Sometimes you wake up and the world feels heavy. It’s that weight in your chest, the kind that doesn't go away with a double espresso or a quick scroll through a curated feed of people living their "best lives." We’ve all been there. It is that specific, grinding friction between who you are and the version of yourself that the world—or your own demons—wants you to be. That's exactly where the sentiment behind me and the devil had a tussle but i won comes from. It isn't just a catchy phrase or a bit of Southern-fried wisdom. It is a psychological survival mechanism.
Life hits hard.
When people use this expression, they aren't necessarily talking about a literal horned figure in a red suit. They are talking about the internal audit. The midnight anxiety. The battle against addiction, grief, or just the sheer, exhausting pressure of existing in 2026. Winning that tussle isn't about perfection; it’s about the fact that you’re still standing after the dust settles.
The Cultural Roots of the Tussle
We have to look at where this imagery actually starts. It is deeply embedded in the American blues and gospel tradition. Think about Robert Johnson at the crossroads. Legend says he sold his soul to play the guitar like a god. But the flip side of that narrative—the one that actually resonates with most of us—is the person who meets the "devil" at the crossroads and decides to walk away with their soul intact.
It’s about agency.
Music historians often point to the "spiritual warfare" themes in early 20th-century music as a way for marginalized people to express their struggles without naming their oppressors directly. If you say "the devil is trying to pull me down," you’re talking about poverty, systemic hurdles, and personal failings all at once. Winning that fight is a radical act of self-preservation. It is a defiant "no" to the forces that want to see you fail.
Today, we see this everywhere on social media. TikTok creators and Instagram poets have co-opted the phrase because it feels more visceral than saying "I practiced self-care today." Saying me and the devil had a tussle but i won sounds like you actually went through something. Because you did.
Why the Human Brain Craves This Narrative
Psychologically, we are wired for story. Specifically, the Hero’s Journey.
Joseph Campbell, the famous mythologist, spent his whole career talking about this. You leave your comfort zone, you face a shadow version of yourself (the tussle), and you return transformed. If life was just a series of "okay" days, we’d lose our minds. We need the conflict to make the resolution feel earned.
When you frame your struggle as a tussle with a personified force of negativity, you externalize the problem. This is a common tactic in Narrative Therapy. Instead of saying "I am a depressed person," a therapist might help you see depression as an external visitor. Something you can wrestle with. Something you can beat.
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It changes the power dynamic.
If the problem is you, it’s permanent. If the problem is a tussle with an external force, it’s a temporary event that you can overcome. That distinction is literally the difference between hope and despair for a lot of people.
The Reality of "Winning" (It's Not Always Pretty)
Let’s be real for a second. Winning doesn’t always look like a gold medal.
Sometimes winning just means you got out of bed. Honestly, some days the "tussle" is just making it to 5:00 PM without losing your cool on a coworker or spiraling into a hole of self-doubt. We have this tendency to romanticize the struggle, but the actual winning is usually messy. It’s sweaty. It’s tear-stained.
I remember talking to a friend who was six months sober. He told me, "Every morning it’s the same fight. Some days I win by a mile. Some days I win by an inch. But an inch is still a win."
That is the core of me and the devil had a tussle but i won. It acknowledges the fight. It doesn't pretend the struggle didn't happen.
- It's a recognition of scars.
- It's a celebration of persistence over perfection.
- It's the "dirty win" that counts more than the easy victory.
Modern Stressors: The New Devils
What are we actually fighting in 2026? It’s not just the "big" sins anymore.
The "devil" in our modern context is often the algorithm. It's the constant, nagging feeling that you aren't doing enough, earning enough, or looking good enough. It's the burnout that comes from a "hustle culture" that refuses to let you sleep. When you step back and say "I'm not doing this today," that's a win.
- Choosing your mental health over a promotion that would destroy you.
- Setting a boundary with a toxic family member.
- Walking away from a "sure thing" because it felt wrong in your gut.
These are the tussles of the 21st century. They are quiet. They are internal. But they are just as high-stakes as any ancient myth.
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Resilience as a Skill, Not a Trait
People think resilience is something you're born with. Like you either have the "bounce back" gene or you don't. That's a lie. Resilience is more like a muscle. The more you "tussle" and find a way to come out on top, the stronger that muscle gets.
Dr. Ann Masten, a leading researcher in developmental psychology, calls this "ordinary magic." It’s not some supernatural power. It’s just the basic human capacity to adapt. When you say me and the devil had a tussle but i won, you are essentially narrating your own ordinary magic. You are reminding yourself that you have a track record of surviving 100% of your bad days.
How to Win Your Own Tussle
So, how do you actually do it? How do you ensure you come out on top when the "devil" comes calling?
First, you have to name the thing. You can't fight a fog. If you're feeling overwhelmed, identify why. Is it a person? A habit? A thought pattern? Give it a name. Once it has a name, it loses some of its power over you.
Second, find your "seconds." In the old days of dueling, you never went into a fight alone. You had people standing by. You need your people. Whether that's a therapist, a best friend, or a community group, having someone to help pull you out of the dirt is crucial.
Third, acknowledge the win—even the small ones. We are so bad at this. We win the fight and then immediately start worrying about the next one. Stop. Breathe. Recognize that you handled it.
The Language of Victory
There is a reason this phrase resonates more than "I overcame my challenges."
"Overcame my challenges" sounds like something you’d write on a resume. It’s sterile. It’s corporate. Me and the devil had a tussle but i won has grit. It has soul. It implies a story. It suggests that you were in the trenches, it was touch-and-go for a minute, but you emerged on the other side.
That language matters. It shapes how we view our history.
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If you view your life as a series of problems you failed at, you’ll be miserable. If you view your life as a series of tussles you won, you’ll be a warrior. It’s all about the lens.
Actionable Steps to Claim Your Win
If you're currently in the middle of a struggle, here is how you start moving toward the "but I won" part of the sentence:
Audit your internal monologue. Stop letting the "devil" talk to you in your own voice. When you hear that "you're not good enough" loop, identify it as the opponent. It's not the truth; it's just the fight.
Change the scenery. Literally. If you're stuck in a mental loop, move your body. Go for a walk. Drive somewhere new. A change in physical environment can break the circuit of a mental tussle.
Record the wins. Keep a "win log." It sounds cheesy, but when you're in the thick of a new battle, you need documented proof that you’ve won before. Write down the times you thought you were done for and somehow made it through.
Release the need for a "clean" victory. Accept that winning might mean you're a little bruised. It might mean you lost some things along the way—friendships, time, or ego. That’s okay. The win is that you are still here.
When we look back at the history of human struggle, it is defined by this exact cycle. We fall, we fight, we get back up. The phrase me and the devil had a tussle but i won is just a modern, soulful way of stating that eternal truth. It is a reminder that the fight is normal, but the victory is yours to claim.
Don't let the weight of the struggle make you forget the strength of the person doing the fighting. You’ve won before. You’ll win again. Keep your head up and keep swinging.