How to be "The Man" in Your Life: The Inspiring Story of Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch is a fiery redhead from Dublin, Ireland currently blazing a path of popularity in the World Wrestling Federation (WWE) the likes of which women in wrestling have never seen before.
Lynch is at the top of her game as Smackdown Women's Champion. Her name name has been linked to former phenoms in the industry such as Stone Cold Steve Austin. They call her "Austin-esque" based on her hard as nails attitude and rebellious swagger. Lynch calls herself "The Man" not as a gender statement, but as a recognition that she is the top dog in the sports entertainment industry not just on the female side...but on the men's as well. Millions of people agree with her.
But it wasn't always this way for Becky. She started wrestling at the age of 15 and actually wound up leaving wrestling for several years due to injury. Thankfully for us she would return to wrestling and she, along with fellow 4 Horsewomen Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bayley, would revolutionize the sport for women by putting on some of the best technical matches (male or female) the industry had ever seen. This put Becky on the map but when she wound up on the main roster of the WWE she found herself slipping back into obscurity.
Not the typical poster child the WWE heads usually back (blonde, built) Becky's momentum stalled. Frustrated with her predicament, and knowing she could do more if given the chance, Lynch began to slowly climb back to the top. Fans took notice of her effort and before long they were backing Lynch 100%. So by the time she turned on long-time friend Charlotte Flair the reaction was a positive one, rather than the heat the WWE machine envisioned.
Since then, Lynch's popularity culminated to unprecedented heights. During a rivalry with former UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, Lynch led a charge on her rivals brand where a melee broke out. Lynch took a shoot (real) punch to the face from heavyweight Nia Jax which left Lynch with a crimson mask of blood. Even with a broken nose and severe concussion, Lynch stood tall in the midst of the raucous crowd with her arms outstretched still looking for a fight. This has since become an iconic image. Its also symbolic of Lynch's rise to the top of the industry, bloody and battered but she made it. She's The Man.
Become "The Man" in your own life using these examples from Becky Lynch:
1. Believe in yourself
Even when she was stuck on the sidelines not being used by WWE, Becky Lynch always believed that she was capable of more. This healthy form of self-confidence is going to propel you to take action. If you don't believe you can do it, nobody else will either. Believe you can and you're halfway there. As Becky said during an interview with Hollywood Life: "But, it’s all about believing in yourself, and I always say, you know, you’re the only person that lives in your head. So, you can walk around telling yourself how great you are all day, walk around telling yourself how bad you are all day, like, it seems a lot better to live in a place where you’re saying you’re great, you know? So, I think you just gotta constantly work on believing in yourself, and believing that you’re enough. Have faith that you’ve got everything that it takes to make it. If you put the work in? Of course, you do."
2. Learn from Mistakes
Becky has said that she journals often. She'll write down her thoughts on how she envisions things going and how they actually turned out so she could learn from each experience. Just because things may not have worked out in the past, doesn't mean you failed. Re-evaluate what you could learn from the experience.
3. Reinvent Yourself
Reinvention is key to longevity in any form of entertainment or business. Lynch reinvented herself twice so far. First billed as a stereotypical Irish Celt dancer in lime green she quickly switched to a steam-punk rocker which showcased more of her true self. But it wasn't until she became "The Man" did Becky Lynch's popularity sky rocket. Using her frustrations as a catalyst, Lynch became a take-no-prisoners, rough-and-tumble Lass-kicker who refused to let anyone walk on her ever again. Ask yourself what isn't working in your situation and try something new. I myself have done several re-imaginings of Original Cyn because I'm always striving to make it the best it can be. All change is growth and that's a good thing.
4. Master your Marketing
One of the biggest ways Becky Lynch has "gotten over" with fans is because of her quick wit which she displays to perfection on Twitter. Knowing social media is a major force in the development of any business, Lynch capitalized by using witty banter and eviscerating her competition online in 140 characters or less. So far, no one has even come close to trading blows with her silver tongue and it's endeared her to fans even more. Lynch is smart in her approach to the Twitter game and it has drawn outside interest, keeping her as the top name in the industry even as she sat out with injury. Know your field, your audience, and tweak your social media approach to garner the best attention. Also, don't be afraid to have fun with it. Lynch's quirky behavior is what won fans over in the first place.
5. Be Prepared
You never know when an opportunity will present itself so its best to be prepared at all times. Even though Lynch wasn't getting the headline matches she knew she deserved, she still remained in top physical shape by hitting brutal workouts in the gym (I've tried them, they're hard!) So what can you do in your life to best prepare? Remember preparation meets opportunity.
6. When opportunity presents itself, take advantage
When the opportunity finally arrived Lynch was ready to capitalize. As I stated in #5 Lynch was prepared. Any time she was given a match she put her whole heart and soul into it and fans took notice. So the WWE took notice and finally she won the coveted Smackdown Women's Championship. Sharpen your edges so when the opportunity is there you capitalize.
7. Be Genuine
Probably the most important reason Becky Lynch has become so wildly popular is because alot of Rebecca Quin has shone through her character. It's in the real frustrations and passion that Quin crafted The Man character into someone that won't be denied. When people see your truths it makes them want to back you. Becky's story resonates with me BECAUSE of her hardship and the fact that she wouldn't let that keep her down. We've all been there and its something we can relate to. So be real, authentic.
Bonus: Be a Badass! ...ok, some things cannot be taught
