It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Not because of Christmas trees and holiday shopping (you won't find me in those halls), but because wrestling season has begun. I absolutely love this sport and the profound impact it has had on my life. It's 9:30 pm on Sunday—I've committed to writing an article every week for 100 weeks (I'm on week 33), and I found myself at a loss for what to write about. My wife just reminded me that nearly everyone I've talked to or met with this week—for both business and fun—has a connection to wrestling.
I wrestled and competed in wrestling from age 5 to 20, coached at the high school level for another seven years, and now serve as a mindset and breathwork coach for a handful of wrestlers. It's in my blood; I can't escape its grip on my soul. Any spare time for thoughts is reserved for college matchups I'm excited to see and contemplating ways to improve certain techniques.
Given that Thanksgiving was just a week ago, here are three things I'm grateful for from wrestling:
Self-Reliance under Fire: There's nobody that will win the match for you, and there's nobody to blame if you lose. The pre-match ritual of butterflies becomes a common friend. I recall having the same butterflies before guiding customers down Class V rapids for the first time and thinking, "Oh yes, I remember these—I've got this." The same goes for starting a business—people can help you, but nobody will do it for you.
Discipline: Yes, of course—discipline. We can't have a wrestling list without discipline. It taught me discipline at a young age because when I was 15, I really loved wrestling, and I wanted to be good. I have a vivid memory from my freshman or sophomore year of high school—it was 5:30 am, we had the option to come in and work out, and I remember thinking, "I can just go back to sleep," but I didn't. I got up because I truly cared. I don't think I ever missed a practice in high school. I genuinely loved it, which is why I try to emulate doing things in my career that I love—it's easy to stay disciplined when you love it.
The Relationships: One of my best friends in high school was my wrestling partner. We wrestled every day at practice, sometimes hating each other, and then I would go to his house after practice to wrestle (he has a mat downstairs). My wrestling coach started coaching me when I was five years old. Last year, over 30 years after he first coached me, I helped coach a high school team with him—a bond that time can't break. Some of the wrestlers I've coached are some of the deepest relationships I've formed. The other coaches I coached with are some of my best friends. Long bus rides, hotel rooms, lousy coach room food, and long days in the gym will bring anybody closer.
So, cheers to another season! And thank you to all my friends and coaches who have been a part of this journey. Share this with a fellow wrestler!