TFS#41: No One Sees This

Those who train Jiu-Jitsu pride themselves in the commitment due to the steep learning curve of the martial art. And even if we don’t train at the same gym, we know how important it is to show support for one another because of our unique common ground.

Spectators will only see the flashy, cool moves but you and I know those are just the tip of the iceberg. But what makes it possible to even get there is all the hard work and dedication that goes into it.

Your family and friends will only see how much time you spend at Karate practice. And most of your hard work will go unseen.

No one sees the work you put in

The discipline of sticking to a clean diet.

The hesitation to say “no” to social events and getting to bed early.

The time spent lifting weights, stretching, and watching instructionals.

The work it takes to manage your anxiety before competition.

The fact that you’ve chose to read this newsletter shows how dedicated you are. You give your attention to this martial art in various ways to improve your performance. And it’s your hard work that pays you back.

And ultimately, no one but yourself will reap the rewards of your work ethic. To the outside world, all your hard work is invisible. But it's worth it, because it's for yourself.

You can appreciate the progress you've made, and you can see the results of your hard work in your performance. That's what makes it worth it, and that's why you should never forget all the efforts behind the curtains.

Ingredient #1: Enjoying the work

What makes it easy to get through all the hard obstacles of Jiu-Jitsu isn’t because you’re “goal -driven” or because you’re an “disciplined-stoic monk” (okay, maybe some of it is). But what does get you to go the extra mile is the fact that you genuinely enjoy the process.

If you didn’t enjoy it, you’ll feel the physical and mental taxation of the daily grind. You wouldn’t look forward to it, training wouldn’t get you excited.

The best thing to ask for isn’t to be good at something, but to continuously excited to do the work. Most people do not have the patience to continuously plug away at a task for years. Especially in an age where technological advances continues to eat away at our attention span.

If we can remind ourselves every so often why we continue to train, we can refresh our enjoyment of the process as challenges arise. Feeling stronger, more confident, and experiencing the camaraderie are all part of why we continue to get through the hurdles.

And that’s because you do it all for yourself, because you want to be better at Jiu-Jitsu. You’ve given this hobby a meaning and value to your lifestyle.

Ingredient #2: Surround yourself with the people that matter

With that said, no one cares about the work you put in. And no one should care.

The only one that should care is you. Because you do it for yourself.

They’re happy that you’ve found a hobby. They’re happy you’re going to the gym regularly and you’re in better shape. But at the end of the day, they won’t understand the nuances of training Jiu-Jitsu.

With that said, the secret is to surround yourself with the right people. They don’t have to do Jiu-Jitsu or even understand it. As long as they understand the investment you’ve put into yourself and understand why you love rolling around in sweaty pajamas (or in tights), you’ll have a strong support to lean on when the going gets rough.

And for most people, the gym fills that role.

For Your Jiu-Jitsu

→ Here are 10 pointers to ease your nerves for your first competition. If you’ll feel much better prepared knowing you gave it your best efforts.

→ Whether you’re ready or not, you have to continue to prep yourself to get better.

→ Make your opponent fearful of your guard by learning this move. Follow Nick Lee for more practical Jiu-Jitsu techniques.

→ If you’re a guard puller that wants to expand their take down game, here’s a great way to start the process.

Closing Thought

If you took up Jiu-Jitsu to be cool or to have material to talk about at a dinner party, well…you might be disappointed.

Train for yourself and your own purposes, not for others. No one cares about what goes on behind the curtains. If you’re lucky, they just might watch your show.