Fishing Without Bait 499: Shane Chojnacki on Discipline, Failure, and Playing the Film All the Way Through
In Part 2 of our conversation with Shane Chojnacki—MMA fighter, boxing coach, and professional wrestler known as The Savage Gentleman Victor Benjamin—we dive deeper into the decisions that shaped his life and career.
Shane reflects on learning how to put himself in positions to succeed, even when those choices meant discomfort, discipline, and sacrifice. From leaving home at 18 to navigating unstable work environments, he shares how forward thinking, structure, and integrity helped him avoid paths that could derail his future. Rather than chasing short-term gratification, Shane explains how he consistently “played the film all the way through,” weighing consequences before acting.
The conversation explores his MMA career, including winning titles across weight classes, and why stepping away wasn’t failure—but part of a longer vision. Shane speaks candidly about burnout, the limitations of working solely for financial security, and the soul-crushing reality of staying in a system that no longer aligned with his values. His time working in corrections became a powerful lesson in separating people from behaviors and recognizing when it’s time to move on.
This episode also tackles the difference between a risk and a gamble. Shane shares how leaving a stable job to pursue professional wrestling wasn’t reckless—it was a calculated risk rooted in self-belief, adaptability, and willingness to recover if things went wrong. Ultimately, Part 2 is about choosing growth over comfort, discipline over impulse, and purpose over fear.
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