Anthony Joshua’s recent fight against Kristian Prenga was for me, a powerful reminder of a key business lesson: success, in business and in life, is rarely determined by what happens when everything is going well. It’s determined by what happens when we’re under pressure. By mental resilience.
Within seconds of the opening bell, AJ was on the floor and I was shrieking in shock. His opponent came out aggressively, landing heavy shots almost immediately. Again. And again. And again.
Watching from my sofa, I did exactly what I’m sure many others also did, I wrote him off. “That’s it,” I said to my husband. “He’s finished.”
His legs looked unsteady, he couldn’t seem to regain his balance and even the commentators began discussing what another defeat could mean for his career.
Everything pointed towards one outcome. Except it actually didn’t.
Just a few moments later, Joshua found something within himself that none of us watching could see. He weathered the storm, regained his composure and, in the second round, knocked his opponent out.
I was stunned. I’d already decided he would lose, but he’d proven me wrong.
Long after the fight had finished, I was still pondering on what had happened. It made me really reflect on how often we do exactly the same thing to ourselves.
We Count Ourselves Out Too Soon
Business has a way of constantly testing us. A major client leaves, sales slow down, a launch under-performs or cash flow becomes tighter than we’d like. One challenge quickly becomes another, and before long we begin creating a story about what those setbacks mean.
The story that the business won’t work, that we’re not good enough or that we’ve missed out oppprtunity. We speculate on what others are doing and deduce that they have everything figured out and we haven’t because something is wrong with us.
The actual reality is that very little has changed other than our circumstances. Our potential, talent, gifts haven’t changed. Yet difficult seasons distort our thinking. They convince us that today’s challenge is tomorrow’s certainty. We mistake temporary setbacks for permanent failure. Just as I assumed AJ’s fight was over within the opening moments, we often convince ourselves our own story has already been written before we’ve reached the next round.
Mental Resilience in Business Is a Competitive Advantage
When people talk about growing a business, the conversation usually centres around strategy, sales, marketing, finance or leadership. Of course those things matter, but they’re only useful if you remain in the game long enough to implement them.
Mental resilience in business is what allows founders to continue to keep pushing even when confidence has taken multiple hits. Those who possess it are able to keep leading their team after losing a significant contract. To launch again after a failed product. To continue believing in their vision when the evidence around them suggests otherwise.
To be clear, resilience isn’t pretending everything is fine. Nor is it about ignoring genuine challenges. It’s about acknowledging reality without allowing reality to dictate your identity. There’s a significant difference between the two.
Your Mindset Shapes Your Decisions
One of the core reasons that your mindset matters so much, is because every business decision begins with a belief. If you believe your business is failing, you’ll naturally become more cautious. This will lead to a change in behaviour. You’ll stop investing, avoid taking calculated risks, hesitate over decisions, delay important conversations and begin protecting what’s left rather than building what’s possible.
If, however, you believe that you’re navigating a difficult season rather than approaching the end of the road, your behaviour changes. You become more curious, more strategic and more solution-focused, looking for opportunities instead of evidence that confirms your fears
Your mindset doesn’t change reality, but it dramatically influences how you respond to it. Those responses ultimately shape your results.
The Greatest Battles Are Won in Our Minds
What struck me most about Joshua’s victory wasn’t his strength, although that is obviously impressive. It was his composure.
Very few people would have blamed him for allowing panic to take over after such a difficult opening. Instead, he remained present. He trusted his preparation and evidently believed there was still another opportunity to turn the fight around.
That, to me, is mental fortitude. Not the absence of fear or setbacks. The ability to continue despite them.
The founders I admire most aren’t necessarily the ones who’ve had the easiest journeys. They’re the ones who’ve experienced rejection, financial pressure, failed ideas, difficult decisions and moments of genuine uncertainty, yet still found the courage to keep moving forward. That’s what mental resilience in business looks like.
Difficult Seasons Don’t Last Forever
One of the most dangerous things we can do during difficult periods is assume they’ll last forever. Our emotions convince us that because things feel difficult today, they’ll feel difficult next month. That because we’re struggling now, success belongs to somebody else. But business isn’t linear, nor is life.
Every entrepreneur experiences seasons. Some are exciting. Others are uncomfortable. Many will test everything you believe about yourself.
The difficult seasons aren’t necessarily evidence that you’re on the wrong path. Sometimes they’re simply the price of pursuing meaningful growth.
Don’t Count Yourself Out
Anthony Joshua’s fight highlighted several key principles for me:
- Don’t count yourself out simply because life has knocked you down.
- Don’t confuse today’s circumstances with tomorrow’s outcome.
- Don’t allow one difficult chapter to convince you that the story is over.
Self-belief isn’t blind optimism. It’s choosing to believe there’s still another move to make, another lesson to learn and another opportunity to create. More importantly, another round to fight!
The greatest victories are rarely determined by how hard we’re hit, but whether we have the courage to stand back up. As long as there’s another round, there’s still an opportunity to win.
Enjoyed this article? Every Monday I share practical lessons on leadership, strategy, systems and the mindset required to build a business that can grow without consuming the person who built it. Sign up for the Big Boss Briefing.
Have an issue with boundaries? Read this: Why Business Boundaries Matter For Founders