There’s a reason why Rocky is such a great movie. A rags to riches story where a nobody boxer from Philadelphia gets his chance at the big leagues. Every moment in the movie is an instant classic, from Rocky running up the steps to his final cry of love for Adrian. But in my mind, there’s one single moment that stands out as the apex of the film.
The night before his fight with Apollo Creed, he confides in Adrian saying that he just wants to Go The Distance so he wouldn’t be “… just another bum from the neighborhood”. That’s powerful.
Going The Distance
Going the distance will get you a lot more than not being a “bum from the neighborhood.” Something I’ve come to realize is that it’s not about falling, it’s about getting up. Even if it means getting up after you’ve been knocked down by the heavyweight champion of the world.
Getting knocked down is an inevitability, the only choice you have is whether you’re going to get back up.
Of course, in boxing, all that getting up after you’ve been knocked down can give you brain damage. You’d have to be crazy to constantly get back up and take the risk. Another reason why I respect people who do.
If brain damage means that you think outside the box, then perhaps it’s a good thing? A boxing metaphor can only go so far but I think it’s pretty useful. Like how you have to train for hours on end to even have a remote chance of being successful. Maybe life is like a boxing match, you’re going to get knocked down someday, you just got to figure out what to do next.