V. THE BEST THING TO DO WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO

          Every composer knows that to be able to come up with a good song you must leave some moments when the singer can pause and breath while dishing out the tune.  Real music is when during the moment of silence you have some time to listen to your thoughts and recall back some memories while listening to the song.

          Just like fighters, when hurt and under attack you must take a pause and watch your opponent as he presses on. As he tries to overwhelm you you could observe how deep he breaths as he punches, the sting of it slowly diminishing and the speed at which they are delivered are too slowing down.  That's when your training plays a part as your instinct takes over giving you the ability to roll with the hits and block and evade some. As he loses steam you get back your second wind and launches your counter-attack. That's how you win or survive a boxing bout.

          The same with life, the best thing to do when you feel that you're getting hit from all directions is to stand still and wait for the right moment to bounce back.  Its only about winning or learning a lesson from a setback - you never give up.  Round seven of the Foreman - Holyfield fight as shown was a good example. Given the slightest chance to win back the crown at the age of 42 Foreman defied the odds and made a good stand against the young Holyfield  who was at his prime. He may have lost the decision but he won the respect of every boxing afficionados. The ten years or so he spent sulking over his defeat to Muhammad Ali was not wasted for he came back not only to restore his broken pride but for a grander desire to help other lost souls to find better lives. 

          When problems seem to overwhelm you, try pausing for a while. Take a deep breath, close your eyes and maybe say a prayer or two. It may not solve the problem but in some way you get to recall some of your training in handling those kind of situations. Always remember that the cracks of your life is where the light comes in as in the Christian way that the end of our rope is the beginning of God's.  Oriental philosopher's tells you that you need to empty your self of self-defeating thoughts so positive thoughts would come in.  And for martial arts practitioners, getting beat up is a part of learning the limits of  your techniques and setting your sights towards extending your line longer rather than cutting off your opponents'.

         As the good old Foreman used to say when asked how he felt about his defeat - " I did not lose, I just failed to knock him out ! "