--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first thing that makes you a tough…" description: "\"The first thing that makes you a tough fighter is in your head and in your heart, then your tools. It has nothing to do with someone teaching you how t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png" --- # The first thing that makes you a tough fighter is in your… ![“The first thing that makes you a tough fighter is in your head and in your heart, then your tools. It has nothing to do with someone teaching you how to be tough.” quote by Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png) > “The first thing that makes you a tough fighter is in your head and in your heart, then your tools. It has nothing to do with someone teaching you how to be tough.” [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mental and emotional readiness precede physical skill in fighting. **In simple terms:** Mind and heart matter first. Key Takeaway Cultivate mental toughness before training. Themes sports psychology self-discipline Mood determined focused Type advice motivational When to use this quote - training camps - competition prep - personal challenges Key Concepts mental resilience combat mindset Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance mental and physical training? - What role does confidence play? A Different Perspective Physical tools still matter for success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fighter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Tools](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tools/) [Wrestling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrestling/) ## Related quotes > [Centeno is a tough fighter. He'll be a hard test for someone who isn't at my level. I'm not taking anything away from him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermall-charlo/centeno-is-a-tough-fighter-he-ll-be-a-hard-test-for-someone-who-isn-t/) [Jermall Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermall-charlo/) > [Lineker is a very tough fighter. I mean, he's definitely not on my level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-dillashaw/lineker-is-a-very-tough-fighter-i-mean-he-s-definitely-not-on-my-level/) [T.J. Dillashaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-dillashaw/) > [I don't have the name. I'm not the former champ. I'm not this or that, but I think I'm just as tough a fighter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-iaquinta/i-don-t-have-the-name-i-m-not-the-former-champ-i-m-not-this-or-that/) [Al Iaquinta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-iaquinta/) > [Fighting teaches you a lot about yourself. When you fight you are in a situation where failure can happen. This chance of failure forges…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-hudson/fighting-teaches-you-a-lot-about-yourself-when-you-fight-you-are-in-a/) Daniel Hudson > [“Laura Vaughan, who set a women’s record at the Hardrock in 1997, the only year she ran it, also was the first person to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-jurek/laura-vaughan-who-set-a-women-s-record-at-the-hardrock-in-1997-the/) [Scott Jurek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-jurek/) > [My parents, stupidly, always let me go downtown. This was pre-pager, even. It made me adventurous. I think it makes you tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-greer/my-parents-stupidly-always-let-me-go-downtown-this-was-pre-pager-even/) [Judy Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-greer/) > [Any time you're dealing with an ankle, you've got to run, you've got to cut, you've got to do all those things. It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-johnson/any-time-you-re-dealing-with-an-ankle-you-ve-got-to-run-you-ve-got-to/) [Calvin Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-johnson/) > [“Rough makes us tough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajesh-walecha/rough-makes-us-tough/) [Rajesh Walecha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajesh-walecha/) > [I think college tennis makes you tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-isner/i-think-college-tennis-makes-you-tough/) [John Isner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-isner/) > [Picking on people half your size don't make you tough it makes them tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/picking-on-people-half-your-size-don-t-make-you-tough-it-makes-them/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [What makes you tough is your mindset and I believe anyone can be tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rickson-gracie/what-makes-you-tough-is-your-mindset-and-i-believe-anyone-can-be-tough/) [Rickson Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rickson-gracie/) > [Anthony Pettis, he's a really tough fighter and it was a close fight until I made a mistake and gave him the neck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-oliveira/anthony-pettis-he-s-a-really-tough-fighter-and-it-was-a-close-fight/) [Charles Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-oliveira/) > [Shogun's been such a big part of mixed martial arts and such a talented and tough fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-henderson/shogun-s-been-such-a-big-part-of-mixed-martial-arts-and-such-a/) [Dan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-henderson/) > [Robert Easter Jr. is a tough fighter who I have to take very seriously and I do, and that's why we did a nine-week…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/robert-easter-jr-is-a-tough-fighter-who-i-have-to-take-very-seriously/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [The UFC knows I'm a tough fighter, but at the end of the day, it's a business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-tavares/the-ufc-knows-i-m-a-tough-fighter-but-at-the-end-of-the-day-it-s-a/) [Brad Tavares](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-tavares/) ## More by Tank Abbott > [I don't like beating up people in my hometown. I like to go to their hometown, so they can see what they're all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/i-don-t-like-beating-up-people-in-my-hometown-i-like-to-go-to-their/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) > [Beating people up is a positive thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/beating-people-up-is-a-positive-thing/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) > [After a match, my opponent goes to the hospital and gets an IV and I have a martini.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/after-a-match-my-opponent-goes-to-the-hospital-and-gets-an-iv-and-i/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) > [He who fights and runs away lives to fight another day and looks like a pussy today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/he-who-fights-and-runs-away-lives-to-fight-another-day-and-looks-like/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) > [I don't think much of Tito Ortiz. He needs to grow balls and sign to fight Chuck Liddell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/i-don-t-think-much-of-tito-ortiz-he-needs-to-grow-balls-and-sign-to/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) > [When I go in there, I'm not going in there to win. I'm going in there to fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/when-i-go-in-there-i-m-not-going-in-there-to-win-i-m-going-in-there/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) > [I dreamed that I was being raped by Freddy Mercury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/i-dreamed-that-i-was-being-raped-by-freddy-mercury/) [Tank Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) [Explore all 8 Tank Abbott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/) ## More Fighter quotes > [I said that I was gonna smash him in three rounds, and that's what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-said-that-i-was-gonna-smash-him-in-three-rounds-and-that-s-what-i/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [It's not about size, it's a science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/it-s-not-about-size-it-s-a-science/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [I'm not taking him lightly at all. I mean, Heiland, he's a good fighter. He's strong. He comes to fight every time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jermall-charlo/i-m-not-taking-him-lightly-at-all-i-mean-heiland-he-s-a-good-fighter/) [Jermall Charlo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jermall-charlo/) > [You've got to be careful against classy fighters, especially counter-punchers because if you go for the finish too early, you can end up getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/you-ve-got-to-be-careful-against-classy-fighters-especially-counter/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [“I'm not an alcoholic, I am freedom fighter against the teetotal taliban.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-murray/i-m-not-an-alcoholic-i-am-freedom-fighter-against-the-teetotal-taliban/) [Al Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-murray/) > [I'm a fighter, I love boxing, it's what I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mosley/i-m-a-fighter-i-love-boxing-it-s-what-i-do/) [Shane Mosley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mosley/) > [I don't mind people want to think Muhammad is the greatest fighter around. Everybody wants to make him great because of his mouth, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-frazier/i-don-t-mind-people-want-to-think-muhammad-is-the-greatest-fighter/) [Joe Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-frazier/) > [I don't walk around looking into cameras and telling people I'm the best fighter in the world just to hear myself talk. I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chael-sonnen/i-don-t-walk-around-looking-into-cameras-and-telling-people-i-m-the/) [Chael Sonnen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chael-sonnen/) > [Before The Ultimate Fighter, I was appearing before a couple of hundred people at most. Now, I'm on the card of a Las Vegas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-whittaker/before-the-ultimate-fighter-i-was-appearing-before-a-couple-of/) [Robert Whittaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-whittaker/) > [“She's not the enemy. She's just a dirty fighter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-s-not-the-enemy-she-s-just-a-dirty-fighter/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [I've been able to not only be a fighter, but a thinking fighter, where I can use my insight into the business and politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikey-garcia/i-ve-been-able-to-not-only-be-a-fighter-but-a-thinking-fighter-where/) [Mikey Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikey-garcia/) > [I was 35 years old and in a position to take a shot at whatever I wanted to try. The Air Force said I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-doyle/i-was-35-years-old-and-in-a-position-to-take-a-shot-at-whatever-i/) [Jerry Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-doyle/) > [You see, at the beginning we weren't fighters. We weren't yellers or throwers, even if we eventually came to be. It would take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/you-see-at-the-beginning-we-weren-t-fighters-we-weren-t-yellers-or/) [Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/) > [Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/therefore-the-good-fighter-will-be-terrible-in-his-onset-and-prompt/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [After eight years of Obama one thing is clear: Conservatives want a fighter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-schlapp/after-eight-years-of-obama-one-thing-is-clear-conservatives-want-a/) [Matt Schlapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-schlapp/) [Browse all 2,705 Fighter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The first thing that makes you a tough fighter is in your head and in your heart, then your tools. It has nothing to do with someone teaching you how to be tough.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tank Abbott" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-fighter-is-in-your-head-and-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fighter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-fighter-is-in-your-head-and-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b16/tank-abbott-48515_fighter_the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-f_2745094.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first thing that makes you a tough fighter is in your head and in your heart, then your tools. It has…” — Tank Abbott", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tank Abbott", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tank-abbott/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first thing that makes you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-fighter-is-in-your-head-and-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tank-abbott/the-first-thing-that-makes-you-a-tough-fighter-is-in-your-head-and-in/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```