Apart from the benefits of physical fitness boxing also promotes other skills, such as discipline that you can apply to other areas of your life. Dundee Kim shares how he used some of the skills he acquired from boxing to achieve his goals.
1. Tell us your story:
My name is Dundee Kim. I am an ex-amateur boxing champion from South Korea, and I now run a boxing gym and online sports store in Brisbane, Australia. I have also lived, studied and worked in China and Japan.
2. How did you identify the goal/s you wanted to achieve?
Your goals become clearer with time when you’re working hard and putting your best into everything you do; you might not exactly know what you’re working towards at first. In my case, the reason I started boxing was so I could protect myself against school bullies.
But I found that I loved boxing, and eventually I became a two-time amateur champion. Then after a while, I realised how important study was if I wanted to further progress in life. So I studied in Beijing and moved to Australia soon after, where I obtained my Diploma of Ministry in 2000 and Master of Business Administration in 2003.
The study helped me to combine my fighting spirit and interpersonal skills and start a career in marketing. I worked hard and it paid off because I eventually became Regional Director of International Relations at James Cook University.
Only after I made all this progress did I realise my dream of opening a boxing gym, where I could train people in the skills that led me to my success in the first place. I attribute so much of my success to the discipline and strength it’s given me, so I can’t help but try and pass its benefits on to others.
3. How did you work towards achieving your goal – did you have a plan and a deadline to achieve your goals?
I didn’t exactly have a deadline, but I knew I wanted to establish myself in Australia very quickly. I suppose I took a fairly traditional route via study, but I worked extremely hard and developed as many new skills as I could until I got where I wanted to be. There were years and years of hard work, but I just stayed strong and stayed dedicated to my goals.
4. What was the biggest challenge you encountered along the way?
Well, when I first arrived in Australia, I couldn’t speak a word of English. That was tough. But I’ve been interested in learning languages all my life, and they’re like any other skill – difficult to learn, and difficult to keep up. I just had to work through the difficulty and not get too overwhelmed with the challenges it posed.
5. What inspires you and keeps you going when you encounter obstacles?
I firmly believe in the power of physical training – it’s a life force. It’s not just about fitness and staying in shape – it gives you the skills, the discipline and resolves to propel you forward through pretty much any of life’s real challenges. When things are tough, I draw on the wealth of knowledge that my life in boxing has granted me.
6. What advice do you have for anyone wanting to achieve a goal?
Set your goals out clearly and do your best to achieve them, but never be afraid to ask for help when things are hard. As a trainer, my primary role is as a helper. People forget that even the best athletes in the world need help, from trainers and coaches and mentors. So when in doubt, just ask! You’ll learn more and you’ll achieve more.
7. What are the next goals you hope to achieve?
I recently developed a boxing program that Fitness Australia have endorsed for personal trainers, so I’d like to continue with that kind of work into the future. I also train top amateur boxing champion Jeff Horn and I’d like to continue to work with him.
Mainly, I just want to maintain my business and continue to help people. That’s what gives me the most fulfillment.
Learn more about Dundee Kim at www.brisbaneboxinggym.com.au.
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