What Boxing Has Taught Me About Life, Love And Work

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion’.” — Muhammed Ali —

Nearly a year ago I started training to be a boxer. I’d been fascinated by boxing for some time. I had long admired the athleticism and the activism of Muhammed Ali. Not to mention his mindset. Who doesn’t? But I can’t remember what inspired me to want to become a boxer.

I moved shortly before the pandemic to the English countryside. Unlike London there were no boxing gyms in the village I’d moved to. I’d found one a few villages away and had just gotten up the courage to contact them about training me when the pandemic happened.

So I put it on hold like everything else while the world slowed down.

And then as the world opened up again I decided to give it another go. After two and a half years of not going to the gym I was in a different place physically than I had been before pandemic. But I was stronger mentally.

Learning how to box was a gift I decided to give myself.

I found a trainer and started working with him once a week. He works with professional boxers, some of the very best in the world. He knows what he’s doing and is also easy-going, kind and patient. Just what I needed to help me on my journey.

We started by building a foundation of skills: learning the basics of punching and footwork. Working with the pads, the heavy bag and the dreaded speed bag every week. And then layering on conditioning as I got fitter. The rest of the week I worked on my overall fitness with conditioning work and weight training and continued my daily walks.

I had a ways to go to get fit again but it was a start. Boxing gave me a reason, a framework for getting stronger, both mentally and physically. It was also something I was doing just for me which has helped me on my journey to unconditionally loving myself.

Several weeks ago I started to work more with the heavy bag on my own at the gym. And I started to feel like a boxer.

Yesterday my trainer told me I’d turned a corner. He told me that I look like a boxer. That I’m moving naturally. At the end of my session we talked about some of the things I’ve learned in my journey to becoming a boxer. Here are some of the things I told him:

The power of the perseverance

Boxing is hard. Much harder than it looks. And when I first began there was so much to learn. If I hadn’t committed to myself to learn I might have quit. It took a while to catch on to the rhythym of the speed bag.

Every time I got on it I had to remind myself that I was learning. When I got frustrated I would re-set and have an inner conversation with myself. You are learning. It’s okay. Just be patient. Beginner’s mind can be frustrating for our mind but it’s good for our brain.

We are literally forging new neural pathways and that takes time and patience. But when you get to the other side and can see how far you’ve come, there’s no better feeling. Learning how to box has inspired me to try other new things and that’s enhanced my life in every way.

Doing hard things can be a gift we give ourselves

I committed to learn how to box because it’s something I’d long wanted to do. I didn’t understand why but I did it anyway. It was a gift I gave myself. And because I loved myself I kept at it. But it was by no means easy. That was the whole point.

I knew it would be hard but I wanted to challenge myself. It’s helped me see challenges as opportunities in every aspect of my life. And that’s made me both calmer and more confident in every aspect of my life.

I know that whatever happens everything will be okay. Because I can do hard things. Boxing taught me that.

Moving through and beyond our fears

When I first started boxing I was afraid and very, very intimidated. My trainer told me yesterday that I was also very timid. Not anymore. I faced my fear and moved through it.

Being in the messy middle wasn’t easy. I almost always felt awkward at the beginning and was often frustrated. There is a lot to think about in boxing and it was overwhelming for my brain and especially for my mind. But I moved beyond it and got to the other side.

I still have a long way to go but I’m excited about the journey. I still get intimated when I go to a new gym but now I have a foundation of skills to build on. And most importantly, I think like a boxer. I know I can do anything I set my mind to and then I go out and do them.

Boxing gave me a framework for life. It’s improved the way I live. The way I love. The way I work. It’s helped me become a more resilient person. I relish doing hard things now in a way I didn’t before. And that’s made me so much happier.

For more about my experiences doing hard things and how they’ve helped me become a better leader you can find me here.

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