It's the final round and you're up against the ropes...
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On Friday night I provided the half time entertainment at a local boxing event.
My brother rūku and I got a fairly late call up to add some texture to the event by making our way to the ring just before the title fights to perform 2 of our most popular tracks.
Our job was simple - go out there and keep the energy up.
The serendipitous cross over to this story is that I made my fighting debut for this promotion in November last year (a loss by TKO). Now I had returned 8 months later to do what I do best... ENTERTAIN!
I stood backstage as MC Mugsy read out a Bruce Buffer style introduction that rivalled the great man himself.
As I gathered in the ambient sound of nearly 700 punters, a brief moment of insecurity came over me. I became nervous.
"Will we be received well?"
"Will they boo us?"
"Fuck there's a lot of people out there!"
All this and more flashed behind my eyes in 0.5 seconds as Mugsy neared the end of his announcement.
This was the biggest crowd we had performed to and now was not a great time for doubt to be creeping in.
Then the opening to our opening track Tainted rang out.
My game face was not on and needed to be... fast!
I physically took myself to a corner away from everyone else, closed my eyes and leant into it.
Hiding in the depths of the nerves I found a small, scared version of myself and grabbed him some what confrontationally by the front of his shirt.
He looked at me confused and concerned, I brought him in close to signify safety as I shot back a look of reassurance.
A peace came over him as I made an effort to instil calm.
"Listen here mate, you know who you are. You're a performer. An entertainer."
"That ring out there, this microphone right here... they're yours!"
"That crowd out there is looking for someone to lead them and you my friend, are that guy."
I let go of him, took a step back and said no more. He looked at me and nodded.
I was ready!
Marching forward down the fighters cat walk, through a blast of the smoke machines, past rūku and in front of the first row of fight fans I began to spit my verse.
"I been down for too long I'm beaten, humble pie is like all I've eaten."
From that moment on it was magic. Like watching two elite fighters duck and weave and dance around the ring, we controlled our space with poise and power.
That was our ring, that was our moment, and we made it so.
I am proud of rūku and I am proud of myself - for showing up with honour and putting ourselves on the hook.
You might be thinking to yourself at this point in time "Ok great story Sav, but what's in it for me?".
Well, hopefully a lesson.
And here it is...
Push through the fatigue.
Not just tiredness or soreness. I'm talking about the mental fatigue of losing and not being on top.
The fatigue one endures when you're inner critic is your single greatest opponent.
The fatigue of second guessing yourself day in and day out.
The fatigue of shaming yourself for fucking up.
The fatigue of beating yourself up for doing something/anything that doesn't immediately succeed.
The gift awaiting you on the other side of that moment is invaluable. The greatest gift you could receive - self belief.
We are going to get challenged, we are going to get knocked, we are going to second guess.
That is ok.
Fight back, push back, scrap for everything, find a way through and push through the fatigue.
You will always be glad you did.
With gratitude,
SAV 🙏
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