It’s hard to beat a guy when he’s got his mind made up that he’s going to win. – Muhammad Ali
Really, Red? Is that all you have? You’re not going to beat me! BAM!
What does that mean?
This quote is about the reason why. We all have things we want to do, and the main difference is the reason why we are doing them.
I once heard someone say that when it comes to decisions, the how would answer itself if the reason why was powerful enough. To me, that is what this quote is saying.
It says that if your reason why is because you are going to win, you are going to be tougher to beat than someone with a reason why of wanting to know if they could do it, or were doing it for fun.
To me, this quote is a reminder that a person with a powerful reason why is always going to be formidable. It also is stated in a way which could be read as the speaker talking about themselves. You can be that person, if you have a reason why.
Why is making up your mind important?
This quote is about the motivation and the mental toughness that comes with a powerful reason why. It is about a decision and the commitment that goes with it. It is about making things happen, and preventing others from blocking your progress. It might not always result in a win, but it will get you far.
Consider how far you are likely to get if you had a notion to try to do something, just for the fun of it? You might get lucky, and then again, you might not. Odds are as soon as it stops being fun, you’ll quit or step aside, and it will be over almost as soon as it started.
Of course, not everything has to be dealt with as if it were a championship match, with the title on the line. There are other situations in our lives which are not as significant. You aren’t going to square off and fight someone because they want to go to someplace else for lunch, right?
But for the things that matter, we have to make up our minds that we will do it. We need to buttress that decision with our reasons why. Our reasons, if strong, will provide us great motivation, and the strength to keep going when things aren’t easy. It will keep us committed through thick and thin. In short, we’re going to be hard to beat.
Where can I apply this in my life?
Not every decision in our life is as crucial as deciding to take on a contender for your title, and to do so in a prize-fight on world-wide TV. But we do have decisions to make in our lives which are important. These are decisions about things which matter, and at which we do not want to fail.
There are also plenty of other decisions we make. Most of the time, what to wear or what to eat aren’t all that important. If we mix our socks, we may get a snicker, but it’s usually not the end of the world. Unless your next step is to head out on the runway as a model, right?
So the first thing to do is figure out how you would divide your decisions. What decisions in your life are really that critical? Grab some paper and write down a few of the most critical decisions you face in your life, both now or from your past.
You can include past decisions which didn’t work out and you wish to revisit. Try to get three or four of the most important decisions written down. Also, try to get a few from a couple of different parts of your life, so that it.
Now, for each, what is the reason why you have decided you need to do this thing? Why must you succeed, even if you had difficulties last time? Those are your reasons why, and your motivation for getting it done. Together, they are a critical first step to getting the decision to stick.
Now select the decision you wish to first. Revisit your motivation, the “must” from the prior paragraph. Is it motivational? Will it keep you going when the going gets tough? If not, what can you find to provide the motivation to keep you going, even when all looks lost?
Once you have your motivation, and it is worded in a manner which has enough emotional punching power to knock out any contender who may challenge you? Make sure it is written down, and refer to it from time to time. It will help keep you on track.
That emotional power will also bring you the certainty that you will keep working on what you have decided, even if you suffer a minor setback. Or two. That is what leads to the commitment you need to keep at it, day in, and day out. Until you get it done.
If you keep after it, and adjust your strategy based on the results you are getting, your commitment and your motivation will keep you moving forward. What are you going to do, now that you know you are going to win?
From: Twitter, @RealBeautyIs
confirmed at : I was unable to source this, probably from an interview. Too good to ignore.
Photo by Ariel Waldman
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