Since I was a kid, I spent a lot of time boxing. With my last amateur fight I even won the district championship in the middleweight class. Boxing has taught me a lot about life in and out of the ring, and I would like to share some of these points with you.
It made me think about health and nutrition.
Like most young children, I grew up with a fairly “normal” childhood. I ate whatever I wanted and didn’t think much about my general well-being until I started boxing. Our coaches were tough on us, but they had a point: we must take care of our bodies.
During the many years of training, I began to eat better and solidified many healthy habits in my life. It remains a passion to this day to be able to share this with as many children as possible. I recently founded a children’s charity in Central and South America, where one of my main goals is to introduce sports to communities where health and fitness are overlooked.
You never stop learning
If you fight against those who are on the same level as you, you will never learn anything new. By facing stronger opponents, you learn new techniques and continue to grow.
The same thing happens outside the ring. When faced with difficult challenges, I learned to welcome them. Not only did they make me a stronger person, but I also came out with new experiences that have been beneficial for me in the future.
How to stay calm in any situation
I’m sure you will agree that boxing is far from being a stress-free sport. Not only is it difficult on a physical level, but it can also be accompanied by a lot of psychological fear and anxiety. From mentally preparing before a big fight, to thinking of the best ways to beat your opponent in the ring, you have to stay calm no matter what. The moment you lose your cool, you know they won.
The same is true in life, there have been many times at work where I had tight deadlines or unfriendly clients, but from boxing I learned to never give in to stress or fear and faced all challenges with a smile.
Sometimes you get hit but the pain is only temporary
You don’t let the blow destroy you. You may feel anger, you may feel injustice, but you don’t let those feelings consume you. You can get dizzy and lose your way. Sometimes you can even fall flat on your face. But you learn to get up and move on.
This is one of the most powerful lessons I learn from boxing. Sometimes life tries to knock you out of the ring, but from a young age I learned that you never give up. I even wrote a separate blog post on this here.
Control your emotions
There are many types of boxers, with their own preferred techniques. For example, there are fighters, who go with everything and do not mind receiving some blows as long as they also achieve some. On the opposite side, there are fighters who are more strategic, something like chess players. They see the game as a whole and are not controlled by the actions of the opponent.
I like to think of myself more as a “chess player”. Quick to analyze any situation and make strategic and sober moves to win the game. Being well organized and being good at assessing problems is a vital skill, in my opinion, for any business.
Life is just a game, but how we react will determine our overall success and well-being. Thank you boxing, for helping me become more confident and strong when facing tough challenges.