Take Yourself Seriously: The First Step to Mastery

I didn’t always take myself seriously.

In fact, I remember one moment clear as day. I was in my mid-twenties, working as an apprentice electrician on a high-rise project downtown. Everyone on the job was older, tougher, and louder. Most of them treated me like I was invisible. Not in a cruel way — I was just one more kid in a sea of forgettable faces. Disposable. Replaceable.

At lunch, I’d sit off to the side. I’d bring my little black notebook and write down what I learned that day — what tools I used, what the foreman barked at me for, which journeyman actually explained something worth remembering. I’d track the things I screwed up and what I could do better.

One day, a one of the foreman, a guy named Al Turner sat down next to me. He looked at my notebook, took a bite of his sandwich, and said:
​“You keep doing that, you'll soon be a foreman.”

That hit me.

Not because he praised me — but because he noticed.
That was the first time I realized:
​No one will take you seriously until you take yourself seriously.

The moment I stopped acting like a kid just trying to get through the day…
...and started acting like a man training for something bigger…
...everything changed.

Same thing happened on the Hapkido mat, showing up early every day to practice my drills. Then again when I stepped on the BJJ mat as a white belt at age 58. I wasn’t the strongest, the fastest, or the smartest — but I showed up like it mattered.

And eventually, it did.

In martial arts, like in life, you grow in direct proportion to your effort.

Now let me show you why that’s the first rule of becoming a warrior, a leader, and a badass.

How to Take Yourself Seriously

1. Are You Hanging Out With People Who Challenge You?

Look at your crew.

Are they pushing you forward—or pulling you down?

It’s easy to stick with people who let you stay the same. They don’t ask tough questions. They don’t challenge your habits. They laugh at your jokes, even when they’re lazy. They don’t care if you skip your goals for another week.

But here’s the truth:

Comfort is a cage.

You need people around you who sharpen you. Friends who say, “You’re better than this.” Mentors who won’t let you slack. Teammates who compete with you and make you rise.

In martial arts, we call this iron sharpens iron. You don’t grow by sparring with people who let you win. You grow when you get beat and then get back up.

Same with life.

If the people around you aren't challenging your comfort zone, then you’re not in a growth zone. You’re in a dead zone.

So ask yourself:

• Who do I spend time with?
• Do they call me out when I’m slipping?
• Do they make me want to level up?

If the answer is no, then it's time to upgrade your circle.

2. Are You Honing Your Skills Every Day?

Growth doesn’t happen once a week. It doesn’t happen by accident. It happens daily.

Every day, you either get sharper—or you get duller.

Are you training?

Are you studying?

Are you creating?

It doesn’t have to be hours a day. But it does have to be every day.

Even 15 minutes of focused effort, every single day, stacks up. That’s the 1% compounding effect. That’s how black belts are made. That’s how businesses are built. That’s how lives are transformed.

Want to know the difference between amateurs and pros?

Amateurs practice when they feel like it. Pros practice even when they don’t.

There’s no secret talent. There’s no cheat code.

Just daily effort.

• Read that book.
• Train that skill.
• Write that page.
• Record that video.
• Build that thing.

Whatever “it” is for you—do it. Again. And again. And again.

You won’t see results right away. But over time, you’ll build something no one can take from you: self-respect.

And with that, you’ll earn the respect of others.

3. Are You On the Road to Mastery?

Mastery isn’t about being better than others. It’s about being better than you were yesterday.

That’s it.

You don’t have to be the best. But you have to care. You have to commit. You have to treat your life like it matters.

Because it does.

Too many young men drift through life like it’s a video game with unlimited lives. But this isn’t a game. You don’t get a reset button. Time is moving. Choices are stacking. And your future is being written—right now.

If you’re not moving forward, you’re falling behind.

So stop living like it’s practice.

This is your shot.

• The job you take.
• The friends you make.
• The habits you keep.
• The things you say no to.
• The things you say yes to.

All of it matters.

You don’t need to be perfect. But you do need to be present.

And you need to commit to the path.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. Every single day.

And if you keep showing up, you’ll be shocked at how far you can go.

Putting It On the Mat

When I was a black belt helping teach a class.

A skinny kid came in for his first day. Nervous. Shy. Didn’t make eye contact. I saw something in him that reminded me of myself.

He bowed. Got on the mat. Tried his best. Got swept. Got tapped. Got back up.

After class, he sat on the bench, tying his shoes slowly. I asked him how he felt.

He said, “I sucked today.”

I nodded. “Good. That means you’re serious.”

He looked confused.

So I told him:

“Most people come in trying to look cool. They don’t want to be bad at anything. They don’t want to fail. But if you’re trying to get good at something real—like martial arts, or life—you have to be willing to suck first. You’ve got to respect the path.”

He asked me if it ever gets easier.

I said, “No. But you get stronger.”

He kept showing up. And six months later, he wasn’t the same kid.

Neither will you be.

You don’t need to wait for someone to believe in you. You don’t need someone to give you permission. You don’t need to be great before you start.

You just need to start.

Start taking yourself seriously.

Show up on time. Train hard. Speak clearly. Think deeply. Move with purpose. Respect yourself. Respect your time. Respect your craft.

Because once you do…

People will notice.

Opportunities will come.

Doors will open.

And more importantly?

You’ll stop waiting for someone to save you—and become the man who saves himself.

Your Challenge This Week:

1. Look around. Cut out one person or one habit that’s keeping you soft.
2. Pick one skill to train every day for the next 7 days. Just 15 minutes.
3. Ask yourself each night: “Did I take myself seriously today?”

You don’t need to be loud.

You don’t need to be flashy.

You just need to be all-in.

Take yourself seriously.

Because no one else will—until you do.

​

Are you sicked and tired of being surrounded by losers, lemmings and Luddites?

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