I've recently earned my 3rd stripe as a BJJ white belt. For those who are unaware of how the BJJ
ranking system works, in order to move on to the next belt you first have to earn 4 stripes on
your current belt. This means that I have one more stripe to earn before becoming a Blue belt,
but to be honest as much as the concept of being a Blue belt one day excites me, I'm not
concerned with changing ranks. Don't get me wrong, if it happens within the next year, of course
I'll be happy but it's not my number one priority when I'm training. A lot of people when they
start any form of martial arts are typically too ambitious and overzealous that they end up
focusing more on the next rank rather than training and sharpening their skills and techniques.
This is a self-sabotaging cycle and behavioral pattern because this ultimately slows people
down and don't help them reach their goals which in turn discourages them to the point
where some people quit and walk away from martial arts and the problem isn't that they
don't work hard, its that their focus is in the wrong place. If they had spent half as much
time focusing in class and improving their skills as they did day dreaming about being a higher
rank then they would've already have been at the rank they so desperately wanted to be.
It's totally ok to set a goal and have dreams about being a higher rank but it shouldn't
Consume you to the point where it's all you think about and you start having less focus
In class. I aspire to be a BJJ black belt one day, but I know that in order to achieve this
goal I can't be consumed by it but rather I need to focus in class and work on becoming the best
fighter I can be so that one day I can get there. My focus should be on improving myself every
day rather than be fixated on becoming a higher rank. When you approach martial arts with
THIS mindset, only then will be able to eventually reach your goals. Take it one step at a
time. Training should be about bettering yourself, not chasing belt promotions. Only then will
you find the strength, courage and determination to carry on not matter how long it takes you to
achieve your goals. Its good to set goals but it becomes unhealthy when you obsess over it and
it consumes you. Like I've said before, I have a goal to hopefully earn my Blue belt in 2019
but I know that in order to achieve this goal, I have to focus on the right thing which is training
as much as possible and trying to improve my Jiu Jitsu game. Change your mindset and it will
change your life.
