Do you ever feel that you workout so hard and your days are so full that you still find yourself frustrated – you seem to be going nowhere? Joe Fraser and Ken Norton had beaten Ali previously. George Foreman had knocked out both fighters in the second round. But Ali could see Foreman’s weakness; his lack of staying power.
Ali figured out a system that would allow him to overcome the stronger boxer. He called it ‘Rope a Dope’. Ali would lean back against the ropes, shielding himself while Foreman pounded away, trying to knock him out. For seven rounds, Foreman threw hundreds of punches, and Ali let the storm blow over him. By round eight Ali could see that Foreman had worn himself out. That’s when Ali dropped Foreman with a combination and reclaimed the heavyweight championship of the world.
It’s not enough to be busy. If you’re busy planning, reading books, going to seminars, but your efforts aren’t targeted to areas essential for your success, you’re not helping yourself. Unhappiness is not knowing what we want and killing ourselves to get it.
So my one piece of coaching advice today is to stop for a moment. Ideally do this for ten minutes or so on a daily basis near the end of your day. Reflect on how you invested your time. Have you been busy all day spinning your wheels, or have you moved a step further towards your goals. Learn from this. Be strategic in planning your day tomorrow. Think like Ali. Target your energy and your efforts. Take on the BIG goals and ‘Rope a Dope’.
