Home
>
Success
>
Success Lessons From TV - What Key Life Skill Did Sugar Ray Teach?

Success Lessons From TV - What Key Life Skill Did Sugar Ray Teach?

Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone have recently hosted a fascinating reality show called "Contenders" in which 16 top middleweight boxers gradually eliminate each other from contention until the final two get a great opportunity to show their skills in Las Vegas and the winner gets 1 million dollars.

Every week two boxers fight it out. The loser goes home. The boxers learn and teach great lessons which apply not only to boxing but to life in general.

The fourth week which this article is about is no exception and Sugar Ray, himself, teaches one of the greatest life skills of all.

In the third week, Ishe Smith had defeated his hated enemy Ahmed Khadour. He was delighted to send Ahmed home because they had grown to hate each other during their three weeks in the Contender Academy. Ishe did not forget to thank God for his victory. An attitude of gratitude is said by many gurus to bring even more blessings into the grateful person's life.

In this case the reward was immediate. Sylvester Stallone congratulated Ishe on doing a good job by defeating Ahmed: "You delivered the mail." He gave Ishe a golden glove to hang round his neck and a large poster of Ishe was hung up in the gallery of heroes. Ishe, himself, regained his confidence and self-esteem which had been shaken by a period of insecurity when he had delayed facing up to Ahmed.

Ishe's team were taken by Sugar Ray to an exclusive restaurant in LA which gave them a taste of the life they would lead if they became champions. A taste of life at the top can be a great motivator; so can a taste of life at the bottom. Fear of loss is said to be a greater motivator than the desire for gain. Each week the contenders had to face the possibility of losing and being sent home to obscurity.

Alfonso, one of the boxers who had already won a bout, commented: "Every reward we get is a glimpse of what we will get if we become super champions."

Last week the team from the West of the USA had been taken to a top shop where they could choose whatever clothes they wanted. Some of them bought the first suit they had ever had. They were now starting to visualize the success that could be theirs. This kind of forward looking visualization is a key element in any success.

At the meal in the exclusive restaurant in the fourth week, Sugar Ray served up a dish of pure wisdom which was far superior to any food on the table. He told the young boxers:

"All you guys can fight. The problem is that sometimes you guys question your own ability and when you question that you've already lost; you've already lost."

We have to have confidence in our own ability or we will never try to achieve anything. Without it, we have already failed. Most of us tend to underestimate the ability we have.

During the fourth week Jeff Fraza, the smallest boxer in the group, fell ill with a fever and spots on his legs. Jackie Kallen, the Contender den mother, was worried. She commented that Jeff already had one strike against him by being small: "The last thing he wants is to be perceived as ill, sick and weak. He already knows that everybody is gunning for him. If they know he's sick, he's gone."

Successful people want to be seen as healthy and strong. Bill Clinton was often seen out jogging when he was President. This is not just a matter of image. Healthy people have more energy and drive than someone who is sick.

Health should be a priority for any one who wants to be successful. If you want to reach the top take plenty of vitamin C daily!

In the end, Jeff had to go because he had chicken pox which was contagious. His dreams had ended in disappointment because of ill health. But his disappointment meant that Peter Manfredo who had already been eliminated was given a second chance.

Najai Turpin from Philadelphia had worked at three jobs when his mother died and had still found time to train. He had had to become a man very quickly. His main source of motivation as with most of the boxers was his desire to provide really well for his family especially his little daughter. "She is my reason for everything I do." He also had a lot of pain in him which he wanted to pass on to his opponent!

Sergio Mora from East LA felt he would be stereotyped as an ignorant kid. In fact he loved reading Sun Tzu, Oscar Wilde, Emerson and Nietzche. He was also a good boxer. He too fought for love of his family, especially his mum. He also feared failure: "I am definitely scared to go home; I am definitely scared of failure."

In the fourth week Najai and Sergio fought each other. Sergio won the first round. Najai won the second easily. Sergio's cornerman urged him: "Get your ass back to work, baby." The third round was Najai's but Sergio probably stole it with a late flurry. Round four was Sergio's. "Your kid is out there looking at ya" said Najai's cornerman. Round five was Sergio's. Sergio won by unanimous decision.

The fight was very even and the fifth round was decisive. By round five it looked as if Najai had lost faith in his own ability to win and Sergio had gained faith. Sergio won. Sugar Ray was right. Many fights come down to who believes in themselves most. However, Najai won every one's respect and affection. He was devastated: "I left everything in the ring. I came up short. I came up short."

It almost goes with out saying, but I'll say it anyway, that those who believe in their own ability, or their own capacity to learn what they need to know, win in ordinary life as well as in boxing.

About the author

John Watson is an award winning teacher and martial arts instructor. He has recently written two books about achieving your goals and dreams.

They can both be found on his website http://www.motivationtoday.com along with a daily motivational message.

The title of the first book is "36 Laws To Ignite Your Inner Power And Realize Your Dreams Now! - Acronyms, Stories, And Pictures...Easy To Remember And Use Everyday To Grab Your Life And Soar With The Eagles"

The book can be found at this URL

http://www.motivationtoday.com

The book uses acronyms, stories and pictures to help readers remember 36 laws that can gradually transform your life if you apply them.

Ezine editors / Site owners

Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include my resource box as listed above.

affordable house cleaning Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.