A Case for Anger - a free-write

Anger does not have the best reputation. A lot of times when we are angry we do stupid things, that can not be denied. We get into fights, say things we don't mean, break things, etc. All of which seems like a total waste of time. I agree it is often better to stay calm, cool, and collected. Getting angry can often harm more than it can help. But here is another truth, anger can give you a boost of energy. It can give you that added juice when you are completely depleted. Anger comes with inherent motivation, that also can not be denied.

The first example that comes to my mind is the one of Goku from Dragon Ball Z. Okay, I hear you, a fictional anime character might not be the best role model for real-life lessons but I learned a lot from Goku so bear with me. I idolized him and I was not alone. Goku was the best fighter in the universe. And what was the key to his power? What made him great? What was the source of his energy? Plain old inner fury. Rage was his gasoline. It is what he used to increase his power in fights. Through his training, he learned to control his anger and use it as fuel. Yes, this came at a price. Damage to his body and damage to his surroundings. He died many times. And he wrecked many planets. But in the heat of battle, he was always able to muster up just a little bit more power to one-up his opponents. Goku was my hero. And his main fuel was anger.

As an amateur martial artist myself I too have felt the boost that anger can give you. My angry days are also the days I hit the heavy bag the hardest. It is not that my endurance has gone up or that I am suddenly a better boxer but the voice in my head that tells me I have reached my limit simply shuts the fuck up. This can be very valuable. Obviously, these are also the days that I am most at risk for an injury. Many times I have hurt my hands on these days simply because I am focusing too much on power at the expense of technique, something I have had to learn from. But these are also the days when I feel like the baddest man on the planet. I am not scared of confrontation, I am not afraid of pain. I am enraged and somehow that makes me eternally confident. This can be a valuable asset in sports, physical altercations, and life.

Now I know we live in a society where we shun any and all types of violence. I am not a propagator of violence but I am also not a pacifist. I do not seek fights but I also don't run away from them. No matter how much we want the world to be a safe place of harmony and peace, fights will always break out. Life is lived in cycles. Peace leads to war which leads to peace which leads to war. That is life. That is our history. Bad things do happen. Bad people do exist. Bullies exist, and you can't run away from them. That just makes them stronger. What do you do when you are put in a situation where you are threatened? Or worse, someone you love is threatened? Are you supposed to stand idly by and let the people you love get abused or taken advantage of? No, you can't. Or at least I can't. You have to fight, and whatever happens, happens. Anger can be useful in these situations.

The example of Michael Jordan comes to mind. Here was a guy who was an international icon. He played with grace and was a bigger star off the basketball court than he was on it. He was larger than life. He talked the talk and walked the walk. He was always dressed exquisitely. He always presented himself in the best possible light. He was charismatic, funny, and utterly likable. Oh, and he was an utter dawg. Especially on the basketball court. Growing up he and his older brother used to get into fistfights every day. Every fucking day. Because of that, he was always ready for a fight, never afraid of one, no matter the size of his opponent. This is a tremendous asset when competing with the biggest athletes in the world. You can't convince me that Michael Jordan was not an angry guy. He just knew how to control it. Or better yet, how to use his anger as fuel. The entire NBA feared Michael Jordan. You don't get to that level of dominance without crossing the line a few times. You also don't get there if you're opponents are not physically afraid of you.

Life is a game that is played between the ears. There is a saying in boxing: boxing is 90% psychological. And it's true. You let your guard down for a second and you could lose. That is why it is so hard to be a champion for a long time. You get a target on you're back once you start winning. People are more motivated than ever to beat you while, at the same time, you are riding high. You ease up, drink your own cool aid, and bam! Knocked out. This is what happened to Mike Tyson. Who, by the way, was 0-5 in the fights that actually mattered. But that is a different conversation for a different day. I believe that life is also 90% psychological. The mentally stronger person will be better off in most things most of the time. Why? Because life is very hard and you have to be good at dealing with failure and setbacks. Winning in life is even harder. You have to work constantly. Which means you have to be motivated constantly. You have to outwork you're opponents and you have to do this while you are winning. Your reward for winning is more work. That is how you continue to win. But where does all this energy come from? It comes from anger. That is the source of the edge. The edge that you need to have to win. To be able to consistently one-up your opponents, in whatever field you choose to compete. Anger is what will help you battle through insurmountable odds and do the impossible. When you refuse to accept circumstances the way they are you give yourself the power to change them.

I would like to conclude this free-write by offering a challenge to my readers who do not believe in what I have to say here. Take a martial arts class. It doesn't matter what it is. Boxing, kickboxing, jiujitsu, krav maga, karate, whatever. Take a class. First off all everyone should know some form of self-defense. You should know a few moves here and there if shit were to ever hit the fan. Having no plan and hoping nothing bad will ever happen is not a plan. Secondly, it's a great workout and is good for both mental and physical health. Not to mention the increase in overall confidence that you will feel. Then take the same workout class on a day when you are not in the best mood. When you are angry or frustrated. On a day when things have not gone you're way and you are pissed off about it. You will feel the energy that anger can provide. Uncontrolled anger is a detriment no matter how you choose to look at it. But you will get angry at some point no matter what, so learn to control it and use it as fuel. Who knows? You might start to like getting angry.