I was never a great wrestler—nor a very good one. I have, nevertheless, learned a lot from the sport and continue to learn.
Recently, my son’s wrestling club shared “5 Ways to Win the Metal Battle” by Wrestling Mindset. As frequently happens, wrestling provided me with yet another “life-lesson”.
1. Strike first attack or get your hands on your opponent immediately. In other words, don’t hesitate. Act. Be ahead of the competition. Don’t wait for someone else to lead your way.
2. Good body language. You can be tired but don’t look tired. I wrote a while back about millennials and how they feel like they always have to “be on”. We need to take time out from time to time. We don’t always have to “be on”, but, when we are supposed to be on, we’d better be on. We might be stressed and tired, but we can’t show it. Wrestling matches are roughly 6 minutes. There is plenty of time after the match to “be tired”. Likewise, work when it is time to work. The time to rest will come.
3. No free points. In other words, make your competition work. Don’t yield unnecessarily. Be smart and be attentive. Failure is inevitable when one is living beyond one’s comfort zone (so, of course, is success), but failure should never come easy. Fail trying.
4. Be the last one to wrestle. Winning wrestlers are relentless in their training. So, too, are those who win the mental battle—those who are truly successful. Be relentless. Be persistent. Always do one more repetition than the next guy.
5. Never quit. Legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi, said the “winners never quit, and quitters never win. I would bet that, sometime in his decades as a wrestler and coach, Dan Gable said something as simple and profound. There can be no victory in quitting—i.e., in giving up. There may come a time to leave the shoes on the mat, as the greats exit the sport, but there is never a time to give up. Never quit before the match ends. In life, one can concede defeat, but one must never quit.
Living with a growth mindset is a mental battle. It is a daily contest. It is a struggle, but it can be won.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!