Whenever I read a business or personal development book, I always think of how I can apply what I learned to Brazilian jiu-jitsu. In a world of “Get rich quick!” schemes and celebrity worship where someone goes “viral” and becomes famous (for 15 minutes, that is) I look for messages that preach the basics, the principles and practices that really work for long term success.
I copied a quote from a business book entitled, “The Slight Edge” by Jeff Olson, and I think it could be painted on the wall of any jiu-jitsu academy.
Show up.
Show up consistently.
Show up consistently with a positive outlook.
Be prepared for and committed to the long haul.
Cultivate a burning desire backed by faith.
Be willing to pay the price.
And do the things you’ve committed to doing—even when no one else is watching.
I think it is human nature to look for the quickest way to get something. This however creates a problem when we reject the basics in favor of an enticing but flawed strategy.
An example we see often in BJJ is the mentality that our success on the mat will come from skipping the fundamentals in favor of advanced techniques that can catch our opponent’s by surprise. Why spend the time drilling your guard passes when you saw Jeff Glover use donkey guard in a superfight?
Can you skip those boring basics and get right to the submissions?
Not for very long.
When our progress is slower than we like (is anyone reading this progressing too quickly for their liking?) it is tempting to look for shortcuts.
But in BJJ as well as business, real skill, knowledge, and success come from applying ourselves with passion over a period of years.
Sometimes we need to be reminded about the old-fashioned values of persistence and hard work.
