In boxing, fighters are typically divided into classes by weight. It wouldn't really be fair to pit a 125lb boxer against a 225lb boxer normally. It can be reasonably assumed that more power can be generated by the larger person than the smaller. Businesses can also be divided into classes. For many, the idea of small, medium-sized, and large businesses has differing meanings. But, in the US, we have a tendency to enjoy watching or hearing stories of someone in a "lower" class taking on and performing well against a "higher" class. The idea of punching above one's weight is likened to a fighter in a lower weight class performing at a level that would be competitive at a higher weight class. The fighter normally wouldn't be considered a contender without the ability to punch "above their weight". In business, we like to think of this as a small business behaving like and/or competing with medium-sized or large businesses.
Outside of business and boxing there are people who every day punch above their weight. Strapped with difficulties that more than 95% of the population will never experience, there are those in our country that have to make accommodations in their every day lives just to fit in to a society that, for the most part, hasn't figured out what to do to help.
According to autismspeaks.org, autism can be reliably diagnosed as early as age 2. However, most children are still being diagnosed after the age of 4. This shows an incredible lack of awareness of a problem that, in 2021, affected 1 in 44 children. This number will continue to rise, as will the number of children, young adults, and adults that require services, assistance, and recognition, as the number of diagnosed people age.
It's difficult to imagine the struggles that someone who is very likely nonverbal (40%), challenged with an intellectual disability (31%) or are described as borderline in the same category (25%), or belonging to a category in which they will most likely be bullied (nearly 2/3) between the ages of 6 and 15. The number of medical conditions associated with autism is staggering as well. Everything from ADHD, sleep problems, and anxiety disorders to depression, GI issues, and epilepsy affects people with autism at a greater rate than those not on the autism spectrum.
There are approximately between 700k and 1.1 million autistic children who will "age out" of their school-based services. Costs to care for Americans with autism is between $236 and $264 billion annually. This is an issue that isn't going away and requires awareness and assistance. In the meantime, these children and adults will keep punching away.
Join us in contributing to an exceptionally worthwhile cause at: https://www.autismspeaks.org/corporate-support