We won! That’s me in the yellow! Yes, I know the referee raised my hand in the ring, but when I say WE won, I mean it. Boxing is a team sport, no matter how you see it in the ring. From my supporters to my family to my sparring partners and my coach:  you are my team, we’re in this together, and we’re on to the semifinals! Thank you team!

I was a ball of nervous energy, but we were able to put a stop to the fight in the first round.

Although I won that bout, failure has been a word that has been on my mind lately. After a little celebration, my coach wanted to go over what I didn’t do. Case in point:

Whoops.

As I swallowed my pride, I began to wholeheartedly agree with his assessment. Each opponent brings a different energy, a different style and different level of skill. You have to adjust to it accordingly and for some reason some of my fundamentals were missing.

I felt like I failed my coach on the one hand and disappointed myself on the other. But I’ve come to the conclusion that failing is not only okay, it’s normal. In fact, now that I think about it, I fail everyday. I think acknowledging our flaws and failures in the present, during training and practice — and even during competition — prepares us much more than success.

Failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.  - Mia Hamm

I fail everyday but now I don’t look at it as if I lost. Each day you come back to learn from your mistakes, each day you show up and do the work, each day you train to your potential and give all your heart to the game, to life… and that’s when failure loses its sense of shame.

I don’t need to fear failure. Failure is only temporary. Failure makes you work harder. Failure isn’t the worst thing out there. Quitting, however, lasts forever. Keep going and we shall rise and rise again.

—-

PS I’ll be posting some more lessons learned on the road leading up to the Gloves in the next few days. See you soon!!!

The professional understands that Resistance is fertile and ingenious. It will throw stuff at him that he’s never seen before.

The professional prepares mentally to absorb blows and to deliver them. His aim is to take what the day gives him. He is prepared to be prudent and prepared to be reckless, to take a beating when he has to, and to go for the throat when he can. He understands that the field alters every day. His goal is not victory (success will come by itself when it wants to) but to handle himself, his insides, as sturdily and steadily as he can.

- Steven Pressfield. The War Of Art.

My coach told me to be ready by the first day of Golden Gloves competition. Even though the women usually don’t start competing until mid-February, I received this letter in the mail last night, to my surprise, reporting to the first night of Golden Glove competition — perhaps the most hyped and high-profile night besides the finals at Madison Square Garden.

To be honest, I freaked out a little. Okay, I actually screamed four or five times as I told the news to my husband. I had scheduled two fights in the next two weeks, thinking it would be a good way for me to get ready for the tournament. Little did I know I would receive this, throwing the proverbial monkey wrench into our training plans. That night I went for a run and like all runs, I gazed into the winter sky to clear my head.

No one said this was going to be easy. No one was going to hand this to me. This is it. There’s no time to be afraid. There is only now. Now is the time to take what you’ve worked so hard for. All the hours of training, the rounds of sparring, the miles of roadwork, all the struggles, the setbacks, the pushing forward — all for this moment.  

And a grand moment indeed. If I succeed — and you’re damned sure I’m going to give it my all in order to succeed — I’ll do so in the bright spotlight of BB Kings in the middle of Time Square. I’ll do so with the greatest boxing writers and analysts at ringside. I’ll do so with the most media attention an amateur boxer will see until the finals at MSG.

And you can bet that when they ask me I will talk about why I’m fighting and whom I’m fighting for. You can bet all of you will be with me that night. All your stories, your struggles, your triumphs. As much as I have grown since my diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, I am constantly reminded of how painful, debilitating and scary life can be without proper treatment. I am there for you just as many beautiful people have been there for me.

It is how I’ve made peace* with the monkey wrench. Now it’s time to bring down the hammer.

——-

If you’re in the New York City area, I would love to see you there! Here are the details:

Daily News Golden Gloves Tournament
January 19, 2012
Showtime: 7:30pm (doors open: 6:30pm)

BB King Blues Club & Grill
237 West 42 St. New York, NY 10036
Tickets are $25 at the door (though there is a line)
Tickets can also be purchased via TicketMaster.

*Prayers, cheers, slow claps and good juju are appreciated!!!

——-

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