The Evolution of Your BJJ Goals
If you aren't training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu yet, first off, what are you waiting for? Do a little bit of research and reach out to local gyms or academies in your area and try your first class. Don't be afraid to reach out to a variety of BJJ schools and try a few different classes to get a feel for each location and get yourself started asap.
If you've been training a while, you can attest to how addicting the art is and can become. The reason we all start BJJ might vary by the person, but at the end of the day, we all join together to learn this amazing art. You may want to build some confidence and learn some self defense skills. Perhaps you want to get into better shape and the standard fitness facilities or exercise programs aren't getting you motivated. Maybe you've trained different martial arts in the past and want to add BJJ to your skill set. The reasons that got you there aren't really important, but what is are the goals you set once you're there.
Over the weeks, months and years of your BJJ training, your goals will begin to evolve and this is absolutely fine. What you will begin to notice is that over time, the goals you set and achieve in BJJ will begin to impact your daily life more and more. Your goals outside the mats will become easier to obtain. Why is this?
There are a number of reasons why setting and achieving BJJ goals begin to impact your outside BJJ life. Let's look at an example that's pretty common. Let's say besides having the goal of showing up and enjoying as many classes as you can, which EVERYONE should have, you want to lose some weight and get into better shape.
By focusing on this goal and utilizing BJJ to move you towards that goal, your mind and body will be working in a symbiotic relationship to move you towards something that perhaps you've struggled before in the past. Let's say after 6 months or so, you have met your initial weight loss goal and are feeling in much better shape. You may want to try your first BJJ competition. This will build on the foundation of the initial weight loss goal and push you further, perhaps getting you in even better shape and losing additional excess weight that you don't need. By the time the competition comes, win or lose, you've lost weight, you've gotten yourself in possibly the best shape of your life, and you've stepped onto the competition mats and conquered the fear of testing your BJJ.
In this example, your goal has evolved and been shaped by your BJJ training. After that initial competition, you might set another goal to test yourself on a larger scale, perhaps at a larger tournament or a bigger stage like IBJJF Pan Americans or something of the like. What started as a simple goal to lose weight could turn into a passion for competing, which could ultimately turn into a passion to teach, which could ultimately become a passion to own your own academy. The process of setting goals and building momentum is a skill just as much as learning the latest deep half guard sweep. At first it might seem awkward and unsuccessful, but overtime it will become second nature.
Once you begin setting and achieving goals on the mats, the skills that get honed will begin to manifest themselves in your life in all other areas. Without even noticing, you will begin to notice that challenges and obstacles at work or school seem less and less daunting. Why does this happen? Because you've built a goal-setting mentality and begun to achieve incredible things through your jiu jitsu training and these skills begin to transfer to the rest of your life.
In the video, 5 time World Champion Bernardo Faria gives a short background of his personal development in jiu jitsu and how a simple question from his first instructor changed his life forever. By asking if Bernardo truly wanted to be a world champion, his mentor shaped the rest of his life. This created the impetus for him to train harder, compete more, continue to compete despite less than favorable results and ultimately earn a double gold at the World Championships.
By simply attending as many classes as he could and having fun, getting a little bit better every day, Bernardo became one of BJJ history's greatest competitors, which ultimately led him to become a world renowned instructor, BJJ entrepreneur and now academy owner. Those simple goals that start when we first walk on the mats can evolve into anything. The sky is truly the limit.
So take some time and figure out what your goals are or can be. Maybe you don't feel like you have any goals. Just show up and enjoy class. Work on getting a little better everyday. Help your teammates, help your instructor, or even inspire someone else to try BJJ. After a while, you will discover something you want and its then that you set your mind to it and all of the skill and perseverance you're learning from coming to class all the time will help you get there. Only you know where your BJJ can take you. From the mats to life, the setting of jiu jitsu goals can change everything for you!
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