It’s Always a Fight

In martial arts, there’s a routine. Each class starts with a new technique: a takedown, a choke, a sweep. Our coach walks us through it step-by-step, then we partner up and drill. During these drills, everything feels straightforward. Our partners aren’t resisting—they’re there to help us practice. You could almost start to feel like you’re nailing it.

But then comes sparring.

When the sparring round begins, it’s a whole different story. Your partner isn’t helping anymore. They’re resisting, fighting back, trying to impose their techniques on you. The smooth moves that felt so easy during drilling now feel clunky, or just flat-out impossible to pull off. And without fail, a student will ask, “Coach, why can’t I make this technique work in sparring?”

The coach’s answer is always the same: “Even if you understand the technique, execution is always going to be a fight. Because now, there’s resistance.”

That concept—there’s resistance—extends beyond martial arts. It’s a truth about life.

The Illusion of Smooth Execution

We’ve all been there. Whether it’s at work, at home, or in a personal project, we start with a clear plan. Maybe you’ve read the right books, gotten solid advice, and mapped out your strategy. You think to yourself, “I’ve got this. It makes sense on paper.”

But then, when it’s time to move from planning to execution, the real world pushes back. Maybe the project runs into logistical issues. Maybe your team isn’t on the same page. Maybe the market shifts, or maybe you just didn’t account for the sheer amount of time it would take to bring your idea to life.

Just like in sparring, you’re facing resistance.

In those moments, it’s easy to get frustrated. After all, everything seemed simple during the planning phase. So why is it suddenly so difficult? Why does it feel like a fight just to get the basics done?

Because that’s exactly what it is—a fight.

Resistance Is Inevitable

In martial arts, the reason it gets harder during sparring is because your partner is actively trying to disrupt your plans. They’re defending, moving, blocking, counter-attacking. The environment has changed from cooperative to competitive.

Life is no different. When you try to execute on an idea, you’re entering an environment filled with resistance. People around you have their own priorities and their own strategies. They’re dealing with their own problems, and their goals might conflict with yours. Your resources—whether that’s time, money, or attention—are stretched thin, and suddenly, nothing goes as smoothly as you thought it would.

But that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.

Execution is always hard. It’s not a sign of failure; it’s just a reality check. Things rarely play out as smoothly in practice as they do in theory because the real world is full of moving parts—and a lot of those parts are actively resisting your progress.

Normalizing the Fight

Understanding this dynamic can be a game-changer. Instead of getting discouraged when things take longer than expected or when you hit roadblocks, you can start to see resistance as a natural part of the process. Execution is a grind, and that’s okay.

When things don’t go as planned, remind yourself that sparring builds resilience. It sharpens your skills and forces you to adapt. The more resistance you encounter, the better you’ll get at navigating it. You’ll find new ways to apply what you’ve learned, even in the chaos of real-world execution.

So, the next time you’re frustrated because your project isn’t progressing as easily as you thought it would, don’t throw in the towel. Remember: it’s normal. It’s always a fight. Resistance doesn’t mean you’re off track; it means you’re in the middle of the execution process.

And that’s exactly where you’re supposed to be.

Conclusion

Whether you’re on the mats or on the production floor, execution is rarely a walk in the park. You might have the clearest strategy, the best techniques, or the most detailed plan—but when it’s time to bring that strategy to life, resistance is inevitable.

Instead of being caught off guard by it, embrace it. Like a martial artist in sparring, recognize that the fight is part of the process. You’ll get better as you go, and each time you face resistance, you’re learning how to execute more effectively.

Remember: it’s always a fight—and that’s what makes the victory worth it.