#RIPMuhammadAli - 5 Lessons You taught Me

How could I ever forget you?

How could I ever not honor you?

Muhammad Ali has been a positive force in my life for as long as I can remember. He wasn't just a boxer, in fact, he transcended the sport. He was a singular entity of sheer willpower that I will never forget. In my darkest moments, he has been there. In my surest moments, he was there.

Here are the 5 Lessons that he taught me:

1. "If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't Big enough."
To begin, I really do believe that actions speak louder than words. Muhammad proved that not only were his words loud and true but that he could back them up with massive action. He had a dream, a big dream & nothing stopped him from achieving it, not even the fear of just how big a dream it was.
Dream Big - It's encouraged by Ali himself.

Never discourage someone from a dream no matter how crazy impossible it may be. For it is always the craziest ones that ever change the world.

Dreams emblazon our souls with the mightiest of passions. They tether our determination directly to our outward actions.

2. "I AM THE GREATEST. I said that even before I knew I was."
There is power in affirmation. Real power, not the kind that gives you dominion over others but the kind that gives you dominion over yourself.
How often do we doubt? How often do we see others succeeding & think "Oh I couldn't do that", "I will never be that good"

Some boxers may think they will never be as great or greater still than Ali. For some it's the paralyzing doubt that their skills will never match up. For others, it's the excuse that they would never dishonor him by trying to be greater. Balderdash. You dishonor him More than ever by Not trying your darndest to be the very best of the best. It was his very nature and he would encourage that in all.

J.K Rowling IMO is the Greatest Literary Legend of our time & to writers it may seem bloody fantastically impossible to ever compare or overcome that achievement. Again Balderdash, if you follow her message, her daily interactions. You will blatantly see that she encourages you to believe that YOU are worth it. If you put in the time, fail as many times as you need to but above all else believe in your work, nothing is impossible.

Wake up every morning and say this to yourself. Not in arrogance, oh no, but in fortifying your belief.

This Quote is EPIC: Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact, it's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a DARE. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.

Impossible is Nothing!

3. "Float like a butterfly, Sting like a bee."
How could I not include this or "I done wrestled with an alligator, I done tussled with a whale, only last week I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick. I'm so mean I make medicine sick."

Haha! Here's where he taught me, you've gotta have FUN with it. Be crazy, be awesome and be sure.
I mean, who says things like that? It's hilarious, unguarded and completely one of the greatest messages out there. People might hate on you for being out there in the spotlight, for being so daring but so what? It is not on you to ever dim your light so that others might be more comfortable. Make it so that they couldn't ignore you even if they wanted to.

As is your passion {Insert here}, throw in some FUN and see what happens.

4. "I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion'."
Now that we've covered the essentials of Dreams, Belief & Fun. We get down to what galvanizes them all together and allows you to rise above all else. To conquer, to achieve.
Ridiculous work ethic.
Ridiculous.

Will Smith, who portrays Muhammad in the 2001 film titled Ali had this to say on the matter:

"I've never viewed myself as particularly talented. I've viewed myself as…slightly above average in talent. Where I excel is with a ridiculous, sickening work ethic. While the other guy's sleeping, I'm working. While the other guy's eating, I'm working. While the other guy's making love, I mean, I'm making love, too, but I'm working really hard at it!"

“I’m not afraid to die on a treadmill. I will not be outworked. Period. You might have more talent than me. You might be smarter than me. And you may be sexier than me. But if we get on a treadmill together there’s two things that’ll happen. You are going to get off first or I’m going to die. It’s really that simple. I’m not going to be outworked.”

Personal Experience: Put in that effort, your actions become habit and once they do ain't nothing gonna stop ya. 

5. "Inside of a ring or out, ain't nothing wrong with going down. It's staying down that's wrong."

Failure is not the end! Too many of us fail and think oh, that's it, it's done. No more, No less. 

Failure is not the opposite to success. It's a part of the journey. Richard Branson, Steve Jobs, Oprah, Ellen Degeneres, Will Smith and so many other icons. Including Ali & JK Rowling, FAILED. At times, they failed monumentally so. But what separated them from us is that they got back up, shook it off and kept on hustling. 

Ain't none of the first 4 lessons matter without this one. In fact, it is probably the most important one of them all. 

Failure is the Key to Success and I would rather Fail a million, no Billion times at something I love than to settle for something I don't. Because even then my friends, let me tell you, even then you could fail. At something you settled for, you could Fail. So I ask, why not fail at something you love. Fail and fail until you succeed. 

Every Legend, every Icon had to go through it. You nor I will be any different. But if you use all the first 4 lessons and apply them to how you react to failure. Wooohhheeee, goosebumps, You will accomplish unbelievable, unstoppable things. 

Dream Big

Believe in Yourself

Have Fun

Ridiculous Work Ethic

It's ok to Fail but get back up

© Enricoh Alfonzo ~ Alfonzo Words

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