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Paddy Pimblett is our mentor of the week. With a 19-3 professional record and undefeated 3 fight win streak in his UFC career so far. Sporting a fight style that swings for the fences and is entertaining to watch, it's easy to see how he's already a crowd favorite. Fight TV has chosen to pick "The Baddy" as our mentor of the week for not only being a formidable fighter but also for being an inspiration. We all know or know of someone who has committed suicide. Paddy took his recent win, not to self promote or brag - but to raise awareness for mental health. He lost a close friend before the fight and just wishes they would have reached out or spoken about what they were struggling with. It's not easy to be vulnerable, especially for fighters.
"But it doesn't matter how hard you are, how hard you can punch, how hard your exterior is, everyone's got a mental capacity where there's only so much they can take." - He said in a recent interview with BBC News.
If there's something we can learn here is that life is about duality. We must be disciplined, focused, and resilient. We can simultaneously be empathetic, kind, and compassionate. Paddy said that 2018 was a rough year, he struggled with thoughts of self harm after losing a title fight and being bullied online. What really helped him was just being able to talk about it and vent to his friends and family.
"Get rid of this stupid 'I'm a tough guy' thing. There's a stigma there that we can't talk, that we need to get rid of."
Even the toughest fighters in the world have their struggles.
"I was getting abused on the internet and waking up feeling terrible about myself, and I wasn't speaking to no-one.
but when getting to vent
"It feels like a weight is being lifted off your shoulders. Well, it was for me anyway. I spoke to one of my mates, I spoke to my missus, to my dad, spoke to my coach and it was just like 'yeah, I feel well better now'."
The lesson by our mentor this week is being vulnerable enough to discuss what's troubling us with our inner circle, getting to vent and hear other perspectives is how we get through our problems. Whether it's a fight or a life event. To be disciplined, focused, and resilient we have to also communicate what's troubling us.