The image of Anthony Joshua being knocked out by Daniel Dubois in last night's IBF world heavyweight title fight at Wembley Stadium was a shock, as most people expected an easy win for AJ. There are so many layers of meaning to unpack in seeing him fall to the canvas and summon all his might to get back on his feet.
It doesn’t matter if you have little or no interest in boxing. What happens next for AJ will be the most intriguing part of his story. Going into the fight as the favourite, with all the pageantry and magnitude of the event, and the immense weight of expectation – how will AJ 'rise from the canvas' of life? This is the defining question ahead of him.
It's the act of getting up after our hardest falls that truly defines us and reveals what we're made of. I've 'hit the canvas' a few times in my own life. What I learned was that my key to getting back up and regaining my balance was to replace self-pity or self-criticism with curiosity. I asked a lot of questions – of myself, of others, and of my environment – and through that, I learned and grew. It was often painful.
When you're 'down on the canvas', doubt is right there, waiting with a boxing glove to keep you down.
So, do everything you can to find your way to a place of curiosity. Reflect on all the factors that put you on the canvas, and search for the new doors that can open within yourself.
Take it from someone who's been there... Doors close, but doors also open. There's always more to a picture than what you first see, so look closely at all its layers of meaning.
Be curious.