Find This Goal to Fuel Your BJJ for Years to Come
People are driven by all sorts of different motivators when it comes to BJJ. Often, what we learn through years of chasing goals is that. . .
It’s never enough. You’ll never really be satisfied by any exterior goal.
There is machinery in your body that helps motivate you and push you towards the attainment of a goal. And once that goal is reach.
Well. . . it turns off and then kicks back on with a new goal.
I found this out as a young man chasing medals and MMA. Moving from 1 medal or fight to the next expecting some sort of respite from the feelings of inadequacy that burned inside me which pushed me early in BJJ.
But no matter how cool the jiu-jitsu medal or how exciting the MMA fight win. The wins provided only a temporary salve for the feelings to push myself even further.
And so I’ve come to believe that if you’re going to do this stuff for the long haul. Eventually you have to find a transcendent goal. Something that overshadows all others. . . and it has to come from inside you.
Exterior goals will change, but something inside you. That’s special.
I’m sharing that with you because recently I uploaded videos of me training with some of my friends.
And in these videos you’ll see me training hard. But I was wasn’t training for anything other than my love for training.
Why Don’t I Compete More?
I also get asked from many of the people that watch my videos why I don’t compete more. As I told one of my students. I’ve been competing with a tournament at least every 3 months from 14 years old to 31 (I’m 32 now.)
When I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I was competing to prove something to myself about who I was. To find myself. This is an expedition we all have to take at some point in our lives if we are to grow as people.
If not through BJJ than through some other worthwhile challenge.
As I got older and had been to battle so many times. That drive to PROVE myself to myself had left me. I still have room to grow of course. That never ends. But the NEED to prove who I am to my own self was gone.
I had proven myself. Both through my own abilities, and through the impact I’ve had on others around me. My body has the deformities and scars to show my years of development.
If I compete now. It isn’t to prove anything. It’s merely a test to myself to see what’s working in my game. Maybe for a little of nostalgia. To step back into the fray and feel The Butterflies. They’ve become like old friends as I’ve grown accustomed to them since I was 14 years old.
Now, when I compete, I do it because I WANT TO. I do it when I feel like it.
Chewy with no beard (Circa 2012)
Why I Still Push Myself
I love figuring out new techniques and moves.
I love lying in a pool of sweat with my friend knowing that we just gave one another each other’s best. As a martial artist. This is the highest form of respect to me. I gave you my best, which forced you to give me yours.
I love the camaraderie than comes from the closeness created through training.
I love pulling myself and my students forward. If I get better, they get better. And I’ve dedicated myself to them in order to help them develop themselves through training.
And at the end of the night after everyone has left and I’m closing up the gym. Before I turn off the lights I have this odd habit of just staring off to the mats and appreciating the days work that was done. Because it was special and there will never be another like it.
I know this was a little all over the place. So, heres the 2 take aways.
1. Find a transcendent goal. Something that comes from your heart and pushes you to do better regardless of any exterior sources. Because as we said, the exterior goals will come and go.
2. Everyday that you’re on the mats is a good day. There are only a finite amount of them. You get only so many times to step onto the mats. Appreciate each one and be grateful for that opportunity.
Happy Sunday!
Talk Soon,
-Chewy
