Embrace Delusion

You have to embrace delusion when chasing a dream.



Back in 2001-2002 I was living in an RV in Illinois, working in Chicago as a coder. My income was 769 $ per week, my income as an independent wrestler was 160 $ per week. I was doing pretty well for 18 years old, I had been pro since 98. In 2 years I conquered the southern states and deep south becoming cruiserweight and light heavyweight champ at a few small indie feds.

I was blowing the minds and dropping jaws with this unique style I had crafted since I was a backyard wrestler when I was 10 to 13, combining every sport I ever did soccer, gymnastics, taekwondo, amateur wrestling with my love for cruiserweight/ super junior wrestling styles of Japanese( Puroresu) Mexican(Lucha Libre), British/European. Combining that with martial arts media of Bruce Lee, Mortal Kombat, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Power Rangers, The Karate Kid etc.



It all went to shit in 2003 when I was let go from the tech start up I was working at, my wrestling schedule had increased however the pay did not. That is when “ paying your dues” began to lose it’s romance.



I was seen as nuts at wrestling school for loving everything everyone hating, putting up and taking down the ring, cleaning after really grueling training, I had romanticized “ paying your dues” through the autio-biographies I read of my heroes. Now I just had an RV , using any money I got on gas, fairground fees. Despite this I was putting on the best matches, giving it my all and the big fan base I had online was the same in person! It was awesome and worth it.



The long drives, the suicide dives it’s poetic, a sayer would call it pathetic but they don’t have the guts to do it, they don’t have the skill to cut it and make it even at this lower-level. I’m a doer.



That’s the only distinction I make between people, sayers and doers.