Risk vs Reward and Staying in the Pocket

There’s a phrase in boxing called “staying in the pocket.” The pocket is the point where you are close enough to your opponent to receive punches, even heavy ones, but it’s also the point where you are best able to deliver heavy punches, too. Staying in the pocket requires a lot of grit and trust in your abilities, as it is where you are most likely to succeed but also most likely to fail. It is the epitome of risk versus reward, but that risk is minimized by your level of skill, your confidence in that skill, and your level of grit to persevere when you start receiving punches in the pocket.

Staying in the Pocket in Life

This concept of staying in the pocket applies to life as well as boxing. Staying in the pocket in life means that we put ourselves in a place of risking huge failure but at the opportunity for huge success. The difference between failing hugely or succeeding hugely involves your grit, your perseverance, and your preparation. As the famous saying goes, “more risk equals more reward.” But risk is made smaller by the attitude you enter with, through having a high level of grit, committing to persevere even if you do fail, and being fully prepared to both execute and troubleshoot. You will take shots in the pocket, but by being gritty and tough before those shots are ever taken, you can commit to persevere and try again even if you failed because you believe in your preparation. In whatever battles you face, remember that success comes from staying in the pocket. Take your shot.