PASS IT ON

To nourish - is to flourish

While on a journey East (from West London), to The Troxy last week, a colourful billboard caught my attention. It said: To nourish - is to flourish. As this advert was attached to a building site, I initially took it in the context of the flourishing community that this building would soon be proud to house. As I hovered at the traffic lights staring back at the billboard, the message landed in the most resonant way. Light bulb moment - I had my next instagram slogan sussed. Since then, the notions ignited by that initial phrase have travelled various corridors of exploration and it now forms the basis of September’s journal. 

If you like something, you will be good at it - If you are good at something, you will like it. I have paused previously to deliberate on which way round that cause and effect statement should be, but I think you’ll agree - it doesn’t matter. And there it is; in all its simplicity. Find something you like and never look back, as everything else will fall into place. 

If only it was that simple. How lucky are those people who are doing what they love! How did they know that was what they wanted to do and how on earth am I supposed to know what I want to do, were the questions I and so many face when growing up. Faced with not enough options, too many options, the pressure to comply (with peers or parents), wanting to follow in someone’s footsteps and simply to make ends meet are all very real drivers towards an unfulfilling journey. But as much as it’s good to have and end to journey towards, it is always the journey that counts. And in order to have a fulfilling journey, to find what we love, we have to engage, take a risk and explore before we can land on a place that reciprocates our gifts. To anyone yet to ignite their passions, it can happen at any turn. Just keep saying yes to things that feed you, however small or obscure. 

When you follow what you love doing, you will find reciprocated passions. It is this feedback that lands us where we need to be. There’s no longer a need to ‘fit in’, we’ve found ourselves. A peak experience exists that is universal to the human condition. This experience is underpinned by a feeling of oneness with an activity, a loss of self-consciousness, and deep joy in the process.

Motivation is now intrinsic; we turn up early, we practise after class, we begin a pursuit of constant improvement for the love of our game or vocation. We realise how much more there is to learn, which is humbling. We become better students and we want to include anyone whose inclination is to pursue the same journey. 

It’s important to recognise that what we love can co-exist with a career. What we love to do doesn’t always have to feed us financially. What we love to do can be a perfect counter-balance of meaning and purpose vs our day-job, so-to-speak.

Motivation comes from activation. While many of us have sat, perhaps in despair, doing our best to illicit the motivation required to ‘finish the job’, there is no better way to do it than by doing, even if that means progress is slow. Progress breeds progress, which is where confidence comes from. Once you’re moving, then it’s easier to keep moving. Getting to the gym is the hardest part. 

When ability is faced with pressure, that is when you will discover how far you want to go. 

Do what you’re best at and life becomes a lot easier. Doing what you love will sustain your resolve from setbacks, without becoming vain or bitter. Keep your interests alive and don’t neglect your talents, they are a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Boxing has been good to me. It is a sport punctuated by inclusion and respect. I want to be good to boxing - Pass it on.