"Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody expects of you. Never excuse yourself."
Henry Ward Beecher

MONDAY, October 3rd, 2016, AT 8:15 PM/ PST

"Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution."
By Steve Fossum

Ya know, for now, I won't point any fingers or say any names but in defense of all the fight sports out there, something just needs to be said so I'm just going to say it so I take the slaps instead of others I've spoken to about this very thing...

As many here might expect, in my job I've meet the majority of the "Who's Who" in the sports of Kickboxing, Muay Thai (Through our IKF), MMA (Through our ISCF) and even Boxing (Through our IAB). From the beginners about to do their first bout to the multi time World Champions to those who've become movie stars in the sport, I've meet them all. Basically, "If their someone, I've had the 'Privilege' of meeting them."

However, sometimes it's not always the expected privilege to meet some of these individuals... You see, there's a very small percentage of these individuals who think their the greatest individuals for our sports. Of this small percentage of these individuals, they think and feel this way because many of them have been given credit, fame and popularity by many of you only because of their relationship to a certain big promotion, or a famous fighter, or a perception you've been brought to believe by others talking about them or their own false hype...

In other words, you as participants of our sport have given these individuals false credit, pumping them up "ONLY" because of their relationship to "OTHER" people, and "NOT" for what "THEY" have done on their own to help build these fight sports, but for your desire to keep them as friends in hopes they can do something for you someday. Sound familiar? Of course it does, because we've ALL done this...

When I say "Have done on their own" I mean, "Went out on a limb, took a great financial risk to advance the sport we all love... I'm not talking about fighters, trainers, officials, sanctioning bodies, ring announcers, etc, I'm talking about those individuals who are "VERY FEW" within our sport or ANY sport for that matter... I'm talking about our event PROMOTERS...

Yes, we ALL make sacrifices. Yes, we ALL put everything we do into what we do, or at least I hope everyone does because I sure do. At my age and experience, I'm thankful I can step back and truly look at the whole big picture here. I'm grateful I can honestly and sincerely look at our fight sports from all the different views and be able to truly determine where our greatest value is. You see, to me, PROMOTERS are the most valuable part of our sport. If not for them, NONE of us would have the honored privilege of gathering together every weekend to share in the party we all call a "Fight Event". Promoters do all they can, where they can in hopes of becoming better and better with each event they do. Yes, we all do this, but for each step they make to become better, it usually means more money out of their pocket, taking a risk in hopes others will not only approve of the added improvements but also appreciate the effort and expense it took to make it happen.

I've been a promoter before, and every summer, I become one again in promoting the IKF World Classic. I know how much of a financial risk I take each and every year in hopes to make things better and better for everyone who attends. I know what it feel like to hear the good and more so, the negative comments of our efforts. I'm fully aware that for every 20 great comments it only takes one individual with something negative to say to erase all those good ones in an instant. With all that being said, I'm going to say this to save others from saying it... When ANY promoter from ANYWHERE around the world using ANY sanctioning organization to promote their events has to read on social media or hear verbally from others what a terrible job they've done on their event, it does NOTHING to help our sport. In fact, such comments are without a doubt the biggest things hurting our sport today...

I remember when the IKF was just starting out, our goal was to bring attention to those who were doing "Terrible" things to the sport, and you know what, I don't regret ANY of it. No, I'm not being a hypocrite, so let me explain why... We did so because we also offered advice as to how these individuals or organizations can correct the bad things they were doing or do better the things they were doing. In fact, it was these bad things others were doing or things that needing updating or improving that were the very core reasons we created the IKF in the first place. Sure, we reached out to the sanctioning bodies we were working with at the time with our new ideas as to help organize and build the sport. However, sadly, 100% of the time, these creative suggestions fell of deaf ears. No one wanted to hear any new ideas, better ideas, ways to improve certain things or more creative ideas because they always thought they were doing it the best way it could be done and the only right way it could be done, and it could never get any better. Heck, "Constructive Criticism" was never welcome with these other organizations we reached out to, which ultimately, was their downfall...

As many know today, "Constructive Criticism" has ALWAYS been welcome in all of our organizations. Sadly for them, when we created the IKF, we proved to them that things could indeed get better and they got better because we listened to people who wanted to HELP, and ignored the so called "Haters" who could only create negative things to say...

The IKF grew and grew and grew to eventually be the largest sanctioning body in North America and easily one of the top three worldwide in very little time. Every day we are all addressed with two kinds of people. Positive people and negative people. We all know how to react to the positive people as they help give us that much needed appreciation we all need to know our efforts and our is indeed, appreciated. However, every day we will also hear from those people who are either just negative people, or people with just negative things to say... Those who have something negative to say or complain about and nothing to offer to fix the issue are what I refer to as ANCHORS in our lives... The individuals who deflate our self esteem, cause us to doubt our efforts and ultimately hold us down from moving forward in our desire to do good things to improve things for others and our sport...

However, some of these negative talkers are actually good, as they're the ones who can not only offer up the much needed "Constructive Criticism" but follow it up with their sincere and passionate desire to share ideas in how to make the problem better, fix the problem or change gears into a new and creative way of doing something. Along with the promoters of our sport, THESE are the ones who are a great value to the growth of our sport. These are the ones who have honest, sincere and valid suggestions instead of just complaints on how to improve something for everyone.

As we all do, we've all read those negative posts on Facebook or some other form of social media from someone who's actually done NOTHING for our sport(s) but has been perceived as important simply because of his or her relationship to a certain big promotion, or a famous fighter, or a perception you've been brought to believe by others talking about them or their own false hype... Sadly, THIS is what we as humans do. People love to jump on that negative / hate bandwagon and tear into someone, especially event promoters...

They do so as if their only talking to those who think their of big importance in our sports when in reality, there are many others reading their posts and coming to a conclusion that this individual is not as outstanding as they thought they were...

So, next time you read some negative bashing about ANYONE, fighter, trainer, official, promoter, even a sanctioning body, investigate for a moment WHO the person "REALLY" is who's saying what they're saying. I assure you that EVERY person who "YOU" think is great in this sport, I and or others somewhere along the line have seen or been told of something terrible they've done or how little their actual "Sincere" contribution to the fight sport business has been. Again, some have become important to you because of what you "THINK" they've accomplished or because of what you "THINK" their relationship to a certain big promotion is, or a famous fighter, or simply the perception you've been brought to believe by others talking about them or their own false hype...

You'd be surprised how many people are a part of something big that makes them appear big and important, NOT because of their actual talent or ability, but because of a personal friendship with someone who actually plays an important role in what their a part of. Sadly I've seen first hand at what these individuals are NOT, and have been wise enough to see through the false perception of what others have come to believe about these people. They're simply NOT all you believe them to be...

That being said,
Always question the individual that has nothing but negative things to say about something or someone without also being the same individual who's hand is reaching out at the same time offering ways to help the very problem they're bashing. Look at the "PERSON" and ask yourself... "What has he/she done for the sport over the years? Have they contributed to the sport to help make it better on their own dime, or has their hand always been out trying to see what they can TAKE from the sport as they expect someone else's dime..."

To Sum Things Up...
In our lives, we've ALL been complainers who say negative or mean things about something or someone, me included. Just make sure the next time your about to say such a thing that your also the same individual who's hand is reaching out at the same time offering ways to help the very problem they're bashing.

In Closing...
Stop praising and or supporting the negative bashing comments of those you've been lead to believe have done great things for the fight sports... People like this are the VERY reason and the VERY people who've been killing and or holding our sports back for years... Claiming all their humility, humbleness, respect and honor belief crap when in fact, their all hot air TALK and it's filled with plenty of hate, jealousy and anger... Believe in those who've made great strides in growing our sport, great sacrifices in time and money, created opportunities for us all and are clearly recognized in doing so. Believe in those who've put their money, time and effort behind their mouth and for the greater good of the sport,

Changed the sport for the better for us all...

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