12 Ways Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Can Improve Your Life: 7. Humility

In life, it is important to be confident. It is also equally important to have humility. Being overly confident to the point where our ego gets in the way of life on and off the mats can land us in trouble once in a while.  For example, saying something that rubs someone the wrong way at work to a coworker or boss can cause you to become the office outcast. Another example would be acting like a sore loser in a moment of friendly competition with a friend or loved one resulting in someone being offended or upset by your actions.

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu there will be many times, especially in the beginning, when you get beat by someone smaller than you or a person much older or younger. These matches with people that at older, younger or smaller teach us how to deal with losing to someone we might not expect losing too. More importantly, it shows us how to move past it and how to learn. Although losing might seem contradictory to improving in Jiu Jitsu, it is actually our most useful tool.

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu a common saying is “check your ego at the door.” This is because humility helps you let go of the “lose-win” mindset, and focus on the more important matter of learning, whether it comes from winning the match or getting bested. It is important to release the “win-lose” mentality because it implies that only one person is getting a positive result from the match, the winner. While winning certainly feels good, you can receive just as much positivity from learning from the match and ultimately letting that improve your skills and abilities on and off the mats.