The Unexpected 🥊🏃‍♀️

Hey Fighters!

There's a moment in every fighter's life when they realize they are completely stuck. It happened to me once while sparring. I was pushed up against the ropes, taking continuous punishment, and running purely on fumes. My instinct told me to move out with grace, but I knew if I tried to move laterally out or pivot, my sparring partner would just stay on top of me and keep the pressure mounting.

So I ditched the textbook. I ducked under a punch and sprinted—literally sprinted—to the opposite side of the ring.

Straight-up running away isn't technically illegal in boxing, but it's certainly not common.

When I stopped, I turned back to see my partner standing in the middle of the ring, totally paused. They looked genuinely surprised and said, "What was that?"

Well, it worked, didn't it? If anything, it was a great laugh for both of us.

The Element of Surprise in the Ring

I'm definitely not saying you should be running away while boxing as a strategy, but this incident illustrated a vital point: sometimes the element of surprise is the only thing that throws off your opponent. It forces them to stop their action and take a necessary, unexpected pause.

In that moment, while they were processing the absurd sight of me sprinting, I wasn't just catching my breath—I was collecting my stamina and my ability to re-engage on my own terms. My partner stopped attacking because the action didn't fit the script, giving me the crucial space I needed.

Unexpected Action in Life

Outside the ropes, I've had countless moments when friends, clients, or even strangers take me completely off guard. They say or do something unexpected, rude, insulting, or just baffling. My initial reaction is often the same: shock that leaves me speechless, sometimes followed by anger, and sometimes just a brain scramble trying to find the appropriate response.

Just like my dash across the ring caused a pause in the action, those moments of shock in life are often a gifted second for you to collect your thoughts.

In the ring, when someone does something unexpected, you have to be ready for anything and react appropriately. If someone runs, you run after them (biting someone's ear might be the exception, of course). But in life, responding with the same level of unexpectedness—or matching their energy—may not go well.

Instead, the person across from you may be completely unaware of how unexpected or off-base they came across. You can use that moment of surprise to create clarity instead of chaos.

Creating Clarity Through Questioning

When someone throws a conversational punch that leaves you reeling, don't rush to react. Stop, use the pause, and ask for clarification:

"I took or interpreted what just happened this way; is that correct? Can you help me understand what you meant?"

This simple act of stopping and asking forces the person across from you to self-reflect and clarify their intent. It's non-confrontational, and more often than not, it will bring a new level of insight to that person, making them aware of their impact.

In the end, whether you're cornered in the ring or stunned by a difficult conversation, sometimes all you need is a moment of disorientation—for yourself or your opponent—to regain your balance.

When you are at a loss for action, do something unexpected (even if it's just asking a genuinely probing question), and it may give you the needed break to win the round.

Ready for your next round? Drop a comment and let me know if you've ever had to "sprint" away from a tricky situation!