We had the good fortune of connecting with Joshua Swift and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joshua, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking.
As an mma fighter, i tend not to think about risk too much. Every day in the gym spent training has risk involved, as avoiding injuries are a big part of the sport. If you let the idea of risk stop you from training or getting better, you’ll never be able to progress

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The sport of MMA is very unforgiving, with the highest highs and the lowest lows. You need to be wired different to enjoy the daily grind that comes with the life, discipline and consistency are the most important things required and thats not something everyone has. Im extremely proud of myself for being able to participate in a crazy sport like this. Growing up, I never thought that I would be capable of the disciple required, but ive proven myself wrong every step of the way. Through the process, I’ve learned that you discover your true self when you keep yourself under constant pressure to succeed. You find out youre either not built for it, or that youre built different. If i could say anything, I would tell people to not give up on themselves, and to see their dreams through. Dreams don’t chase themselves, you are the only thing that holds you back from being what you want to be in life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Not gonna lie, I’m mostly a homebody so I would say we’d mostly hang out at my place or introduce them to my gym and show them around. Maybe get some food at Pluckers or breakfast at IHOP, whatever the mood is

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My friend Kirian has been a huge part of my personal journey of finding myself and being comfortable with who I am. Hes been there through all my steps and we both have each others backs. My friend’s Mikey and Rey have also been integral to my character development, and I wouldnt be where I am today without meeting these guys

Instagram: @swiftjrs

Image Credits
Hosanna Rull @hosannarull

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutHTX is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.