inspiration?

**Chris Nagel** · 02-14-2008 12:44 AM

Burgess Meredith in his gravelly voice playing Mickey is the only thing that stands out in the Rocky movies. Hence my favorite quote, "...if you ever get hurt, and you feel that your goin' down, this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear he's gonna say, GET UP YOU SON OF A BITCH because mickey loves you." Poetry for the heart and soul...

Yeah, a few words wisdom can go a looong way. Once in a while on a long plane ride you might find yourself flipping through one of their in-flight magazines because honestly you're that bored. All of a sudden you'll stumble over some infinate source of wisdom that would go nice with what ever your current philosophy is. That moment for me was while reading an interview of Apolo Ono who was the speed skating gold medalist at the last Olympics. He paraphrased what a greek philosopher named Nikos Kazantzakis (sp?) said, "We shouldn't be concerned with either winning or losing, what should be more important is to carry on the struggle"

For a while "carry on the struggle" became a broken-record of a mantra when ever I found myself in the gut-wrenching phase of my training. It helped kept me continue to fire on all cylindars when otherwise I'd have nothing left and more than happy to call it a day. Now even though I don't repeat those words to myself, it's affect is still with me. Unconciously when I feel hurt and on my last legs I push myself harder, with those words now in the back-burners of my mind.

When it comes to motivation period, it comes from a lot of sources. Getting a compliment that you're tearing it up, or that I have a great body. Knowing that everyday you're covering ground and getting closer to your goals. Having some lovable jerk egg you on while you're training, and you getting a personal kick about showing them what you're made of. The big thing is to capitalize on as many golden opportunities as you can. The dude that's always happy with what he's doing needs no pick me up.

**Karas** · 02-14-2008 01:41 AM

i always find music an inspiration but i've always liked the saying 'you reap what you sow'.

**Sharla** · 02-14-2008 01:47 AM

Fit old people

Sounds strange but I wanna be a fit old person when I get old. I admire people who live their lives to the full and don't ever decide to just give up and grow old gracefully.

In boxing specifically i think i'm inspired by the fact I find it so difficult. I like the technical side of it, the personal side of it and of course the physical side of it.

**Karas** · 02-14-2008 01:49 AM

Originally Posted by Sharla

Fit old people

Sounds strange but I wanna be a fit old person when I get old. I admire people who live their lives to the full and don't ever decide to just give up and grow old gracefully.

u sound like rocky balboa

**Sharla** · 02-14-2008 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by Karas

u sound like rocky balboa

I don't know about Rocky

My mum and her firends actually make me think this way. She's 56 and going to cycle around Euorpe with her partner in March for about a month. I know 80 year old men who still run marathons.

A lot of older people seem to get into sport to look after their health and suddenly find a whole new social life and things that really excite them regardless of whether they'll ever be amazingly fast. Some of them are pretty fast anyway!

They're all still healthy enough to be independant and really enjoy life and some of the older ones will tell you straight out that they keep fit because all their friends aer either in nursing homes or dead and it's their sport that keeps them going!

Obviously one day i'm going to have to say i'm too old to compete as a boxer anymore but I never want to stop sport completely.

**Blackvenom-2001** · 02-14-2008 03:36 AM

This world is not sunshine and rainbows... it's a mean and nasty place... and I don't care how tough you are... it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it.

You, me... or nobody is going to hit you as hard as life... but it's not about how hard you can hit... it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward... how much you can take and keep moving forward...

That's how living is done!

If you believe in something... then go out and get what you believe in... but you have to be willing to take the hits, and not point fingers... saying you are not where you want to be because of him, her, or anybody else...

Cowards do that... and I do not believe that any of you are cowards... you are all better then that...

Paraphrased from the new Rocky movie...

That motivates me a lot...

Blackvenom-2001

**donnydarkoIRL** · 02-14-2008 10:18 AM

I've always been inspired by watching films of great fights.

I remeber watching Sugar Ray Leonard against Wilfredo Benitez...
That night I trained til I bled and did the same again and again.
The same with Ali Frazier, Gatti-Ward, Hatton Tszyu....any fight where I see a great fighter(s) in action...I just take a glance and know I'd trade every drop of blood I have to be him, with a professional trainer, getting paiod to sweat and fight.

I think the fights just unleash a desire in me, andan awareness too. if I don't fully make it I can never say it was from lack of effort. Does that make sense?

Also last week when I boxed in the quarter final, I sat back and boxed. I did what I had to do and won a nice UD.

In the semi final I fought a shorter stronger guy...His corner screamed "knock him out Sean" Strange advice in the first round I know!!

But it triggered something in me and I said to myself in a kind of Rocky Graziano like moment "You goin to take this from him, you gonna let him take your dreams away" I retaliated with force and serious vigour!

I know it sounds stupid, but thats how it was...