Intent

One of the things that our training must have is intent.  We must have the will to do what it takes to get us through our training and any situation that we find ourselves in.  

If, for a second, we think about intent as being controlled aggression then it might make more sense. When we work on the pads we should not be lack lustre. Every strike should be thought of as a finisher, or a combination that leads to a finish.  In the early stages when we are learning, and our co-ordination is developing, we can still have this mindset. Although it may take you 5-6 seconds to go through a combination of 4 strikes you can still imagine that you are putting maximum effort into them.  It is only your brain that you need to fool in these circumstances. 

When we run through our combative sets it should be no different.  If we cannot go at full tilt, as some of the movements are still alien to us, then look to the sections of it where you can go all out. Then go slower for the more unfamiliar parts then increase the pace again.  Through doing this you will become much better, as opposed to rushing through things and making mistakes.  Now remember, in combat you will make mistakes.  However, in the gym when you are being told what to do you should really try and stick to the plan as much as possible.  When, through speed, some things go wrong just improvise and adapt.  Never punish yourself for thinking you didn't get it right.  We are all there to train, and if you got it right every time all the time then there would be little need for training. 

There is a scene in Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon where he talks with his young student about emotional content.  It's know by many names in martial arts but you want to be adopting it and becoming friends with it early on. You probably already know it from when you are attacking the warm up and are maxing out push ups or doing fireman carries.  Now take that same energy and put it into the empty hand arena.  

I guarantee you that your training will come on ten fold with this new mindset.