10 Life Lessons from Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali transcended boxing & served a much higher calling that even people who could care less about boxing still admired him!
He floated like a butterfly & stung like a bee. He went toe-to-toe with every heavy-hitter he came across & was crowned as heavyweight champion of the world many times over, and not only in weight-class but in sheer presence both inside & outside of the ring!
In 2016, I had the honor & privilege of attending Muhammad Ali’s funeral in Louisville, KT & I witnessed something remarkable that I wasn’t expecting. As I gazed around me when I saw so much love & admiration from different people who all came together to celebrate this man; I thought to myself “How did one man unite so many people from different walks of life, different faiths & religions, and different ethnicities & brought them together to celebrate his life & legacy?”
It was a powerful & humbling experience that I’ve never felt before & I aspired to achieve an iota of what he managed to achieve through my work at DarTec!
The man left an indelible mark on history & culture, and whether or not you’re a boxing fan, there’s no doubt that there are plenty of lessons you can learn from the Greatest of All Time — GOAT; the one & only; Muhammad Ali…
Here are 10 life lessons that I’ve learned from Muhammad Ali:
1. Confidence
Ali’s trash talking before his fights were some of the best I’ve ever seen or heard, and his antics provoked fighters & some fans alike. The sheer amount of confidence he exhibited bordered on cockiness, but looking at his legacy now, it’s safe to say that confidence can get you pretty far!
2. Humor
Humor is something one can never have too much of. In Ali’s memoir, he revealed that a large slice of his desired legacy was his sense of humor, which comes through clearly in his cocky jabs to other boxers and his poetic self-promotion especially in his memorable rhymes & rimes about his near-superhuman athletic capabilities.
3. Passion
It goes without saying that Muhammad Ali had a fire & sheer talent for boxing, But even after he lost much of the speed of his youth, spending his prime years without a boxing license due to his Vietnam protest, he continued on! He remained dedicated to the sport & he still managed to be granted a license while his case was in appeal & continued to box until his license was reinstated. That fire was never extinguished.
Ali once said that of all his successes, he was most proud of his family & that he was a devout Muslim, with a deep personal fulfillment from his faith. Simply put: Ali was great at boxing, but he was also great at life, so he taught us how to be passionate about our own lives.
4. Purpose
Ali beloved in serving a higher purpose in his pursuit of living a fulfilling & satisfying life. One would need to pick a higher purpose that is close to one’s heart to find fulfillment. Wake-up every morning with a little bit of purpose. Drag yourself off to the gym before or after work, be productive at the office, and try to make the most out you can out of your day.
5. Ambition
Ali started-out as a young boy who had his bike stolen, vowing to get back at whoever stole it. Then he was a champion, and then an amateur champion, and then an Olympic gold medalist & he didn’t stop there! He turned professional & embarked on a remarkable & long career as a 3-time world heavyweight champion!
That tells us that we should always have a hunger for more, whether it’s to improve our weightlifting numbers, get that promotion at work, or anything else. We need to keep moving-up with our lives & challenge ourselves physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
6. Conviction
Ali never held back whatsoever during his interviews before matches, where he said anything & everything he wanted to say, usually with a rhyme or touch of musicality. His voice was so loud, proud, and at times obnoxious like a roaring giant. You’d be surprised how much more confident you’ll feel when you speak a little louder & a little sharper by rehearsing your dialogue beforehand.
7. Sacrifice
Ali strongly believed that in order to live comfortably tomorrow, he needed to sacrifice something today. This is why so few people become incredible in what they do; because they’re not willing to pay the price or sacrifice their comfort for a better tomorrow.
8. Failure
Ali believed that a person who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life! Once people become comfortable with failure as life’s way of teaching us the lessons we need to learn in order to grow, the more likely they are to have the courage to succeed.
Failure is another stepping stone towards greatness.
9. Faith
When Ali was called to serve in Vietnam, he firmly refused on grounds that combat service went against his faith, making him one of the most famous conscientious objectors to military service in U.S. history. When Ali stood behind what he firmly believes in, it launched his name from the realm of heavyweight boxer to that of an iconic civil rights figure. To add insult to injury, Ali was stripped of his championship title because of his objection & still refused to be drafted. That made him an idol during the civil rights struggles of the ‘60s & ‘70s, and established himself as an icon of the socially-conscious athlete.
10. Give Back
Ali believed that when someone is given a voice, it’s their duty to use it to help others. Besides being a prominent figure during the civil rights era, Ali illustrated his commitment to equality & positivity by filling countless humanitarian roles including his negotiation for the release of several American hostages in Iraq in 2001 is just one of many examples. Ali was a wealthy, respected athlete & sports icon, but he still went to great lengths to serve the world around him.
