Lessons from the Squared Circle

To some, pro wrestling is a foolish exhibition of grown men and women but to the millions and millions of fans across the world, ‘the business,’ as many call it, is an art form that should be respected and embraced. The injuries are real and the emotions that come about as a result of the action are just as genuine. There is no one else who came off as more genuine or real as Stone Cold Steve Austin. The beer swiggling, middle finger flipping, ass kicking ‘redneck’ was a childhood idol due to the aura he would exude as he entered the arena. That aura is the first lesson we can obtain from the squared circle. The epic employee vs. employer battle that was Stone Cold v. Mr. McMahon had my attention every week and is something I have taken with me into my adulthood. We all know that a stone cold stunner to the boss would be grounds for dismissal, no matter how exhilarating that may sound; however, there is no better ‘stunner’ then working your way to the top of whatever profession, industry, or business venture you indulge in and sticking that middle finger to anyone that doubted you along the way. Having that aura, that confidence, that ‘it factor,’ like Stone Cold, can be the difference maker all along the way.

In this day and age of short attention spans, focus and dedication is a forgotten past time which leads to our second lesson from the squared circle. There is no better example of focus and dedication at work than the years upon years that it takes many professional wrestlers to make it to the golden prize, or the Heavyweight Championship. Take Stone Cold Steve Austin for example. His career started in 1991 and he did not win his first Heavyweight Championship till 1998. This is after he made the move between three different companies (i.e. WCW, ECW, and WWF), was fired over the phone, and suffered a bruised spinal column that lead to temporary paralysis. Through it all, Austin never gave up and kept that fire alive. Then you have Daniel Bryan who was the David in a field of Goliaths. Bryan started his career in 1999, competed in over 10 different companies, and did not make it to the gold until 2011. Even in 2019, nearly 20 years after his debut, Bryan, still competes at a top level, and continues to push forward with his ‘Yes, Yes, Yes’ movement. Both stories share a similarity to strive for nothing but the best, never say die, and trust that success will follow. Both Austin and Bryan started at the bottom, took their licks, and focused on increasing their knowledge of ‘the business.’ Following both of these performers’ careers, you get an understanding that in whatever profession you pursue, it’s important to not, immediately, chase after that promotion or top spot. No, the focus instead should be on learning and understand that the results will automatically follow.

In the world of professional wrestling, there was no one cooler than the Heartbreak Kid Shawn Michaels. The founder of D-Generation X, the master of the ‘Super Kick’, and Mr. Wrestlemania himself had it all; however there was one quality that he lacked.

Then you have Michaels’ personal friend, Scott Hall, also known as Razor Ramon. The smooth talking machismo of the ring had it all when he got on the mic and the confidence was oozing; however, as the years went by, the self identified ‘bad guy’ of professional wrestling was really just a guy lacking the very same quality as Michaels. This quality is humility and learning to behave with it is our third lesson from the squared circle. All of us have an ego that can certainly help us; however, without a humble mindset, our ego can be our downfall.

Our fourth lesson from the squared circle comes from Diamond Dallas Page. In 1994 when Page was considering a career as a professional wrestler at the age of 38 after spending years as a manager, many doubted his ability to compete as a rookie at that age. There was one legend, Jake ‘the Snake’ Roberts, who stepped in, mentored Page, and reminded him of the hidden talent that he had within. Jump to current day and DDP, as Page would be known as, developed DDP Yoga, a program that helped him recover from a back surgery. DDP had seen his mentor, Jake Roberts, fall on hard times and was struggling with drug and alcohol problems. Page did not think twice, knew he needed to give back, and stepped in to help his mentor. As a result, Roberts has done a complete 180 and Scott Hall (as we learned about before) has even gone under DDP’s wing. What can we learn from DDP? “Do favors to the people you love. Do them often. Leave the world a better place than when you came” (Quang Lê).

The fifth lesson from the squared circle comes to you from Dwayne Johnson, better known as ‘The Rock.’ The self proclaimed ‘most electrifying man in sports entertainment’ brought some of the best promos each week and kept us all on our toes with each and every new catch phrase he introduced. The Rock was, and still is, able to captivate millions due to his ability to communicate effectively. A lot can be learned from The Rock in terms of verbal and non verbal communication and if you want to get your point across, take notes the next time you watch ‘The People’s Champion’ speak. You can also learn a thing, or two, about style.

For our final lesson from the squared circle I bring to you, Ric Flair. “By many he’s touted to be the best technical wrestler of all time. At his best, he was a Rolex-wearing, diamond-ring-wearing, kiss-stealin’, wheelin’-dealin’, limousine-ridin’, jet-flyin’ son of a gun. His expenditures, parties & bodily escapades were the stuff of legend. At his worst, he got kicked out of his own house because he couldn’t pay rent. Ric thought the high life would last forever. That the money would keep flowing in. But he was dead wrong. And he paid dearly for it. The final lesson of the squared circle, work hard to earn a good income, but also use it wisely. Save. Invest. Don’t let money matters make you miserable” (Quang Lê).