Cus D’Amato was a boxing coach.
Two of his pupils (Mike Tyson and Flloyd Patterson) became world heavyweight champions.
One of his quotes was;
“The hero and the coward both feel the same thing, but the hero uses his fear, projects it onto his opponent, while the coward runs. It’s the same thing, fear, but it’s what you do with it that matters.”
Fear is a strong word.
Most of the time we don’t like to admit that we feel fear.
It’s often seen a sign of weakness.
All those ‘No Fear’ bumper stickers from the 90s have brainwashed us 😉
We’re often happy to call it ‘concern’.
Or ‘apprehension’.
Or ‘worry’.
Or ‘nerves’.
Just different words for different ‘types’ of fear.
Nothing wrong with having that fear.
My eldest son is quite a nervous boy.
Worries about things a lot more than his brother.
We’re trying to teach him that there’s nothing wrong with having those feelings.
While at the same time helping him develop the ability to still do what he feels he should do.
It’s fine to feel fear.
To be worried about failing at a weight loss / health / fitness programme.
To be concerned that you might be the fattest / most unfit one there.
To be apprehensive of how others will react when you say no to that cake / biscuit / bottle of wine.
All those things are very normal.
Things that the vast majority of people feel.
But it doesn’t mean you can’t do the things you know you need to do.
It doesn’t mean you can’t turn that ‘fear’ around and use it.
It doesn’t mean you can’t be the hero.
So next time you ‘feel the fear’…….
‘Do it anyway’.
Much love,
Jon ‘Ablutophoic’ Hall and Matt ‘Omphalophoic’ Nicholson
P.S. If you’re worried that you would be the fattest or most unfit here (or any other concerns), then that’s what this meeting is designed to help with –> myrise.co.uk/briefing-meeting.
