It’s said a champion is someone who pushes forward even when the going gets tough. We decided to find out for ourselves by sitting down with Manager, Ruth Olivares after a recent amateur boxing fight. Two years ago; Ruth attended Fight Night for the first-time. The event, which is hosted by the Real Estate Council of San Antonio, offers local business professionals the chance to receive professional training in order to compete in a live boxing match.
It was that same evening that a familiar competitive spark ignited in Ruth as she watched the boxers do their thing. Having grown-up playing sports, including playing professional badminton for the U.S., Ruth knew her next sports challenge would be boxing at Fight Night.
Professional Boxing vs. Olympic Games
As we talked with Ruth, we grew curious as to the differences between training for a boxing match verses attempting to qualify for the 2012 Olympics. Ruth quickly stated, “My past didn’t even begin to prepare me for the demands you face when boxing”.
The four months leading up to the match thrust Ruth into a world of 5 to 6 workouts a week, repeating boxing sequences until muscle memory formed and developing a high-degree of technical skill. As with any professional sport, discipline was paramount. Luckily for Ruth, ATKG is a Strengths-based firm so when she tested to identify her top 5 strengths discipline was there. But Ruth also talked candidly about the challenges that come from preparing for a fight, including keeping up with family responsibilities and client deadlines.
However, she also saw similarities between the discipline it takes to be a competitive athlete and delivering exemplary client service. “Investing quality time each day into the project you’re working on makes a significant difference in the long haul”, Ruth said. She went on to point out, “You have to be disciplined when it comes to learning so you can bring clients the greatest value possible”.
Pushing yourself until you get it right was another realization for Ruth. She was often found working alone to perfect a technique she had practiced in the gym because she knew she had room for improvement.
A Fight Night Mindset
Although Ruth admits she had moments when fear tried to creep in, she knew highly competitive competitions are won and lost in the mind. She credits the wisdom that comes with age as a contributing factor to her ability to overcome her fears. Along with great advice she received which was to simply enjoy the experience.
As Fight Night arrived, Ruth knew everything she had worked for would be unleashed inside the ring. After being escorted in by a large entourage of cheering family members, friends, and co-workers, Ruth fought 3 rounds in the Women’s Title Fight and won by unanimous decision. When asked, would she ever compete in another boxing match, a smile quickly came across her face as she replied “DEFINITELY”!
