught up in distractions,
like a bad call from the referee,
or maybe a touch you think you should have made,
you're training yourself to let go of those things.
You're not giving effect about those.
Okay.
Easier said than done.
Especially for someone like me
who tends to overthink things.
Sure.
But I guess that's part of the mental game, right?
Absolutely, it's like building a mental muscle.
The more you practice redirecting your focus
to the things that you can actually influence
your footwork, your timing, your strategy,
the better you become at it.
And that's what allows you to fence
with more clarity and purpose.
So you're almost hacking your brain
to work with the pressure instead of against it.
Precisely.
Now another principle that's huge E in fencing
is embracing failure.
This is a sport with so much trial and error.
You will get touched, you will make mistakes.
But this philosophy, it encourages you
to reframe those failures as feedback.
Each touch, each missed opportunity.
It's a chance to analyze what happened, adjust and improve.
That makes a ton of sense,
but how does a fencer actually do that?
I imagine it's tough to go from feeling defeated
to like, okay, what did I learn from that?
Sure.
Right after a loss.
Absolutely, it takes practice.
And it might involve some specific techniques.
Some fencers might mentally replay the bout,
focusing on key moments
where they could have reacted differently.
Others might keep a training journal,
noting down patterns they observed
or areas for improvement.
So it's about turning those emotional reactions
into something constructive, something actionable.
Exactly.
And that ties into another big idea here,
defining your own success.
Of course, winning is great,
but it's about recognizing that there are victories
beyond the podium, beyond the metal count.
Yeah.
Maybe success for you in a particular bout
is about finally executing that tricky footwork sequence
you've been practicing.
Or maybe it's about maintaining your composure
even under pressure.
Now that's something I think
everyone listening can relate to, right?
Absolutely.
Whether you're an athlete or not,
it's so easy to get caught up
in comparing yourself to others
and their definition of success.
And that's where this whole not giving effect thing
can be so freeing.
Totally. It's about reclaiming ownership,
like your journey, your progress,
your definition of winning.
And that can be incredibly empowering.
So we've talked about focusing on what you can control,
embracing those failures as feedback
and defining your own success.
Anything else on this philosophy
or are we ready to like hang up our fencing jackets?
Almost.
There's one more, and it might be the most important of all,
staying true to your values.
Even when things get crazy and the stakes are high.
Which brings us right back to that veteran flencer,
you know, the one who's stopped about
to correct the scoring error,
even though it could have meant like losing.
Exactly.
That's so powerful about this whole story.
It's a real world example of someone
who's like really living their values,
even under all that pressure.
And in a way, it kind of brings
all the other principles together.
How so?
Well, just think about it.
By focusing on fair play and sportsmanship,
he was basically choosing what he valued most,
you know, over just getting the win.
He was embracing like the spirit of the sport,
even if it meant a tougher fight.
That's not giving a feck in the best way possible.
Man, that's inspiring.
It's like he was playing the long game, you know?
Building a reputation for integrity and respect
that goes way beyond any single match.
Exactly.
And that's something we can all take with us
no matter what our arena is,
whether it's at work or in our personal lives,
or even just like how we interact online.
This idea of staying true to ourselves,
even when it's tough, that's a powerful way to live.
So what does all of this mean for our listeners?
You know, the ones who may have never even like
held a fencing weapon.
It means you can apply this framework,
this not giving a feck away of thinking,
to any area where you might feel stuck,
or where you feel the pressure.
Think about a goal you've been working towards.
What are the things that really matter for you to succeed?
How can you take those setbacks
and turn them into learning experiences?
And most importantly,
are you being true to your values along the way?
They are some food for thought.
Yeah.
And hey, if you're interested in learning more,
remember that fortune venting blog you sent us.
They got a whole section on the mental side of things.
Maybe we'll uncover another gem for a future deep dive.
Always up for a good deep dive.
Me too.
Until then, keep those minds sharp.
And remember, it's okay to not give effects
strategically, of course.
Thanks for joining us on the deep dive.