When asked what has made the biggest impact on my life, I almost always respond in saying – Boxing. No, I’m not a tough guy, and no, I don’t claim myself to be a fighter. In fact, I think I’m just the opposite of such. But I feel strongly that the reason I’m not a “tough guy” is due in part to the life lessons I gained through my amateur boxing experiences. Those lessons are as follows:
1)Understanding no one is better than anyone else.Look, I recognize that you might be better than me at understanding finance, but rest assured that I am better than you at something too. Therefore, we are equal. Nowhere has this concept been more prevalent than in the numerous boxing gyms I’ve trained at. Regardless of one’s occupation, how much money they had, or how “great” they thought they were, they weren’t entitled to anything different than the next guy, and they bled just like the rest of people who came in and out of the boxing gym doors. In fact, at the PKKG gym I trained at in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, those who bled during sparring on a particular evening were the ones who had to get on their hands and knees to clean the boxing ring
It was the rule. There was no getting out of it.
In life, we have similar responsibilities/rules. Not one of cleaning a boxing ring necessarily, but responsibility to one another to treat people with respect; to show a sincere care and concern for your neighbor’s. My boxing roots have truly humbled me and always kept me focused on my goals and ambitions instead of trying to judge and compare myself to others.
2)The importance of perseverance.I truly believe one of the many reasons I’ve been able to push through the many adversities and obstacles I’ve had in life is due to my boxing past. Where else in life are you continually hit, knocked down, and pushed back, but expected to bounce back and continue to fight strong? Boxing taught me that despite how many times we might get “hit” in life, it’s always too soon to quit. Adversity in life is inevitable. We’ll all face it and we’ll all be faced with a decision of if we want to keep pushing forward. What I found in boxing is that the only way to find out the outcome of a fight is tokeep fighting.Otherwise, if you stay down, or throw in the towel, the match is over and you’ll never know what the judges may have scored.
The same is true in our lives. If you give up short of accomplishing your dream, you’ll never know what you might have been able to accomplish. I encourage you in moving forward today to keep persevering and keep pushing.
3)Think outside the box.Famous boxer Mike Tyson is quoted as saying, “we all have a plan until we get punched in the mouth.” Although Tyson had often been criticized throughout his career, this is one of the truest statements I ever heard. I walked into every sparring session and amateur fight with a plan. And each time, it was inevitable that within minutes – or even seconds – I had to adjust. I had to “think out of the box” and do whatever was necessary to keep fighting. In life, how many times have you had a plan only to see it fall apart once adversity hits or some other challenge arises? We can plan for our business, plan for our relationships, and plan for every area of our lives, however, we can’t plan for those adversities and challenges that await us. If your business is failing, maybe it’s time you change your approach. Do what your competitors are not and offer a product/service that is simply irresistible. I know it’s often easy to get close minded, and when that first “punch” of life is landed, it’s even easier to want to think your plan was a waste of time, that you’re not smart enough, capable enough, or good enough. The fact of the matter is, however, that you ARE good enough! It’s just time to throw the initial plan out the window and call on everything in you to work tirelessly toward your goal and be willing to think outside the box!
Comments are closed.