The Power of Doing

So Nike has had the tagline for the past 3 decades. It has proven to be very effective. Those 3 powerful words sum up one of the best pieces of advice that anyone can ever get from anyone… much more than billboards have ever given to anyone who has experienced training rut. Your BJJ is not going to happen unless YOU make it happen. Your life is not going to improve until you have come to terms with your improvement… and do it! Achieving by doing.

The power of doing. The power to act on what we feel. Often, this question comes in: am I ready to act? 99u.com has a good insight on acting: just do it. What I’ve learned is that no one is ever ready for anything. You may give days, weeks, or months putting off and planning what you intend on doing with your Jiu-Jitsu. Have you been putting off joining that prestigious competition? Here’s some advice: Just do it! Are you afraid of losing in front of a crowd? Just go for it. Again, we have a saying in Gracie Barra: there is no such thing as losing only learning! Possess the power of acting on your goals. Have the fiery passion to upgrade beyond your current standards. Act! And the rest will just follow!

Tips on Doing It 

Sacrifice one thing for the other

It’s quid pro quo for yourself. It’s trading a least productive behavior to another one. The principle of alchemy is no different than the principle we have in life… for one thing to transform to another, there has to be equal exchange of matter. But the good thing about Jiu-Jitsu is that those who have given up things succeeded! You can dtoo!

Establish Habits

Before establishing habits, behaviors have to lead to it. Our behaviors determine the course of our actions. It is never too late. Some say, “I am too old for this stuff, “ or “I have tried before but failed!”

The reason most people fail is because they fail to establish the habits needed to succeed. Not only in BJJ, but this includes work, life, relationships, etc. Establish a habit of waking up early for BJJ, or finishing work early so you can get off work on time. Establish the habit of creating a meaningful, upbeat, energetic training session. You’d be glad you did!

Reward and Punishment

This is related to establishing habits. Let’s say that on a typical week where you only attended one session of serious grappling compared to three or more. So do we feel good about ourselves that we do? Of course we shouldn’t. However, without the idea of the presence of repercussions, we become absolutely complacent with “it’s ok. I’ll try harder next week.”

There is a notion of reward and punishment: we shouldn’t be hard on ourselves. But look at a broader perspective. NO one is going to improve us unless we are the ones who take out the whip and punish ourselves. But don’t get me wrong. It’s NOT PHYSICAL punishment. Punish yourself by giving up one pleasurable thing that you enjoy doing (not BJJ, I hope). As a writer and future BJJ legend (LOL!), I punish myself if I don’t write anything. I will have to give up going on the internet and social media! Sad as it is, but I have to. But when I do BJJ, I REWARD myself with an hour-long massage session. Pretty nifty right?

Men in the world have long given so much credit on the power of doing. Without doing, there won’t be results. It’s as simple as that.

Your next stripe and belt level is waiting for you! Go out and do it! Just do it. You’ll be glad you did!

Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone… and the doer!