by Dr Gerald George Mannikarote
It was lockdown in the spring of 2020. Like many people, I too was exploring options on how I will make the most of my time while at home. Like some people I discovered TikTok because of my children.
Through TikTok, I found a gentleman by the name of Todd Medina. I did not know who Todd Medina was. I found his content interesting. He posted information about MMA, boxing, other martial arts, and fight science in general. I found him extremely easy to listen to because he broke down information in ways an ordinary person, like myself, could understand.
I looked up Coach Medina and learned he was a world class and world champion fighter and coach. He’s also a world record holder. I also learned he volunteers in the local community.
During the lockdown, I had the opportunity to workout with him (virtually) during the lockdown (he really wore me out!). As I learned more and more from him, I saw how his lessons could be applied in other aspects of one’s life. Here are 5 life lessons I learned from the Champ, Fight Coach, Todd Medina.
1. Get the fundamentals down first
Many of us want to be world class without putting in the effort required to do so. Coach regularly talks about putting in the work in order to get to the next level and ultimately become world class. This is the work people generally don’t want to do- the basics. He talks of doing the hard work now so that it is easy when you are under pressure.
We can relate this to other aspects in our life. Put in the work so that we are able to operate under pressure and stress. By working hard at your job or in school, it becomes easy to make decisions, take an exam, or work under stressful conditions.
2. Get in the reps
Coach refers to Kobe Bryant quite often. He talks about how Kobe would make sure he would get in his reps every day- free throws, lay ups, etc. Similarly, Coach talked of how he would put in the reps daily while he was fighting- eg 100 jabs with each arm before and after practice.
This can be applied in our daily lives. Doing the mundane, boring work, is not fun. By doing the mundane work though, it allows for ease of work when something more complex or exciting come along.
3. Put in the work
Coach works 7 days a week. He works 12+ hours a day. He doesn’t take days off if he doesn’t have to. He loves what he does. And he makes Champions.
When we apply this to our daily life, it is about making sacrifices. Figure out what you love to do. Work hard at it. Make the sacrifices early on. Make it a lifestyle. We all need time off, but the lesson here is to work hard, and make your work count.
4. Don’t be afraid to get punched in the face
Coach is a world champion. He’s also lost a few fights in his lifetime. That has never stopped him from getting into the ring. He’s been punched in the face. He’s had bruises, bones broken. Yet, like Rocky, he kept getting up. In fact, he still keeps getting up.
In our daily lives, we are faced with challenges that may make us feel like we have been kicked in the teeth. We may have made huge mistakes. We may have even lost our jobs or failed in a class. What we can learn from this lesson is we shouldn’t be afraid to take a loss. After any loss, we should strive to get up, dust ourselves off and continue in our journey of life.
Before I present the last lesson I learned, I want to say thanks for reading this far. It means a lot to me that you’ve read my article. If you found any value in it, please hit the like button. If you feel others could benefit from this article, please share it with them, or tag them in the comments. And now, the final lesson…
5. Stay humble and give back
One look at Coach, and you can tell that he’s seen a thing or two in his life. He’s not a guy you would want to mess with. Yet, he’s one of the humblest people out I’ve ever had an opportunity to get to know. Once while I was talking to Coach, he reminded me the need to remain humble. Coach gives back to the community. He volunteers with the homeless. He works against human trafficking.
What I’ve learned from this is to celebrate your wins, stay humble, and don’t forget to give back. By staying humble, you don’t remain complacent. You continue to strive to be better than you were the day before.
Those are 5 of the many lessons I’ve learned from Coach Todd Medina. So, what do you think? Do you think Todd Medina’s lessons are relevant to life? Let me know in the comments below. If you prefer, you can contact me directly at jerrydmann@dmanntraining.com .
