Don’t get your teeth kicked in for assuming! (True Story)

I love mixed martial arts (MMA). Have I ever mentioned that? Kickboxing? is? a? hybrid? martial? art,? a? component? of the martial arts discipline.

I may love MMA, but I’m no professional. Because I had no desire to step into the octagon, I was left to measure my? progress? in? a? different? way;? I? would? participate? in kickboxing? tournaments? to? measure? my? stand-up? skills and jiu-jitsu tournaments to test my ground skills.

I? remember? my? first? kickboxing? tournament? like it? was? yesterday.? It? was? a? continuous Kickboxing tournament, which is different from points competition like you may remember in the movie, The Karate Kid.? There were about? 75? participants.? I? had? my? team? with? me? and? we were ready to take home a win.

When? we? arrived,? I? quickly? learned? that? I? would? be facing a guy that had been practicing martial arts for 30 years. He owned a dojo and was well known around the Martial Arts community.

My teammates were nervous for me. They knew him. One actually admitted they were glad it was me and not? them. They? were? confident? that? I? would? be? able? to give this guy a handful.

The first round came and I dominated. (I’m? not? saying? that? to? toot? my? own? horn.? It’s? an important story element, I swear.)

Bouts consisted of three rounds, each were two minutes? long.? In? between? each round,? there? is usually a short break.

During? the? first? break,? my? fighting? instructor? said, “Everything? you? did? in? round? one?? Repeat? it? in? round two.? If? you? go? out? there? and? do? the? same? thing? again, you’re going to win.”

I took another few sips of water, wiped the sweat from my brow, and nodded. Sounded simple enough.? Early? in? the? second? round,? we? were? forced? out? of bounds.

Now? remember,? this? was? my? very? first? tournament.? On paper, I thought I knew all the rules...But I was wrong.

When? we? were? forced? out? of? bounds,? I? assumed? we would reset and begin again. That’s what happens on TV and? in? the? movies,? right?? I know “Daniel Son” got forced out of bounds several times!? How? was? I? supposed? to? know that isn’t actually how it’s done?

As? I? began? to? walk? toward? the? middle? of? the? ring (with? my? hands? down),? I? was? kicked in? the? jaw.? Hard. My face exploded with numbness, the crowd roared, and everything went dark.? I didn’t know what hit me. Literally.? I felt like Chris Tucker on Rush Hour when he said, “Which one of yall kicked me?”

Come? to? find? out,? my? opponent? had? struck? me? as soon as I was in bounds. He didn’t wait to reset because resetting wasn’t a thing.??

My? assumptions? left? me? completely? defenseless.? I didn’t? know? where? I? was? or? who? I? was? for? about? two? to three minutes!

I didn’t get knocked down and I didn’t quit (technically, my fight instructor quit the fight on my behalf meaning my? pride? is? still? intact!) I’m glad he did, because I? was? definitely? woozy.? All because I had been caught off-guard.?

I didn’t plan to fail, but I failed to plan.? I didn’t take the initiative to make sure I was the best I could be and understand all the rules.

Retiring is a lot like that kickboxing story. You work hard to save and assume you’re going to receive a certain amount of annual income once you retire.? You assume you are going to at least maintain your lifestyle, right?

I assumed all I had to do was fight, and I was confident and content to know I could handle that part. Had someone asked me if I knew ALL the rules, I would have probably said, yes. If someone would have asked me if I was 1000% confident about that, I would have said well.........no I don't guess so if I were honest.

Most people are content and confident in what they are doing while they are saving. But then, when the time comes you have a lot less than you were expecting. You are caught completely off guard.? Maybe you thought you would pay less in taxes when you retired, but come to find out, you have to pay more.??

You were focused so much on the rates of return, and no one showed you the impact of taxes and the puny distribution rate.? And maybe you didn’t realize your 401(k) was only going to last about 15 years.

Regardless, you assumed you would maintain your lifestyle when you retired ... but you were completely wrong.

The pain of regret will be? so much more devastating, than reaching out and? facing your responsibilities to at least know all your options.? Wake Up Your Retirement with some Black Diamond Money Moves!

*source from my book chapter 12 of "Wake Up Your Retirement"