Boxing and Business – Five Similarities
Today I’m four days away from the ‘fight of my life’. For the first time ever, I’m entering a boxing ring as a real boxer….. Over three x 2 minute rounds, I’m boxing against another woman for charity, and in doing so, I’m also achieving a personal goal. I’ve always wanted to be boxing fit and to box in the ring. Call it a bucket list item that I’m about to tick off!
To say I’m excited (and a little terrified) is an understatement. But, bring it on! 🙂 Friday can’t come quick enough for me now!
I know boxing isn’t everyone’s game, but I have to say, it’s been a magical 11 weeks, as I’ve trained for this very special and personally important event.
I love business and I also love achieving my personal goals as I’m all about being alive, passionate and extraordinary in business and life, as I define it.
As I’ve trained for this event, I’ve thought about the similarities between achieving goals in business and boxing. Here are five thoughts I’ve had recently…
1. Clarity of purpose and goal
Before embarking on this boxing journey, I needed to have complete clarity around why I was doing it. After all, the chances are high that I’d get injured (which I did), bruised (see photo above) and bloody nosed (I spared you that photo), at the very least. I could also get broken body parts (that’s not happened yet) or neuro damage – thankfully, I’ve steered clear of that too (so far).
I also needed to know what my goal was for this boxing journey….. I’m clear on that!! I WANT TO WIN MY FIGHT NIGHT BOUT!
That goal has driven my training over the last 11 weeks…. It’s kept me focused when I wanted to roll over and go back to sleep at 4.15am five days a week after my alarm rang to get me out of bed for the next training session at 5am. It kept me focused when it hurt too, when my injuries made me waiver a bit.
It’s no different in business. I have complete clarity for my businesses too…. if our business goals and vision aren’t important enough to us, we will waiver when times are tough (and all businesses go through tough times).
What do you want to achieve and why in your business?
2. Get your strategy nailed
Yes, I want to win my bout…. How was I going to get there? Well, doing it alone was not going to work as I don’t know a thing about boxing, and I was pretty unfit…..
I got a team around me to help. Boxing coaches, personal trainers, and a group of other boxers who are on the same journey ─ we’ve supported each other.
I also set a fairly punishing six day a week training schedule with my team. I’m doing a lot more training than some of my boxing buddy colleagues. Each to their own; I want to be in top form on fight night.
It’s no different in business. When you know what you want to achieve in business and why, next is developing the strategies to get there. Typically that includes marketing, sales, branding, operations, finance and people…. what are your strategies in each of those areas?
3. Action and measurement
Five days of gym (strength, fitness, conditioning) workouts each week with some boxing work thrown in, plus weekly Saturday boxing group classes.
I’ve done this week in week out for 11 weeks. Some days it was hard, other days easy.
I can honestly say that with all the training and work I’ve put in, I’ve not been this fit in a long time.
At the start, after 10 mins of boxing training, I’d feel like I was going to die (I was sooo unfit for boxing). I can now shadow box and spar for +40 mins and still have energy for more…. and I’m loving it.
I’m strong. I can punch hard and my south paw (I’m a left handed boxer) is the ‘money shot’ (I’m told). Eeekkk, I hope I don’t hurt my opponent too much on the night. 🙂
Oh, and I’ve modifed my diet too (loads of protein and limited wheat carbohydrates/sugar etc), so the scales are looking good – I gained a bit more muscle and carry a lot less fat. YIPPEE!!
In business, planning, action and measurement is critical. What do you need to do to achieve your business strategy? What actions are you taking? By when? What are your key performance indicators (KPIs)?
4. Be a learner – get a mentor/coach
Elite athletes have coaches…. and I have had boxing coaches and personal trainers too. What a difference it has made.
I’ve learnt so much. I would never have developed my skill, strength and stamina to this level if I’d done it alone. My coaches are at the top of the game in their fields. They have been in the ring and fought the fights, they are master personal trainers, and they practise what they preach – they have great bodies, strength and fitness too …. I’ve learnt from the best.
In business, all coaches/mentors are not equal. Make sure you find a coach who has run businesses. A great coach/mentor will guide you through the ‘noise’ of business, and they will make a serious difference to your success in business.
Be a listener and learner. You will learn a lot from a business coach/mentor, if you’re willing.
5. Believe in yourself
I believe I can and will WIN MY BOUT! I dream about it. I visualise it too. It’s that important to me. If I don’t win, I have to be honest and say I will be gutted!
My mindset all the way through has been the most important component….and it will play its biggest role on the night – Friday 9 December – fight night. I’m told I have the fitness and skill…. I just need to believe I can do it… I’ll let you know next week how it went.
Believe that you can and will achieve all the success you want in business (and life).
So that’s it
They are the similarities between business and boxing.
I’m very excited about fight night… I hope I bring home the trophy as a winner…. I hope my opponent has trained hard too so that we have a great bout, and I hope she’s enjoyed the journey at her boxing gym like I have at mine.
I know I end the year with renewed energy for business and life in light of this personal challenge I’ve put myself through I’m excited about that.
I’ve got more personal goals to achieve next year (more on those later) and they will sit neatly next to all the business goals I want to achieve too.
Bring on 2017. 🙂
Need some coaching/mentoring guidance?
What about you? Are you excited about where you’re at in business and life?
As we head towards year end, has 2016 been a good year? How can 2017 be better and more successful and fulfilled for you?
It’s tough being a business owner/entrepreneur. I know that from running my own businesses and I see it day in day out with the business people I work with, guiding them to achieve the success they seek in their businesses.
Do you need a coach or mentor to guide you in your journey? If so, please arrange a free no obligation 30 mins Skype strategy meeting with me. Here’s my calendar to make an appointment.
I have space for 6 new clients in my 2017 schedule. If you’d like to talk about how I might support you in 2017 to achieve your business (and life) goals, then let’s have an initial conversation this month and see where it takes us. Here’s my calendar to make an appointment.
Until next week when I will share how fight night went, have a fabulous rest of week.
With love
Adèle xx
PS: As mentioned, I am fighting for charity. If you’d like to donate a few ££/$$ to Joni’s Army, the charity I am supporting, I would be so grateful. Please click here to donate to my JustGiving page. Thank you so much.
