What is a Student of the Game? How can practicing sport have a nourishing, beneficial impact on your work and personal life? Are martial arts a sport, an art form or something more?
Here at SOTG Lifestyle, we know the power Jiu-Jitsu has to transform lives – way beyond the confines of the gym. That’s why we travel to local schools to help young people channel their fire, and take those first steps on the right path. That’s how, after spending time in a correctional facility as a young man, I was able to pull myself out of that downward spiral, and get my career and relationships back on track.
Practicing a martial art like Jiu-Jitsu means far more than building muscle mass, defeating opponents in competition and collecting belts. To be a dedicated practitioner is to adopt the philosophy and discipline of that art. It isn’t about the number of wins on your record, or how much you can bench press.
As the great Jiu-Jitsu teacher Carlos Gracie Jr. says, “there is no losing in Jiu-Jitsu. You either win or you learn.” From absolute beginners, to black belts with decades of experience, we are all students when we enter the dojo. This unending willingness to learn and better oneself requires humility, and respect for our teachers and fellow students. Adopting this mindset will equip you to succeed in so many avenues of life. This is what we mean by being a Student of the Game.
Honor Your Craft
Which craft are you honoring this year? By this I don’t just mean Jiu-Jitsu. Your craft can be any healthy pursuit in life – from tuning up your bike so it runs super smooth, or cooking that perfect meal for a loved one. It can be honing a talent at work, or working on a hobby at home.
Building an intimate relationship with your craft becomes an outward expression of your inner self. It requires dedication, patience, and love. Your craft becomes a part of you: the way you think, the way you live, the way you see the world.
Try honoring your craft with some extra hours this month, and see if you notice an uptick in your emotional and physical wellbeing.
White Belt Attitude
No matter your proficiency or skill set, a white belt attitude is key to development in Jiu-Jitsu. This philosophy can be applied across all aspects of life.
Someone with a white belt attitude is humble in their approach to learning. They hold an ‘empty cup’, waiting to be filled. This someone seeks daily, weekly, monthly improvements to their craft. A person on a lifelong quest to learn, change, and intimately connect with their true self.
A person with such an attitude can learn from anyone. They are able to find the ‘win’ in every situation, no matter the circumstances. The only ‘L’ they take are Lessons. What is the last ‘L’ you took and doubled up from?
Black Belt Mentality
Hand in hand with a white belt attitude, comes the black belt mentality. This is the core part of your being that embraces blood, sweat and years. That inner fire, doggedness and tenacity that won’t quit until a job is complete.
Those with a black belt mentality understand the painstaking sacrifice and rewards involved in learning. They are calculated in their approach to information gathering, and are able to link actions together with the dedication of much time and practice. Only this mentality will lead to unconscious, smooth performance. Automatic results.
Achieving a black belt mentality not only means developing a deep relationship with your craft, but a mastery and trust of your inner self. What kind of mentality do you have?
Embrace Your Inner Crazy
Sometimes you need to engage beast mode, summoning that mamba from within to get over the finish line. This is what I call embracing your inner crazy. It is a counterpart to learning: a place of un-thinking, effortless performance. A decoupling of the mind and body.
This mind-state is key to success in Jiu-Jitsu. It means harnessing and redirecting aggressive energy into free-flowing, autonomous action. Allowing yourself to fantasize, and follow intuition on the path to success.
Get 1% Better Each Day
Self-improvement doesn’t happen overnight. Meaningful progress – in Jiu-Jitsu, or in any walk of life – is gradual, and tough. This is why we focus on each percent, and celebrate these ‘small’ improvements like massive victories.
As the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Romulo Barral says, “If everything is going too smooth, it is because you are in your comfort zone. The struggle is part of a champion’s life.”
Embracing the Get 1% Better Each Day philosophy means dealing with ‘the struggle’. It means sticking it out on the journey to where you want to go. Becoming who you want to be.
It means Honoring Your Craft. It means striving to live every day with a white belt attitude and a black belt mentality.
It means focusing on what you can do to better yourself each day, but not forgetting about what’s driving you forward and where you want to be.
And most importantly, Getting 1% Better Each Day is about your journey as an individual. Don’t compare yourself with others. Compare who you are today with who you were yesterday.
That improvement you see is the 1%.