How Are You Showing Up For Your Wrestling Career?

We ran an informal poll this week ... and we'll do it again in a bit... about what are the things that are stopping you from booked more often.

The top reason is because of the lack of exposure. That's understandable, because there are a ton of wrestlers and not enough viable promotions that can take your career to the next level.

There's another aspect to this whole visibility thing, though... and that is how you're showing up in the business. Sure you've spent a lot of money going to pro wrestling school, and you've spent money on your boots and tights, and you've even made some t-shirts and promotional pictures to sell at the show.

I'm here to tell you that all of that stuff is window dressing, and I'm going to give it to you straight.

How you're showing up for your wrestling career is just as important as how much you want people to show up for your matches.

Now you might say "Hold on. You don't know me. I work my ass off in the gym. I do X Y and Z."

How's your attitude when you show up for a show? Are you taking your booking for granted? Look we all know there are good promoters and some you'll only work for once because they didn't deliver on what they promised. Welcome to life. It happens all the time and not just in the business.

I'm here to tell you that there are housands of wrestlers in small towns and out-of-the-way areas who would give their eye tooth to wrestle on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night, and if you're grateful for every minute it takes you to get to the show, be a part of it, and then leave, you're going to be stuck where you're at right now. And that gratitude for the opportunity of doing the thing you love to do more than anything else in the world will be evident by the way you talk to the promoter, you treat the fans, and with the wrestlers on that card.

This business owes you nothing. You're not entitled to a shot in the WWE or any other organization. What you owe the world is show up as someone who is ready to make a difference. To inspire.

One thing that warmed my heart was hearing the story of Wrestler Ace Perry asking an autstic fan to accompany her to her prom. And it wasn't a work.

When was the last time you reached out to your fans in a tangible way to express your gratitude to them? Instead of taking off right after the show, how about singling out a fan and making them know how much you appreciate them? It doesn't have to be prom-level stuff, but something small to let them know they matter to you?

When was the last time you called up your old wrestling school trainers to let them know how much of an impact they have made on you? Or your old high school or grade school teachers?

There is a lot of taking in this business and not enough giving and that's one of the reasons you're not getting noticed. I guarantee that if the only time you tweet or post on facebook about your latest show and don't spend time engaging your family, friends, and fans on a regular basis, not only on social media but in life away from your smartphone and computers, you are going to remain wrestling's best kept secret.

Give back to your community. They'll treat you like you're invisible if you treat them the same way.

Find ways of giving back.

Let's get back to you and how you're showing up at the shows. Are you showing off all pissed off because you're getting little or no pay... again? No one put a gun to your head to take the gig. No one said to do the show or die? It was your choice to make, so don't show up with an attitude, because word gets around. It's either going to be positive or negative and you want people saying good stuff about you.... like he/she had a great attitude and they want to work with you again.

How are you showing up on social media? If it's just "come to my show" posts, guess why more people aren't coming? Reciprocal relationships go a hell of a long way.

Everyone's making big to do about the recent Cruiserweight Classic, and that's great. It is clear that those guys worked their asses off to get booked for that gig. How did they do it?

Take a look at the great Indy wrestlers in our business. What did they do to get to that level? Have you ever reached out to them to ask them not for a favor, like can you put in a good word for me with X, but to thank them for how they inspire you and ask them how they got to where they are at today?

Show up in life as someone wanting to learn. Someone who gives back. Someone who's grateful. As you change, your world will change around you. Guaranteed.