Keeping the motivation

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is addicting and is growing in popularity all over the world. But is a reality that the majority of people who starts their jiu-jitsu journey will never reach the coveted Black Belt.  

In fact, the majority of people quit at the blue belt level. If you’ve been training for a while, you’ve probably heard the term “Blue Belt Blues”. Why do people quit so much in BJJ if the art is so addicting and beneficial for everyone?

In this short informational, we are going to focus on how to keep your motivation hopefully all the way to the black belt and more.

Concentrate On One Goal at a time

At the beginning jiu jitsu can be overwhelming and a big reality check. For big strong guys, it is crazy to realize that someone smaller or a higher-belt female are able to submit them and that can be frustrating. The same goes for someone smaller or female; you realize that the ground fighting is something completely different and challenging when you get started but like everything, with time it gets better and the more you learn the more fun you will have. 

You should start with the mindset that you are here to learn the art and no one is expecting perfection from you. Your instructor knows that it is a process so the best advice at this point is that you don’t overthink things and focus on these goals:

•  Learn to relax - This is one of the most important things you will learn in jiu-jitsu and the faster you are able to relax the better you will be able to train, have fun, and avoid injuries. Not every round has to be the finals of a championship, just have fun and relax so you can train the next day.      
•  Get familiar with the main BJJ positions - The most common positions that are important to get familiar when you start BJJ are: 1. Back mount, 2. Front mount (top and bottom), 3. Side mount (top and bottom), 4. Guard Top & bottom.
  Focus on the first four and as you become more comfortable, and skilled you’ll start dabbling in the other positions like Turtle, North-South, Knee on Belly and different types of Guards.  
•  Learn to control your ego and accept that you will be tapped by more advanced students  (a lot!)- I am only gonna say that the black belt seems to be invincible but he has been tapped a thousand times more than you that are just starting. Tapping is part of the learning process and you should always be happy and grateful to have people better than you to teach you, so tap loud and proud. People with a good attitude learn faster ;)   
•  Pick one technique and master it - There is not enough amount of time in your lifetime to master every move in BJJ, there is so much to learn and so many combinations of moves that is important you spend a good amount of time mastering one move, for you won’t be effective and might lead to frustration. Practice a technique until you really understand the mechanics and it is working against many people.   

It is really hard to understand the concept of the motivation. But it is really one of the most important emotions that a person must feel while aiming for something to achieve better results in the end, It is Important to Concentrate on One Goal.    

Find inspiration 

Motivation and Inspiration have a similar purpose. These things can provide a person with a special reason to pursue a very special goal without hesitating. 

Inspiration can be used by a person to motivate oneself in the middle of a very difficult challenge. It is something that will really inspire a person to continue a long journey even if there are several trials and obstacles that are waiting. To inspire someone is like an act of motivating someone to become stronger and more confident. 

Inspiration is not so easy to find. Basically, it can be represented by an individual that has an important role in your journey (instructor, coach, teammate or family member) or an objective that’s very special for you to accomplish or live by. It is something that can encourage a person not to give up in this challenging journey. 

If you find a good instructor maybe he/she will be that inspiration for you. A good instructor will successfully help you clarify and reach your goals in BJJ. 

Some characteristics of a good instructor:

•  A good instructor won’t criticize you. It is one thing to be constructively helpful and another to be unconstructively critical. The quickest way to kill your inspiration is an instructor who just criticizes you.
•  A good instructor won’t humiliate you, especially if it is done in public. This will kill your inspiration and motivation to continue training. People that enjoy humiliating others usually have a low self-image and try to make themselves feel bigger by knocking others down. So probably is best to find a different mentor that will inspire you.
•  A good instructor focuses on developing others. True leaders and successful people create other leaders, this is important because you want an instructor that doesn’t hold you back and will help you and inspire you to reach your full potential.
•  A good instructor is Patient. A good instructor knows how to communicate, whether it's of a strategy, a situation, or a goal without getting frustrated. Jiu Jitsu is a lifelong journey, Patience is a trait that is essential to strong leadership.

Get excited 

With Jiu Jitsu, unlike many other sports, you are constantly learning new techniques. Mastering the skills needed for your next belt promotion means gaining confidence and self-discipline which are important lifelong skills. Also jiu jitsu training is never boring or predictable. 

Advancing from belt to belt, or even earning a new stripe for a belt is highly motivating & exciting and encourages you to set and achieve long-term goals. Earning a black belt can take some time but focus on improving a little bit every practice and giving your best. 

Holding a black belt is an achievement that you will likely treasure and be proud of for the rest your life. More importantly make sure you are having fun and enjoying the journey.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it – Keeping the motivation for jiu-jitsu and staying interested in it, is about focusing in achieving small goals, finding inspiration and being excited for the process. I recommend for you and your family to visit your local schools and request to try a class or only watch. This way, you can find out firsthand whether that academy is the right fit for you. 

Looking forward to seeing you on the mats someday!