Bhrett McCabe
Are You Actually Ready or Just Hoping You Are?
There’s a massive difference between being truly ready and just hoping you are. One is a state of earned confidence. The other is a pre-packaged excuse for failure. In my work with the best competitors in the world, I’ve learned to spot the difference instantly. It’s the look in their eyes before the first whistle. One is quietly prepared for the chaos. The other is desperately hoping for a smooth ride.
The Safety Net of Hope
Let's be honest about what hope really is in the arena: a safety net. It’s the story you tell yourself that provides an emotional exit ramp when things get hard. It’s the subtle surrender that protects your ego, allowing you to say, “I gave it my best shot” instead of confronting the brutal truth of your preparation. Relying on hope feels safe. It protects you from the absolute vulnerability of going all-in. But that safety is an illusion that guarantees you will never touch your true potential.
The Reckless Abandon of True Preparation
True readiness, on the other hand, is quiet. It’s not loud or optimistic. It’s the deep, unshakable confidence that comes from knowing you’ve done the brutal work required to earn a result. It's a trust in your process that is so complete, it doesn't need a good outcome to feel validated. This is what allows the best to compete with a kind of reckless abandon. They have already burned the ships. There is no safety net. They have so thoroughly prepared for the fight that they are free to let go and just compete.
Where's Your Evidence?
The pressure of competition doesn't build character; it reveals the truth of your preparation. It exposes the gap between what you’ve done and what you’ve just hoped for. The only way to know where you stand is to audit your own evidence before the game does it for you.
- When you fail, is your first instinct to protect your ego or to dissect the process?
- Is your confidence tied to a specific result, or is it grounded in the evidence of your daily work?
- What’s your plan for the moment you get punched in the mouth? Not if, but when.
If the answers don't come quickly, you're likely relying on hope.
Leave No Doubt
Stop preparing an exit ramp. Stop seeking validation from a future you can’t control. Go earn that validation in the brutal, honest, and empowering work of true preparation. That is the only path that leads to the confidence you’re actually looking for.