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If you are pursuing something difficult in life, you have likely experienced sacrifice, whether it’s a sacrifice of non-public health, mental health, relationships, time, or funds. It is likely that one or more of these items have suffered in the pursuit of this goal. When asked what surprised him most about humanity, he replied: Dalai Lama he said, “Man. Because he sacrifices his health to make money. Then he sacrifices money to regain his health.” From there it gets much more philosophical and much more depressing, but the quote above is a great testament to the power of chasing your dreams without remembering what it’s worthwhile to not only survive, but also thrive.
However, this does not mean that making sacrifices in pursuit of your goals is not good – it is normally mandatory. But being aware of what you are giving up for what you are trying to achieve is the approach to live a life without regrets. This is something that is still necessary in my each day work to turn out to be a higher leader. While I have grown and learned along the way throughout my years of running businesses, nothing has made me grow and learn greater than stepping into the ring.
Slightly over a 12 months ago, I reconnected with an old friend from college, and he mentioned to me his newfound fascination with boxing. I did this as a teenager with my friends, but I never took an energetic part in it. He convinced me to go with him and try again as an adult. New Year’s resolutions and I went for it, and the rest was history. That day at Fighters Boxing Gym in Nashville punching heavy bags sparked an obsession that made boxing an necessary item in my expenses, greater than half of my laundry, and most of my personality.
Here are the three most vital lessons I’ve learned so far from the squared circle.
1. Resilience is essential to success
Working in a start-up environment, where every deal counts and boxing sparring is more similar than you think. First, you have to have thick skin. No matter how hard we attempt to “cut the ring” with higher services and keep the customer on the ropes when making a purchasing decision, sometimes a potential customer changes direction and hires another person. These hits, while they could not hurt as much if you focus on each individual hit, but after a few rounds they begin so as to add up. Learning to maintain fighting and not accepting defeat is the approach to force a decision in a non-knockout fight. In other words, if you are not resilient and have not stumbled upon a hidden treasure, you most likely won’t last long in business.
As a startup entrepreneur who has never made an investment, I have been under pressure more times than I can count. This key lesson in staying resilient and not taking “no” for an answer allowed me to remain determined and motivate my team to pursue recent industries without having to shut the company or lay off employees. I attribute my ability to pivot my business to offering influencer marketing campaigns to brands and musicians/labels largely to boxing. Adaptability and reluctance to throw in the towel. Boxing got me there.
2. Concentrated time spent studying
Focusing on learning is mandatory for all great battles. In this case there are no cuts at the corners. If you do not set the hours, you will not win. This includes time in the ring or in the boardroom. You have to work on the basics of being a good leader similar to you’re employed on the basics in the gym. Muhammad Ali said: “A fight is won or lost away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym and on the street, long before I dance in those lights.” Muhammad Ali can be great at any job. If you do not find uninterrupted time to enhance, you will not improve.
Throughout my years as an entrepreneur, I have tried to seek out uninterrupted time for development. While I’m trying to seek out the red lines, a client calls me. While working on a proposal, an worker asks me a query. Learning how necessary unavoidable “offline” time is has made me demand it more in the workplace. I can now use the board, learn about recent lanes, or do anything I need without having to compromise or be half-distracted. If you are distracted while boxing, you will feel it (literally). If you are distracted at work, you will feel it otherwise – but each are equally detrimental to winning.
3. Your corner can make or break you
A boxer is normally only pretty much as good as his horn. To be truly great, you wish a great coach and a smart person, just as an entrepreneur needs great leaders in his business and advisors outside of it. The people you surround yourself with in each spheres should be individuals who can support you and are not afraid to talk their mind when the situation needs improvement. I’m much deeper into my entrepreneurial journey than I am into my boxing profession; nevertheless, the trainers I learned from, fought and sparred with at The Punch Club in Los Angeles and Fighters in Nashville are the same variety of people I attempt to surround myself with in the business. Don’t be afraid to make changes if these people aren’t a good fit.
In the workplace, it is easy to return to terms with keeping things as they are. Excusing actions that should not be justified by being busy. Boxing taught me that every voice in the room could be the difference between winning, losing or breaking through. This has helped me be more proactive in making changes when something is not working.
So the next time you are feeling exhausted and worry about staying on your feet and your Google Calendar bell or alarm goes off, get able to fight with the whole lot you have left. I know I will.