Ray Winstone, the London East End barrow boy, who became an actor famous for acting hard men, did some boxing when he was younger. He learned a key lesson from boxing which helped him in the acting world and which could help any of us in any situation.
"You would go into your corner and look at the man in the corner opposite you and you would say 'I can beat him' or look at another man and say 'I can't beat him.'"
Boxing taught you to learn to beat the man you thought you couldn't beat. Ray had about 88 fights and lost only 8 of them.
When faced with the challenge of acting the role of Henry VIII, Ray, at first, thought he could not act the part but then drew on his boxing experience and achieved what had seemed impossible to him.
I was not too convinced by his acting in this part but a lot of people were. He certainly portrayed the thuggish side of King Henry convincingly!
Another lesson from boxing is the way champion boxers keep punching even when their opponent seems completely untroubled by their best punches.
On Friday March 4th 2005, I watched Clinton Woods fight Rico Hoye for the IBF light heavy weight championship of the world. The fight took place at the Magna Centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Clinton landed one great punch after another but Rico Hoye seemed totally undisturbed by the powerful punches. He also landed a few good ones of his own.
Clinton kept patient and did not rush in to try to finish the fight too quickly. He knew that impatience could lead to disaster. If you charge in regardless you are likely to leave yourself open to a killer punch.
Round after round passed and the fight seemed totally even. Then suddenly, half way through the fight, the effect of Woods' punches manifested itself.
Hoye started moving slowly and staggering round the ring although he still kept up a brave attempt to defend himself. The referee stopped the fight and Clinton Woods, after four attempts, was now a world champion.
Clinton was 32 years old at the time of this fight and knew that it might be his last shot at the title. He was not the bookies' favorite but ignored his critics and trained harder than he ever had for a fight.
Boxing teaches that, if you keep on working hard and keep on fighting even if it seems you are getting nowhere, you can beat the man you thought you would never beat.
If you do the same thing in ordinary life you will achieve 'impossible' goals that have eluded you for years. You will know the same ecstasy that Woods felt after long years of struggle to become champion of the world.
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.
You are welcome to publish the article above in your ezine or on your website so long as you do not alter it and keep in the words about the author and the 36 Laws.
recurring cleaning service Wilmette ..As very few people achieve enlightenment in one lifetime, as... Read More
I do! I want to be a millionaire! Do you?Judging... Read More
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More
Your own pressing needs, your long-standing frustrations, would benefit tremendously... Read More
What would one initially think about someone who dropped out... Read More
We all want something to look forward to. The best... Read More
Frederick W. Smith attended Yale University and wrote a paper... Read More
I spoke to a group of salespeople in Kansas City... Read More
You can be a master achiever by developing the same... Read More
I could labor the idea but then that would only... Read More
This morning, on TV, I was amazed to see how... Read More
Everyone wants to be successful. However, many people often rely... Read More
Did you know you can literally program your mind so... Read More
Commit yourself to spending time only with people who are... Read More
Absolutely no one can underestimate the power of the mind... Read More
1. Clear vision + Intention + Purpose... Read More
The ultimate expression of life is not a paycheck. The... Read More
It has been truly said, and history confirms, that the... Read More
George Burns' career could have ended as early as 1958,... Read More
What is "success"? Why does it seem everyone wants "success"?... Read More
Napoleon Hill, the famous inspirational writer, once met a reader... Read More
Overnight success seems to be happening to a lot of... Read More
You are never a failure until you accept defeat as... Read More
Success could be just about making money, but I think... Read More
This past Memorial Day weekend I decided to revisit my... Read More
reliable maid service Morton Grove ..For every disciplined effort, there are multiple rewards. That's one... Read More
Reading lots these days? Having trouble remembering and recalling? For... Read More
About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More
I call the following seven belief lies of success, taking... Read More
Deep down, where it counts, many people do not believe... Read More
What is Optimum Performance? This question raises different responses from... Read More
I once heard a speaker use the statement, "I have... Read More
One way to become more successful in your life is... Read More
Far too many of us struggle through life despite more... Read More
Coming up with new dreams and passions can be fun,... Read More
Whoever first said that knowledge is power was probably selling... Read More
I am sure that you're familiar with the old formula... Read More
The simple action of writing the every day grocery demonstrates... Read More
You will have the greatest success if you read the... Read More
Magic doesn't have to be complicated. Here are some very... Read More
Why do you need to know your focus when joining... Read More
Whenever we have a bad experience or we own up... Read More
Why do so many of us lack belief in ourselves?... Read More
Imagine that right now, right here, today? there is within... Read More
You have complete control over your thoughts. Thought patterns develop... Read More
Abundance is intangible, spiritual and attracts energy. To attract this... Read More
One of the main reasons that may hinder us from... Read More
In the Greek tale of creation, a Titan (Greek god)... Read More
The best and fastest way to learn how to make... Read More
What do Sam Walton, Ray Kroc, Hilton, Marriot, Firestone, Elvis... Read More
Success |