Doing Scary Things

I've known Robbie for nearly 20 years. I'm not positive on the actual timeline. I know it was around the time I first started boxing. Back then, I was about 170 pounds and Robbie was about 220 pounds, maybe more (he'll correct) and I knew it when he landed a good punch.

Fast forward to now

I'm deliberately not making this about boxing and I personally don't consider the 'boxing' part itself that important anymore. This part now and my following point is where we dive into Deep Thought territory.

Life is scary

Some people grow up differently, live in different environments, and experience and entirely different experience than others. We're not all the same and we don't share the same adventure. Life is unique to the individual and it's possible going out for a beer with friends or getting in the ring and fighting to the last man standing produces the same 'this is a blast' output = it does for me.

It's meditative

I'm thinking of this as I type and a prime point I share in my 2x-a-week classes is that our goal is a meditative state, not an emotional state. The trick is staying calm. Fighting, boxing, and punching are the easy part and deserve the least amount of your attention. Most people don't get it (measurement bias) and in my experience, it was around the 10-year mark before I caught on.

Boxing is the least important part of boxing

Doing scary things. I'm not sure how Robbie and his wife Katie will describe this. I'm confident they feel the same way. I'm a coach now, not a boxer, and I see how they coach. If my LinkedIn audience has the opportunity to see their coaching in action, I highly recommend you take a moment to watch = sight to behold = family.

Boxing is terrifying, training to your breaking point is terrifying, and fighting for your life in front of your family, friends, and hundreds of cheering, yelling, and clapping strangers is one of the most challenging and exciting situations I can think of. As a coach, we guide the lost.

Those who sign up for boxing tend to come from spots others can't relate to. Most of the time, boxing is all they have, most don't understand, the gym is their family.