OPPORTUNITY REWARDS THOSE WHO PREPARE—LEADERSHIP DOES TOO

​Several years ago, while I was serving in the Air Force as a recruiter in Richmond, Virginia. At the same time, I was still chasing my passion for martial arts. I trained regularly at my buddy Roger Dabney’s karate school, working out, helping with classes, and keeping my skills sharp. Roger and I were both professional kickboxers, so it didn’t take much to light the competitive fire again.

One day after a tough training session, Roger looked over and asked if I wanted to compete again. At that point, it had been about five years since my last professional kickboxing match. Between work obligations and life in general, stepping into the ring hadn’t been a priority. But if you know me, you know how much I love martial arts, and how much I love testing myself in a controlled environment.

So I agreed. We kicked off a training camp, and I was scheduled to compete in the super middleweight division on the undercard for the International Fighters Association. It was a small promotion, the perfect opportunity to shake off the rust and get my feet wet again.

When we arrived at the venue, we were met with a curveball. The promoters pulled us aside and explained that one of the main event fighters wouldn’t be competing. They never did tell us why, but they needed a last-minute replacement. Since the main event was also in the super middleweight division, they wanted to know if I’d step in.

Naturally, I was apprehensive. I hadn’t competed in a full-contact fight in years, and jumping straight into a main event title fight wasn’t exactly what I’d envisioned for my return. But after a moment, my mindset shifted. If I lost, it would make sense, I’d been out of the ring for a long time. It would still be a great way to dive back in and truly test myself.

So I agreed. Suddenly, I was fighting Lamont Davis for the North American Super Middleweight Title.

The fight started with us feeling each other out. Then I saw an opening, fired a jab-cross combo, and as he leaned forward, I launched a kick that landed flush on his face. I thought I’d knocked him out. Roger actually jumped up on the apron thinking the fight was over. But to both of our surprise: it wasn’t.

I had to quickly regroup. I’d mentally prepared for a three-round fight, but now I had to dig deep and adjust for a full five-round battle. In the end, I won and became the North American Super Middleweight Champion.


The Leadership Lesson

That night taught me two major lessons.

First, things rarely go exactly as planned. You have to be able to adapt on the fly and handle the unexpected with composure.

Second,  and this is the one that’s stuck with me the most, is captured in a quote I often share:

”Opportunity isn’t something you’re presented. It’s something you make, when you do the prep work.”

It’s easy to think opportunity just shows up at your doorstep. But more often than not, it comes disguised as something unexpected or even uncomfortable. The truth is, opportunity reveals itself to those who’ve put in the work long before the moment arrives.

If I hadn’t been training consistently, sharpening my skills, and staying ready, that last-minute title shot would have passed me by. I wouldn’t have had the confidence or the capacity to step up. The same is true in leadership and in life: when you consistently do the work, stay prepared, and build your capabilities, you create the conditions for opportunity to appear, and to succeed when it does.

So keep training. Keep learning. Keep preparing. Because when opportunity squares up with you, you’ll be ready to go the distance…and claim the victory!

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