Wednesday, December 7

No Pain


‘No pain! No pain! No pain!’

These were the words that Rocky's coach drilled into him as he prepared to defeat a massive Russian in his (the latter's) home turf in the 4th part of the Rocky movies.

7am yesterday morning I flipped through the channels and landed on Rocky 4 showing and for the first time since the last 100 times or so that I had seen all the movie parts, I learnt two very good lessons.

Ivan Drago, Russian had come to America to ‘seek' a fight. Apollo, Rocky’s antagonist-turned friend, elected to fight him even though he had passed his prime, boxing-wise. Long story cut horribly short,  Apollo died during the course of the fight.

A heartbroken Rocky agreed to a rematch in Russia, as insisted on by the Russians.

And so training began for him in a very hostile environment; an awful weather and the most unfriendly hosts. While Ivan had sophisticated and state-of-the-art equipment to train with in a warm sports gym, Rocky had to improvise in the raging cold. He practically manufactured all he needed to train; using the things that were around him. He didn’t lament. In fact, he had specifically requested that shack just so that he could concentrate on his goal: winning. He needed, and wanted to concentrate on beating his hated enemy. Remember Ivan killed Apollo.


And while he was being pounded almost to death in the ring during the fight, all he could think was ’no pain’, he had to get past the pain.

What are our challenges? Oh, they multiple. How hostile is our environment? Very. What resources are available to us? A lot but we don't see them, we are blinded by our inability to get past the pain of our many challenges. Are we thinking about the pain? Obviously yes, reason why we are still in the same spot!

What do we want? Do we want it badly enough to do whatever it takes to get it? After all, do the things that matter come easy? we often hear, 'no pain, no gain'. We have heard it said about mountains: jump over it, go around it, push through it…

What is your 'coach' telling you? Can you hear the chant of ‘no pain’ or its equivalent, cheering you toward the finishing line, urging you on, no matter what batters at you?

Needless to say, Rocky won the fight.

What is your pain?

Be free oh.

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