My Fitness Journey: Building Discipline, Finding Passion

Where It All Began

When I was 12, I dreamed of becoming a professional football player. I started doing push-ups and sit-ups in my room, and my dad used to drag me out for runs, bribing me with kebab afterwards. It might sound funny, but those little things taught me consistency.

By the time I was 14 or 15, I was obsessed. I showed up to football training earlier than everyone else and stayed later. I bought a rebound net to practice first touches, and many nights I was up late training in my room when everyone else was sleeping. It wasn’t just a hobby anymore — it became part of who I was.

Discovering MMA

At 19, I wanted to test myself in a different way. Football was a team sport, and I sometimes struggled with the idea that my best effort could still end in a loss, or a poor performance could be saved by teammates. I wanted something where I was fully responsible for the outcome.

That’s when I found MMA. And it grabbed me instantly. I trained twice a day, every day, completely hooked. After just one year, I stepped into the cage for my first amateur fight — and won. I went on a streak of five wins, including a Swedish Championship title.

The Turning Point

Then the pandemic hit. Competitions were suspended, and I started questioning the risks of continuing. Did I want to dedicate myself to a sport where the consequences for my brain could be so severe? It was a hard decision, but I chose to step back from competing.

But I never stopped training. It’s been seven years now, and my passion for MMA hasn’t faded — it’s still the thing that grounds me and drives me.

Running Into New Challenges

Along the way, I also fell in love with running. It gave me new ways to test myself — physically and mentally. I ran my first half marathon under 1:28, a full marathon in 3:47, and even a 45km ultra up and down ski slopes. Right now I am preparing for a second run at the 45km ultra race in the skiing slope and my first Hyrox competetion later in december this year.

Each challenge reminded me of one simple truth: you don’t always need motivation. Motivation is a feeling, and feelings come and go. What matters is discipline.

I’m not motivated every day — in fact, probably only 40% of the time. But I train every day. Because discipline means doing it anyway. Like Mike Tyson once said:
“Discipline is doing what you hate to do, but doing it like you love it.”

Lessons I’ve Learned

If there’s one thing my journey has taught me, it’s this: the body is capable of so much more than the mind wants you to believe. Most of the time, the mind just gets lazy.

That’s why discipline is everything. You don’t need to feel motivated — you just need to show up. Whether it’s football, MMA, running, or any other sport, consistency is what builds strength, resilience, and passion.

And the beauty of it all? The more disciplined you become, the freer you feel. Because every workout, every challenge, every step forward is proof that you are stronger than your excuses.