Responsibility and growth

Looking back at my journey in the martial arts, it has taken me to progressively greater heights and new challenged. I feel that I have been fortunate to meet and interact with key individuals who have proven to be tremendous help in guiding me on my next step.


Blue belt April 2006

Whether or not they are aware of their assistance and role they play in my life may seem inconsequential at this point as in time they may prove to be markers, milestones, sign posts or a place to dwell for a spell of time.In this line of thought, how have you grown over the past 1 month, 6 months, 1 year or more? Personal growth, be it mentally, physically or otherwise is a responsibility not to be taken lightly. I know I was in such a mind frame back, oh 10 years or so ago, taking things easy as they came along but having since becoming more proactive, thinking clearly about what I want or where I want to be in 3, 5 or even 10 years' time has helped me to be where I am today. Not that I'm any huge mark of success, not even on the same league as what you may consider success, but I'm in excellent health, all my body parts function without the aid of pharmaceutical assistance, I enjoy an understanding, positive and loving marriage and have good relationships with family and friends, I get along with most people (99.8%) I meet on a daily basis and things are going well with my work and personal training. I'm financially stable and I get paid to do what I most enjoy doing.

To get to the point though, I don't think that without setting a goal back then, be it written or mental, I would be here today. I would have listened to the critic inside of me and been too petrified to try out anything new or different. However, I allowed my guts to guide my actions and I started off with a series of mini-goals, small achievable steps which help towards the desired end result. I often did not know what to expect when I got "there" but I'm happy that the process is still going on.

Over the next few months of CMD and BJJ classes, I hope you will take some time to list down in your journal/notebook/computer a few mini goals (10?) which will help you achieve a major goal. This has personally been helpful.

Blue belt May 2007

To share a personal experience with you, 4 years ago when I first put on a BJJ uniform, I vividly recall getting squashed like a pizza. I couldn't do anything to anyone, and none of the techniques I learned got a chance to work on my opponents.
Talk about demoralized and frustrated! Apparantly, its a trend now in our gym to seek a private training session with Adam or Sam to learn how to pass "Vince's guard".... c'mon guys, it's not all that hard and I only charge RM400 for the secret :)

4 years ago I knew I wanted to develop my jiu jitsu skills but didn't know which direction it would take or how my jiu jitsu game would end up, my only comfort was in knowing that I will be "good" at what I do (bear in mind I still compare my mat skills with beginners).

So to maximize my BJJ game, I needed to make my body work in a way that encapsulated strength, agility and flexibility. My reactions and timing had to be there and thinking, clear. My technique needs to be honed and seasoned to a level where I can react "without thinking" yet my concentration, tactile sensitivity were conditioned to produce results. This can only come from proper and systematic physical training, lots of mat time to practice to gain valuable experience and picking the minds of the experienced to develop my own personal hierarchy of techniques.

Of course, I still get smashed by people with superior skills but without losing, there is no way I would know in which direction to take my next step. Without seeing how a technique is done in a more efficient way or combination, my mind would stagnate and I would be caught in a web of complacency and laziness.

The UFC champion Matt Hughes, once said, "if you're the best in the academy, you can't learn anything new". Halleluia to that! So I make it a point to grapple with better athletes from whom I can learn a new thing everytime. Of course, this means my guard is passed, I tap, I get injured and play all kinds of crazy, experimental things so see if it works.

These are a few of my mini goals. My major goal is to achieve my BJJ black belt before I'm 50 years old. I'm already 40 this year so I've got some way to go ;P

In the big picture, a black belt means nothing to the average guy or girl. To me it is a vehicle for better and bigger things. Not the ability to physically dominate or bully anyone but to help focus my energy and thoughts in a line.

Goal setting is a way to help with that focus and objectivity training. Being responsible and accountable for those goals will make them come true!

Part of the CMD program is goal setting and if you are in the CM program you should have received a copy of the Athlete's workbook. If you are in the BJJ program you can search for goal setting on Google and start from there. It's a rewarding process (although at the beginning it may seem like a chore) but looking back I'm really glad I did it.

If you need to ask about goal setting for CM or BJJ let me know. I will be happy to assist where I can.