In December 2023 I made a frustration-driven decision: 2024 will be the year where I finally get in shape. Six pack and all.
After playing a VR boxing game at my cousin’s place, I decided that I’d achieve my goal through boxing. Just played for 10 minutes and I was sweating like crazy. Imagine how intense that would be in real life.
So I signed up and had my first class and I liked it. But then, an idea crossed my mind: How much time will I needn to actually get a feeling of what boxing is like? That led me to think on all of the things I had started in the past and something struck me really hard: I haven’t actually become really good at anything, just because I haven’t put in the effort required to become good.
I figured that I have to change the way I commit to things. And, having a background in systemic coaching, I know that if I’m able to change this pattern, it’ll have cascade effects in other areas of my life.
Have you Heard About the 10,000-hour Rule?
I’m not an expert on the topic but I do know there’s a book about it: “Outliers: The Story of Success” by Malcolm Gladwell. I haven’t read it yet 🙂 So if you have any feedback or suggestions, please leave me a comment below.
Anyway, it seems this guy says that practice is super important. Which makes sense.
Critics of the book, on the other side, say that practice is not everything. Which also makes sense, right?
I partially agree with both. But this isn’t about practice at all. This reflection centers on how we commit to things. That’s where this boxing challenge comes in.
From Starter to Finisher
I reflected on all the things I’ve started in my life, from sports to business—everything. And yes, I have started a lot of things. I wouldn’t say that is exactly a bad thing, but I do know that I could use a change of my approach at this point in life.
I’d love to tell a different story. I’d love to feel I really got to become good at a few things and enjoyed the experience.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve met a lot of startup founders. But then again, there are too many startups and just a few “finishups”. We all like to start things, but maybe if we focused more on finishing things, we’d start less things and be more intentional and focused on them, and that way achieve more success?
In any case, this shift from just starting anything to carefully consider my commitments means that I will have to be more intentional and focused. Which is super exiting, as those are exactly the qualities I respect the most, and the ones that lead me build this blog.
Doing Things “Just for Fun”?
Well, you may say I’m sweeping all the fun from the sport. Maybe. But stick with me on this. How many things are you doing “just for fun”? Now, how many of those things are really just for fun? Aren’t you labeling them in that way to avoid a painful truth? That you aren’t doing them just for fun but rather just avoiding the long-term commitment?
Can you tell the difference?
While doing things just for fun is essential and admittedly something I could incorporate more into my schedule, my point is that if you’re taking something seriously, you can not nicely mask your lack of commitment by saying “this is just for fun”.
I guess it’s about being honest to yourself. But if you’re serious about committing to something, it’s better to stick with it over the long term.
Ultimately, whether you do something just for fun or take it seriously, the most important factor is that you’re making a conscious choice about how you engage with your activities.
Intentionallity, Focus, and… Consistency
Recently, I’ve been listening to Scott Alexander’s book “El Rinoceronte”. It’s actually a great book, if you want to read or listen to it.
If you want to ignite a fire using sunlight and a magnifying glass, you have to:
- Concentrate the light on a small area with precision and intensity;
- AND maintain this focus until the fire starts.
It’s not only about doing something with a lot of intensity. It’s about maintaining that intensity and focus over time.
Round One: The Journey Begins
As I’ve already jumped into the this 1000-hour boxing challenge, it’s not just about throwing punches or dodging weaves anymore. It’s a deeper dive into what I’m made of, testing my grit, and honestly, seeing if I’ve got what it takes to stick with this.
So yeah, I’ve started. And I plan to drop updates as I move forward with this.
Let’s see where this journey takes me, one punch at a time 🥊
