the scars that make us stronger
In the wild lands of Kenya’s Maasai Mara, lions live hard and die young. The fight to rule a pride usually ends within two or three years. Yet one lion, known as Scarface, defied those odds. He reigned for over a decade, a rare feat for a male lion.
His name came from the deep gash above his eye, a mark that told the story of battles fought and won. Those scars did not weaken him. They made him unforgettable.
Photographer George Logan, who often captured Scarface, recalled how even near the end the lion displayed courage and resilience:
“Even near the end, he defied logic by dragging himself 25 km back in the direction of his original territory, near to where he was born… we feared the worst when we saw him near the Salas males, a trio of ferocious young lions, but they respectfully let him be, even when he defiantly snarled at them.”
Scarface’s life reminds us that strength is not built by avoiding conflict. It is built by showing up, enduring, and refusing to hide the scars that come with the journey.
The Myth of Perfection
Too often, athletes and people treat scars as signs of weakness. They believe mistakes disqualify them, or that struggles mean they are failing. At Major League Mindset, we teach the opposite.
Scars are not shame. They are receipts. They prove you have been in the arena. They prove you did not back down. They prove you chose the fight over the excuse.
Scarface never doubted himself. His scars reinforced his confidence. Meanwhile, many of us allow our scars to fuel self-doubt. We replay mistakes, second-guess decisions, and hold ourselves back in pursuit of perfection.
But perfection is a myth. Growth requires struggle. Progress requires scars.
Resilience Over Results
Scarface’s reign was not about avoiding pain. It was about resilience. Every day he had to prove himself. Every day he had to protect what mattered. His scars were earned through discipline, courage, and grit.
That is the same philosophy we train at MLM. Athletes cannot live mistake-free lives. But they can learn to face adversity, reset quickly, and channel scars into strength.
Our mental gym routines—visualization, breathwork, journaling, and reset tools—exist for this very reason: to teach athletes, parents, and coaches that scars are not evidence of failure. They are evidence of resilience.
Scars Tell the Story
The truth is, we do not live in the Mara, and our battles are not against hyenas or rival lions. But the fight within us is just as real. Resistance. Doubt. Fear. Procrastination.
Every day, we face the same choice Scarface faced: fight or fold. Our scars tell the story of which one we chose.
At MLM, we say: do not hide your scars, wear them as proof. Proof that you have done the work, stayed in the fight, and built the resilience that champions require.
Your Invitation
Scarface’s legacy lives on because he embraced the battles, scars and all. And so should we.
At Major League Mindset, we train athletes and leaders to turn scars into strength and struggles into resilience. The MLM+ App provides the daily tools to build that mindset:
The Champion Journal to reframe mistakes into growth
Visualization and breathwork to reset after setbacks
Identity-based routines that anchor confidence beyond results
Greatness is not found in avoiding scars. It is found in wearing them with pride.
Start training your resilience today inside the MLM+ App.
-Brandon
