The Basic Principles for Loving What You Do
BY DOUGLAS WARD, MARKETING DIRECTOR AT TITLE BOXING
The most successful people in this world, the most highly acclaimed and well-respected individuals, have reached their positions because of a shared attribute - they simply love, are driven by or have a passion for what they do. Some guys and gals in this sport, who want that level of success, might say “I love boxing, but I get so nervous that I don’t enjoy fighting.” Fair enough.
There is no doubt that boxing is absolutely different than any other sport, especially in terms of what it demands from you physically and mentally. The risks, the fear and possible failure always loom on the horizon. It can be scary, so how in the world can anyone enjoy THAT? The answer is that many athletes DO enjoy it. They’ve learned that with the right approach, the right system, many of those stresses can be diminished. More enjoyment can be created through repetition, experience, preparation and the right outlook. Yeah, that sounds easy enough doesn't it? Maybe too easy. Maybe not.
Let’s look at it, you apply it, and then you be the judge:
REPETITION is an activity done, with precision and care, over and over and over. It is execution of the basics until they become intuitive. Knowing your craft with an “eyes closed” mentality is key to top performance.
Next, any successful athlete, actor or entrepreneur will tell you that they improved through EXPERIENCE. Learning from your mistakes, shrugging it off and going right back up to bat is experience. It's not just winning.
PREPARATION is crucial for being able to enjoy what you do. Otherwise, it’s kind of like cramming for a test at 2am. It's not very effective and robs you of knowing what you need to know, as opposed to walking into a situation feeling totally prepared. When you have done everything possible and are confident in your abilities…then you're rewarded with the sense of ease that comes with it.
Finally, you need to be exercising the RIGHT OUTLOOK. Sometimes performance anxiety is a result of faulty thinking. When you take a look at your worries, try looking at them logically, instead of emotionally. Be honest with yourself. State your fear. Consider it and ask “Why am I afraid of this?” Go through the whole list until you've called each one out. Oftentimes you’ll find that once you've brought it up and out in the open, it might not have as much significance as you'd thought at first.
The key to exceptional performance in any career or pursuit is enjoyment. It's not a prerequisite in all instances, but you certainly up your chances of success by loving what you do. Commit to these basic principles and you may soon find yourself grinning from ear to ear… behind a mouthpiece of course.