Fight theory: a coaching framework for resistance, intensity, and identity in goal pursuit

When coaching high-purpose performers, executives, athletes or mission-driven leaders, traditional goal pursuit models often fail to account for the psychological complexity of real-time resistance. This paper introduces ‘Fight Theory’, a transdisciplinary coaching framework that conceptualizes growth as a strategic interaction between resistance, calibrated intensity, and identity evolution. Drawing from multiple psychological theories, it equips coaches with diagnostic tools to identify resistance patterns and modulate effort. Central to its application is the Fight Readiness Profile (FRP), a proposed psychometric tool for mapping resistance, guiding intensity, and supporting identity-aligned development.