Agreed on JCVD, it was really surprising how good that movie is.

I find the best fighters are usually the ones who don't relish it, and it's why I'm skeptical of competition (one of the reasons, that is). Still, it seems like you found a good teacher back then, which is great. It's especially fortunate since you were a kid; my experience is that too many schools teaching martial arts to kids don't teach them squat, and are glorified after-school programs. That's all fine if they're honest about it, but they're often not.

I knew a kid growing up who was a couple years older than me, but was smaller (I was always tall for my age). He'd won some tae kwon do tournaments and what-not. Unfortunately he never got that sense of discipline, and was really quick to put his hands up. I never actually fought him, but I can remember the odd little scuffle and he could not handle himself. Of course we were kids, but the point was that it made him overconfident.

There was a sign my sigung (teacher's teacher) had painted on one of his old schools, which I've seen in pictures:

First your teacher will show you how to fight, then he will show you how not to fight.

One of many reasons I'm glad I found the people that I have.