Not sure why on the first day of January 2026 that I felt compelled to republish this article - but I was. I hope it finds you in a moment where you are seeking something new.
[Originally posted on DieselSC.com in October 2012]
One of life’s biggest lessons—one most of us don’t learn until we’re older—is that being different is good. Maybe if we knew this in high school, we wouldn’t have tried so hard to fit in. Maybe we wouldn’t have compared ourselves to others. Maybe we would have just been ourselves and been bulletproof to criticism.
Evan Tanner was different.
In all the good ways. He was beyond the frivolous pursuits of money, fame, and material things. He had a higher purpose for his life and wanted to change the world.
Unfortunately, Evan died in the desert in 2008 after his motorcycle broke down. In the documentary Once I Was Champion, his friends and family recount his life. After watching the trailer, I was moved to write this article. While I could never do justice to Evan’s character with simple words, I wanted to write what the video meant to me.
I’ll let the article write itself…
Natural Frailty
While Evan was strong, he also had a natural frailty.
I had never heard those simple words put together before, but to me, the phrase felt brilliant. We can’t be strong all the time, no matter how hard we try. At some point, you will need to lean on the support of family and friends to get through truly difficult moments.
It’s funny how life works—you’ll often find that the toughest guys have a natural frailty that no one knows about. Sometimes it’s inner demons. Sometimes it’s childhood wounds. Sometimes it’s the toughness they project to the world that causes them to turn inward.
“My Success Was at the Loss of Someone Else”
This one really got me.
When Evan said, “My success was at the loss of someone else,” it stopped me cold. He was talking about fighting in the UFC, but the message was much bigger than that.
There are people who become successful by smashing their way to the top. They don’t care who they use or abuse to get there. They forget. They become blind. They aren’t connected to purpose—they’re connected to money. To power. To worthless shit.
If you’re driven by your passion, you’re in service to others, and you’re connected to your family and friends—you will win. Always. You will be a champion in your own life, and you will inspire others. The fact that you’re connected to purpose shows in everything you do.
But this is a massive undertaking.
It requires a shift in mindset—from chasing an end goal to committing to immediate, focused effort… and easing the suffering of others through your actions. Can a man who has been selfish his entire life become selfless? Instead of stepping on others’ backs to climb higher, can he pull people up with him?
“What Is the Purpose of All of This?”
Evan asked, “What’s the end purpose of all of this?”
This isn’t something a guidance counselor tells you in a high school office. It’s something you connect to only after serious inner work. When you finally learn to love yourself—all of yourself—you become free to be who you really are. And only then can you discover why you were put on this earth.
Evan refused to do anything that wasn’t aligned with his character and ideals. He once turned down $35,000 to wear a shirt.
Why?
Because he wasn’t driven by money. He was driven by making other people’s lives better.
So—why are you doing what you’re doing?
“If You Can Count Five Good Friends…”
“If you can count five good friends, then you’re a lucky man.”
Do you know who your true friends are? They’re the ones who show up when things aren’t going well. The ones who celebrate your success without jealousy. The ones who tell you the truth when no one else will.
Yes—those friends.
Maybe those are the people you should make sure know, every day, how much they mean to you.
Life is tough. It’s even tougher alone. And if you don’t have close friends, then be a great friend to someone who really needs one. Life will repay you tenfold.
“To Me, He Was Awesome”
Can you imagine someone saying that about you?
Can you imagine knowing someone truly thought that about you?
If you want that, then you need to inspire people. You need to give. You need to show up. And if you show up every time—especially when someone really needs you—you’ll be a thousand steps ahead of everyone else.
Most people are so focused on themselves they don’t even have a spare minute to consider others.
Be different.
Everything you do—and how you treat people—is defining your legacy every single day. What will yours be? What do people say about you when you’re not there? When you’re gone?
No one knows why Evan rode into the desert on his motorcycle that day. He was on a journey. But his ability to live life on his own terms is a lesson for all of us.
Focus on what’s important. Don’t miss what’s happening around you because you’re too busy chasing things money can buy. Be at peace with who you are—and don’t rob the world of your gift because you’ve lost your way. Find yourself again. Maybe, for the first time.
“Believe that you can, as a single individual, change the world. Your words and actions resonate out eternally. I can change the world. I can change the world.”
— Evan Tanner
Rage against the dying of the light.
Smitty