A few people seem to float through their charmed lives, getting lots of breaks. Most of us aren’t so fortunate.

We live in an extremely competitive society with scarce resources. We compete for everything – grades, making a team, spouses, jobs and money.

Some people are strongly dissatisfied with the direction of their life. They are drawn out to sea by a strong current. They’re on their own Titanic, and it’s already left Southampton port. It’s only a matter of time before they collide with their personal iceberg.

There is, however, a way off this collision course - grim determination. When a person regroups and works with a sustained, frenzied purpose – it is a tremendously empowering force.

Grim determination is an adamant refusal to accept what is coming your way.

When I observe someone working furiously to prevent their collision with inevitability, I am impressed. Taking fate by the throat, they vow something powerfully simple: It’s not going to happen.

Whether you’re inside or outside the octagon, life is a fight – often against bad odds. What stands between you and defeat is all your will being brought to bear.

When Matt Hughes fought Frank Trigg the second time, Hughes got hit hard in the groin. The referee did not see this illegal blow. Trigg quickly moved in to finish off Matt with a flurry of brutal punches and elbows. Frank followed up, catching Matt in a vice-grip rear naked choke. But even with his face turning purple Matt was able to escape, carry Trigg to the other side of the octagon, slam his body down, and choke him out.

With grim determination, excuses evaporate and distractions wash away. The usual clutter in life - of time-wasting activities, non-supportive acquaintances, of destructive temptations – are filtered out. When you’ve reframed your life’s mission, you’re less susceptible to those forces that are always working to undercut your efforts. An uncompromising and urgent focus is a force that will not be denied.

I’ve felt my ship going down a number of times inside the octagon. I broke my hand early in the second round of my fight against David Loiseau. I was seeing my iceberg - but I maintained my determination to keep standing and continue the combat for three rounds. When the fight ended with my victory, I knew I had stubbornly confronted inevitability and won.

With grim determination you will rise to meet your difficult circumstances. Later you will look back, with a defiant fist in the air - knowing it was you who changed the outcome.