1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,880
Okay, so get ready for this one.

2
00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:05,080
You send us an article about like the mental game

3
00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:06,600
in fencing, right?

4
00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:07,720
And what pops up.

5
00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,440
A philosophy that's all about not giving up.

6
00:00:10,440 --> 00:00:12,080
Well, you get the idea.

7
00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:12,920
Right.

8
00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:14,800
It's not your typical pairing, is it?

9
00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:17,360
Not really, no, not what you'd expect.

10
00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:19,160
But that's what we're diving into today.

11
00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,320
And trust me, there's a method to this seeming madness.

12
00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:24,560
Right, I mean, we're talking about a sport

13
00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:26,080
where precision strategy.

14
00:00:26,080 --> 00:00:26,920
Absolutely.

15
00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:28,360
It's like chess at lightning speed.

16
00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:29,200
Yeah.

17
00:00:29,200 --> 00:00:32,080
How does this whole not giving effect thing

18
00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:33,360
actually work on the Pist?

19
00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:35,720
Well, picture that there's this anecdote in the article, right?

20
00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:37,400
It's right from the comment section.

21
00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,640
A veteran fencer is in a bout

22
00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,760
and the referee makes a scoring error

23
00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,320
in his opponent's favor.

24
00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:44,160
Wow.

25
00:00:44,160 --> 00:00:46,080
Now most people would let it slide.

26
00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:48,760
Maybe even see it as an advantage, right?

27
00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,040
But this fencer, he stops the whole bout.

28
00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:52,880
Oh, wow.

29
00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:54,520
Points out the error and makes sure

30
00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,640
that his opponent gets the point that they deserve.

31
00:00:57,640 --> 00:00:59,880
Wow, talk about sportsmanship, right?

32
00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:00,720
Absolutely.

33
00:01:00,720 --> 00:01:02,520
But honestly, that takes guts.

34
00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:03,360
Yeah.

35
00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:04,960
To put the integrity of the sport

36
00:01:04,960 --> 00:01:06,560
above your own potential win.

37
00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,080
Exactly, and that's a perfect illustration

38
00:01:09,080 --> 00:01:12,200
of this not giving effect philosophy in action.

39
00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:13,920
It's not about apathy or not caring

40
00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:15,600
about the outcome at all.

41
00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,600
It's about choosing your battles,

42
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:19,440
focusing on what truly matters,

43
00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:21,680
in this case, fair play and self-respect.

44
00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:25,360
And that is powerful stuff, both on and off the Pist.

45
00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,280
Okay, I'm hooked.

46
00:01:27,280 --> 00:01:28,600
So break this down for us.

47
00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:29,440
Sure.

48
00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:31,480
What are the core principles of this philosophy?

49
00:01:31,480 --> 00:01:32,320
Yeah.

50
00:01:32,320 --> 00:01:33,880
And how do they apply specifically

51
00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:38,880
to a sport as technical and mentally demanding as fencing?

52
00:01:39,040 --> 00:01:42,200
So how does this choosing your battles thing

53
00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,560
actually play out like in the middle of a fencing match?

54
00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:46,400
Yeah.

55
00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:47,640
It seems like there'd be a lot to worry about

56
00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:48,480
in the heat of the moment.

57
00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:49,320
Oh, absolutely.

58
00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:51,360
There's a lot going on.

59
00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:53,160
Footwork, blade work.

60
00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:54,000
Right.

61
00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:55,880
Anticipating your opponent's moves.

62
00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,240
It's a lot to process.

63
00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:58,080
Yeah.

64
00:01:58,080 --> 00:02:00,640
But that's where this philosophy really shines.

65
00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:02,800
One of the core principles is about

66
00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,120
focusing on what you can control.

67
00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,640
So instead of getting caught up in distractions,

68
00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:10,360
like a bad call from the referee,

69
00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:12,920
or maybe a touch you think you should have made,

70
00:02:12,920 --> 00:02:15,800
you're training yourself to let go of those things.

71
00:02:15,800 --> 00:02:17,320
You're not giving effect about those.

72
00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:18,160
Okay.

73
00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:19,160
Easier said than done.

74
00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:21,640
Especially for someone like me

75
00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:22,920
who tends to overthink things.

76
00:02:22,920 --> 00:02:23,760
Sure.

77
00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:25,680
But I guess that's part of the mental game, right?

78
00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,840
Absolutely, it's like building a mental muscle.

79
00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:31,560
The more you practice redirecting your focus

80
00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,560
to the things that you can actually influence

81
00:02:33,560 --> 00:02:36,160
your footwork, your timing, your strategy,

82
00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,440
the better you become at it.

83
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:38,920
And that's what allows you to fence

84
00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:40,440
with more clarity and purpose.

85
00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:42,800
So you're almost hacking your brain

86
00:02:42,800 --> 00:02:45,200
to work with the pressure instead of against it.

87
00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:46,240
Precisely.

88
00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,440
Now another principle that's huge E in fencing

89
00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:52,760
is embracing failure.

90
00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,400
This is a sport with so much trial and error.

91
00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,760
You will get touched, you will make mistakes.

92
00:02:57,760 --> 00:02:59,960
But this philosophy, it encourages you

93
00:02:59,960 --> 00:03:03,680
to reframe those failures as feedback.

94
00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:06,480
Each touch, each missed opportunity.

95
00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,760
It's a chance to analyze what happened, adjust and improve.

96
00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:10,720
That makes a ton of sense,

97
00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:13,120
but how does a fencer actually do that?

98
00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,120
I imagine it's tough to go from feeling defeated

99
00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:16,680
to like, okay, what did I learn from that?

100
00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:17,520
Sure.

101
00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:18,360
Right after a loss.

102
00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:19,840
Absolutely, it takes practice.

103
00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,680
And it might involve some specific techniques.

104
00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:26,480
Some fencers might mentally replay the bout,

105
00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:28,720
focusing on key moments

106
00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:30,320
where they could have reacted differently.

107
00:03:30,320 --> 00:03:32,600
Others might keep a training journal,

108
00:03:32,600 --> 00:03:34,480
noting down patterns they observed

109
00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:35,920
or areas for improvement.

110
00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:37,760
So it's about turning those emotional reactions

111
00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,600
into something constructive, something actionable.

112
00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:41,440
Exactly.

113
00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,560
And that ties into another big idea here,

114
00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:45,560
defining your own success.

115
00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,400
Of course, winning is great,

116
00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,600
but it's about recognizing that there are victories

117
00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,640
beyond the podium, beyond the metal count.

118
00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:53,720
Yeah.

119
00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:56,360
Maybe success for you in a particular bout

120
00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:59,680
is about finally executing that tricky footwork sequence

121
00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:01,120
you've been practicing.

122
00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,480
Or maybe it's about maintaining your composure

123
00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:04,760
even under pressure.

124
00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:05,600
Now that's something I think

125
00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:07,840
everyone listening can relate to, right?

126
00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:08,680
Absolutely.

127
00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:10,120
Whether you're an athlete or not,

128
00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:11,640
it's so easy to get caught up

129
00:04:11,640 --> 00:04:13,680
in comparing yourself to others

130
00:04:13,680 --> 00:04:15,520
and their definition of success.

131
00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,280
And that's where this whole not giving effect thing

132
00:04:18,280 --> 00:04:19,600
can be so freeing.

133
00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:21,560
Totally. It's about reclaiming ownership,

134
00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:24,240
like your journey, your progress,

135
00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,320
your definition of winning.

136
00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:28,880
And that can be incredibly empowering.

137
00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:31,840
So we've talked about focusing on what you can control,

138
00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:33,760
embracing those failures as feedback

139
00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:35,960
and defining your own success.

140
00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,360
Anything else on this philosophy

141
00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:39,560
or are we ready to like hang up our fencing jackets?

142
00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:40,760
Almost.

143
00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:43,120
There's one more, and it might be the most important of all,

144
00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:45,000
staying true to your values.

145
00:04:45,000 --> 00:04:47,720
Even when things get crazy and the stakes are high.

146
00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,360
Which brings us right back to that veteran flencer,

147
00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,080
you know, the one who's stopped about

148
00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:53,640
to correct the scoring error,

149
00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:55,520
even though it could have meant like losing.

150
00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:56,360
Exactly.

151
00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,160
That's so powerful about this whole story.

152
00:04:58,160 --> 00:04:59,880
It's a real world example of someone

153
00:04:59,880 --> 00:05:01,920
who's like really living their values,

154
00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:03,520
even under all that pressure.

155
00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:05,400
And in a way, it kind of brings

156
00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:07,360
all the other principles together.

157
00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:08,200
How so?

158
00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:09,400
Well, just think about it.

159
00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:11,720
By focusing on fair play and sportsmanship,

160
00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,520
he was basically choosing what he valued most,

161
00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:16,160
you know, over just getting the win.

162
00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,240
He was embracing like the spirit of the sport,

163
00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:19,760
even if it meant a tougher fight.

164
00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:21,880
That's not giving a feck in the best way possible.

165
00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:23,360
Man, that's inspiring.

166
00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:25,360
It's like he was playing the long game, you know?

167
00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,640
Building a reputation for integrity and respect

168
00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,840
that goes way beyond any single match.

169
00:05:29,840 --> 00:05:30,800
Exactly.

170
00:05:30,800 --> 00:05:32,320
And that's something we can all take with us

171
00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:33,680
no matter what our arena is,

172
00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,600
whether it's at work or in our personal lives,

173
00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:37,840
or even just like how we interact online.

174
00:05:37,840 --> 00:05:39,480
This idea of staying true to ourselves,

175
00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:42,320
even when it's tough, that's a powerful way to live.

176
00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,000
So what does all of this mean for our listeners?

177
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:47,240
You know, the ones who may have never even like

178
00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:48,480
held a fencing weapon.

179
00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:50,560
It means you can apply this framework,

180
00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,480
this not giving a feck away of thinking,

181
00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:54,800
to any area where you might feel stuck,

182
00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,360
or where you feel the pressure.

183
00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:58,440
Think about a goal you've been working towards.

184
00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,600
What are the things that really matter for you to succeed?

185
00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,320
How can you take those setbacks

186
00:06:03,320 --> 00:06:06,000
and turn them into learning experiences?

187
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:07,280
And most importantly,

188
00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:09,800
are you being true to your values along the way?

189
00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:10,840
They are some food for thought.

190
00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:11,680
Yeah.

191
00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:13,280
And hey, if you're interested in learning more,

192
00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:15,520
remember that fortune venting blog you sent us.

193
00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,880
They got a whole section on the mental side of things.

194
00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,800
Maybe we'll uncover another gem for a future deep dive.

195
00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:22,680
Always up for a good deep dive.

196
00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:23,600
Me too.

197
00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:25,520
Until then, keep those minds sharp.

198
00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,760
And remember, it's okay to not give effects

199
00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:29,920
strategically, of course.

200
00:06:29,920 --> 00:06:43,920
Thanks for joining us on the deep dive.