By Mauricio Sulaiman
Son of Jose Sulaiman – President of the WBC

I have worked on this column for many months, trying to shape how to use this powerful word that applies to countless current issues.

It all started one day when I was on my daily walk, the #wbcwalk, having radically changed my way of life, and it was when this word “patience” came to my mind, which is more than a concept. It`s a virtue, an attitude, should be a verb.

When thinking about how many kilos I still needed to lose to achieve my goal, when thinking about how many kilometers I still had to walk, how many minutes were left to finish that walk, I immediately felt a deep uncertainty. It was that day that I decided to understand that I really needed to work on my patience in order to apply it in all aspects of my life.

I then went to Google, and found in “universia.net” and “meanings.com” the proper guide on this incredible word for me to be able to make sense of what I was aiming for.

Patience comes from the Latin SUFFER and some definitions are as follows:

• Ability to suffer and tolerate misfortunes or annoying or offensive things with strength without complaining or rebelling.
• Calm or quiet to wait.
• Ability to develop a long activity or one that requires great precision.
• Ability to consider facts and variables that may be imperceptible to anxious and impulsive beings.

We live in a fast world where everything must be immediate. There is no patience, and that generates great frustration at all times and in all situations. All human activity is being compromised by the lack of this very important principle. This essential virtue to be successful in life is being put aside, placing at risk countless daily activities, affecting the way of interacting with society, family and even with ourselves.

Every activity requires a variety of different actions, processes and times. A boxer begins his preparation for a fight by designing a work plan of 8 to 12 weeks, defines what it is that will happen in that period. Understanding that to get to the day of the fight, he must go through countless obstacles, trying to conquer goals, achieve physical condition with daily runs, a resistance plan with gym workout sessions, strategy sessions studying the rival. Also establishing a specific fight plan, nutrition menu and gradual weight reduction. In short, just as a boxer looks forward and forges his attitude of discipline, businesses and companies make their strategic planning, schools make the study plans, and so all of us in one way or another should plan what is on the way.

How do we get to be patient?

• Accepting and understanding that everything takes time.
• Stop making assumptions, do not speculate and focus on motivating yourself for what you have today.
• Learn to wait.
• Think rationally.
• Learn to endure setbacks.
• Implement discipline, consistency and perseverance.

Now, more than ever, we need to believe in this important concept, work for this virtue and let it become our ATTITUDE. We have been enduring a constant threat to our way of life for a year now. We have suffered losses of all kinds, we are being tested at the highest level in every way and every day. This presents new challenges that we must face with PATIENCE.

Let’s be patient during these difficult times, patience with our couple, children, family and friends, with our colleagues, students, teachers. Everything is going to improve, let’s give a chance for things to happen. Better times are coming, we will succeed.

Did you know?

There are two boxers who won the world championship on their fifth attempt to win the title. German Torres achieved glory in light flyweight after having failed 4 times, losing in Panama to Hilario Zapata and three times in Korea to Jung Koo Chang, to finally beat Soon Jung Kang becoming WBC world champion. Also, Marcos Villasana suffered various defeats against Azumah Nelson on two occasions, Antonio Esparragoza and Jeff Fenech before winning the WBC world featherweight championship in England knocking out Paul Hodkinson. That is patience.

Today’s anecdote:

Fernando Beltran started in boxing, his only fighter was a young prospect named Erik Morales. Beltran asked my father for a meeting, which was held at the Sanborns restaurant. Beltran expressed his desire to eventually see Erik to become the WBC world champion. Don José told him, “Look Fernando, there are two paths that you can take. One is to sign with the promoter who has the champion and so maybe he will give him the fight directly in a voluntary defense, or the other one: to have PATIENCE and lead your fighter to a winning career which may eventually get him to becoming the mandatory challenger. You decide and I will gladly support you.” Erik Morales continued his career, achieving important victories until one day he became the official challenger and defeated the legendary Daniel Zaragoza, winning The WBC super bantamweight title and building a career as one of the greatest fighters in the history of Mexico and a world attraction in boxing.

I appreciate your comments at [email protected].