Why self-doubt is actually self-confidence (and why you should get yourself some).

There's confidence, and there's overconfidence. And it's hard to tell the difference.

I used to train at an MMA gym. I trained in MMA for a year, then decided to focus on Muay Thai kickboxing. I competed. I won. I was pretty good.

But I don’t deserve all the credit: I trained at a world-class gym with world-class trainers and world-class fighters. UFC champs would come by on the regular. Rich Franklin taught me how to do a triangle choke the right way. Demetrious Johnson (DJ) was one of many fighters who helped me prep for my first fight. I sparred Matt Brown and survived.

I’m not trying to brag here. I’m saying I trained with some greats.

(Here’s a blurry pic of our fight team back then. Rich and DJ are in the front row. I’m the only female in the bunch.)

Every week, a wanna-be fighter would join our gym. Most watched hundreds of hours of UFC. Many were built and tatted. None had ever trained before. But because they’d viewed tons of fights, lifted a ton of weights, and covered themselves with enough ink to look the part, they believed they’d be fighting pro within mon…