At the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships this year, they showed a highlight clip of the wrestlers that made it to the championship match sharing a few words on what it was like to be in this position. It would be the last match of the season, and for some, the last match that they would ever wrestle. And to win would deem them the absolute best in the country at that weight class. For most of them, this was a moment that they trained for their whole life, a moment they had sacrificed so much for, a moment that they had dreamed about for so long.
One guy made the point that in these types of situations, some guys get crushed by the pressure, while others get boosted by it. Another said that he was “just going to go out there and have fun.” But one phrase was repeated by a couple of the wrestlers, and it really caught my attention. They said that they were going to go out there and just “let it fly.”
There wasn’t anything more they were going to learn before this next match. There was no more strategizing that was going to help improve their odds of winning. They’d done the training, put in countless hours, and poured their blood, sweat, and tears into getting to this point. So, what would they do next? What’s the best thing they could do? They could try to relax, be proud of all they had done, walk out onto that mat, shake their opponent’s hand, and… let it fly. Letting it fly means to perform freely, to allow all that talent to come out, and to wrestle instinctually instead of mechanically.
It made me think of life in general. We all want a life of significance. We want deep, loving relationships. We want to do meaningful work. We want to contribute to our family, friends, and community. We want to leave the world better than when we came into it. And we want to leave a legacy that we can be proud of. So, what do we do? We think about it. We analyze it. We study it. We read about it. We dabble in it. Basically, we get stuck in the theory of the life we want, but we don’t pull the trigger and engage in it. Most go through life thinking about the life they would, should, and can have, but they never take the leap, make the move, or take the risk of actually creating that dream life.
Isn’t it time to stop talking and thinking about what you want, and start creating that life you want? Isn’t it time to stop thinking in terms of one day, some day, and start making today the day? Isn’t it time to let it fly?
What holds us back? Are we afraid to fail? Do we think we don’t know enough? Are we afraid of what others might think about us? You can do it. You do know enough. And who cares what others think of you. You’ve spent a lifetime observing the world around you. You know how it works. You know what you like and don’t like. You’ve read the books, watched the videos, and studied the details. You’ve seen what you want. You can feel the success, taste the victory, and are filled with the desire. So… let it fly!
The most elite athletes will tell you that their greatest success comes when they stop doubting, stop overthinking, and stop being so rigid. Gold medals, world championships, and top honors are won when the thinking stops and the innate, subconscious, inborn wisdom is let loose.
Why are you making relationships so hard? Why are you stagnant at work? Why is getting in shape and losing weight such a struggle? Why are your finances so stressful? And why are you taking yourself and life so seriously? You know what you have to do. You know what it takes for all of it to be better. It’s time to let it fly. Go out there now and just let it fly!
