“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
Mike Tyson’s famous quote perfectly encapsulates that moment where you realize that life doesn’t give a fuck about your plans and instead decides what you need is an extra helping of pain and humiliation, delivered as publicly as possible.
In other words, it’s easy to make plans when you’re alone, but what do you do when you get punched in the face? Do you fall apart or somehow regroup in the middle of getting punished?
Staying with the boxing analogy, Round 1 of the first Juan Manuel Marquez-Manny Pacquiao fight provides the perfect example, along with an awe-inspiring performance from Marquez.
Juan Manuel gets knocked down not once, not twice, but three times in Round 1. He keeps getting up, and for the next three rounds he takes a vicious beating. But here’s the thing: he is regrouping while this is happening, changing his timing and strategy – he is thinking under fire. Ultimately he wins the fight (although technically it was called a draw).
This is a great lesson in remaining cool under pressure, and an inspiring example of how to handle adversity.
When life is beating you up is when you show your true character.