Ruthless Resilience: Fighting for Something Greater

Think of this and be of good courage: if you have your health, success is just a matter of time.

We all get knocked down, multiple times – but if you refuse to stay down, you cannot be defeated.

I don’t mean that figuratively. I mean it literally. Pause and absorb that for a minute: you literally cannot be defeated if you fall down seven, get up eight.

This is “ruthless resilience”. And here’s one thing I know for sure – those who have it are almost always fighting for someone or something greater than themselves.

In 1990, James “Buster” Douglas had earned a heavyweight title fight against Mike Tyson. Tyson was at the time undefeated and considered undefeatable. One commentator joked that Buster had “two chances – slim and none – and Slim just left town.” The odds of a Buster victory were 42:1.

In the 8th round, Buster was knocked out by a Tyson uppercut and only barely managed to get on his feet at the count of ten. In the 9th round, to the consternation of all, Buster dealt Tyson a series of blows, knocking him out and writing himself into boxing legend.

When Buster was asked immediately after the fight how he managed such a remarkable reversal, he said: “My mother.”

Buster’s mother, to whom he was very close, had died of a stroke 23 days prior to the title bout. Buster got off the canvas because he wanted to honour his mother’s memory and her prediction that he would win the fight.

All champions fight for pride and personal glory. But when you are tested, when you are really tested, make sure you have a cause greater than your pride to fight for.