Cus D’amato’s Take on Anger is My Take on Fear
Two years ago, I made a video called “What We Need to Understand About Anger.” Today’s video and this blog could be considered a Part Two to that video. The title is based off a saying by the late Cus D’amato, who was considered one of the greatest boxing trainers and managers of all-time, having managed legends such as Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, and Jose Torres, to name a few.
I was watching a video where Cus was being interviewed, and he compared fear to fire. He said, “Fear is like fire. If you learn to control it, it can make a way for you. You let it get out of control, and it can destroy you and everything around you.”
His take on fear is my take on anger. If you learn to control and properly use it, it can make a way for you. If you allow it to get out of control, it can destroy you and everything around you. He also mentioned how fear is normal, so is anger. I’ve heard some Eastern philosophy over the years that pretty much chalk it up to some “cardinal sin” or something, that you should never get angry, but I don’t agree with that.
As I mentioned in the video two years ago, anger is normal is like any other emotion, it’s a matter of how you deal with or respond to it. It can be a great weapon if you know how to control it and use in a productive way. It becomes a problem if you’re quick to anger or allow yourself to be guided and controlled by it.
This message is for anyone who’s willing to listen, but for those who have issues with anger, I understand that it takes time to reach the point where you’re controlling it and not the other way around, but if you’re committed, proactive (about making changes) and patient, you’ll make it happen. It will happen.
