Three Years of Amateur Boxing = Lifetime Worth of Learning

As some of you may know, my middle son has chosen to pursue amateur boxing as his passion at this stage in his life (started at 10, now age 13). Admittedly, boxing might not have been my first choice of sports for him (as if I had a choice) and it is certainly not a sport that is for everyone. This is for good reason, as even at the most junior levels it requires a mental toughness that most individuals never end up possessing in their entire lifetime.

As Gandhi said, “Every worthwhile accomplishment, big or little, has its stages of drudgery and triumph: a beginning, a struggle, and a victory.”

This is a boxer’s daily life. Whether we like it or not, this pattern repeats many times over the course of all our careers/lives. Our ability to remain #persistent through this pattern is what I feel it takes to truly grow, to win and to do remarkable things in your life.

What amazes me is that at 13, my son has had the opportunity to develop and embrace this mindset on a daily basis through boxing. This is something many of us don’t develop until we are much later in life - sometimes too late, and many times never. What’s more, through boxing he has also learned many life lessons that in a way are the catalysts to sustaining this mindset over time. These lessons have incredible parallels to what I have observed as the core ingredients of all top performers in the business world / life, and I thought it would be worthwhile sharing some of these lessons with you on LinkedIn.

1. Sustaining a persistent mindset (discipline + heart + grit + belief) is the true differentiator in the long run.?
2. Having clarity of purpose will be the fuel for maintaining this mindset. You gotta wanna!?
3. To be the best, you must work smarter, but also harder than competition. Efficiency is not an excuse for laziness.
4. You need a coach that not only guides you on how you will achieve your full potential, but more importantly, holds you accountable.
5. You must learn to identify and study your own weaknesses – proactively, with honesty and positivity.
6. Your circle should clap the loudest when you win, otherwise get a new circle.
7. You must be fierce and relentless in competition, but respect and kindness go a very long way outside the ring.
8. How you react to inevitable setbacks or adversity will have a huge impact on your pace of progress and ultimate success.?
9. Surrounding yourself with diversity is an invaluable source of wisdom and builds resiliency.?
10. Growth and comfort will rarely (almost never) coexist - get used to it.

Sometimes people say, what would you tell your younger self if you had the opportunity to go back in time. I can say these 10 things would be a good start for me personally.

Boxing has truly transformed my son on many levels, and in many ways, it has transformed me as well. I am deeply grateful for the experience I’ve gained through supporting my son in his journey so far – it is only the beginning.

I sincerely hope this added some perspective about the world of boxing and, in some way, motivated you to learn a little more. On its surface it may not appear to be a source of great life/career perspective, but in my experience, it most certainly is.