JIU-JITSU / LIFE ANALOGIES
1. Face Your Fears
When you first start Jiu-Jitsu, it is most tempting to turn away from your opponent when in a bad position. Whether in Mount, Side Control, etc. doing so gives your opponent your back. This gives you very little chance to attack life head-on. Face your opponent. Face your fears.
2. Keep Your Friends Close, Keep Your Elbows Closer
Don’t let others get the best of you by overextending yourself. Keeping your elbows tight helps defend the chance of upper body submissions. Be ready for anything that may be thrown at you. Know that you are ready because you aren’t overextending yourself in areas of your life that you shouldn’t be.
3. All In or All Out
If you decide to do something, commit all the way or don’t commit at all. You want to do the underpass? Great, but don’t commit half way by leaving an arm in guard or else you are going to get triangled or arm barred! Spend time perfecting the things you have success with and put everything you have into those things. Be All In or All Out!
4. Always Move Forward
Sure there are times to move out of the way of danger, but you must always be moving forward. You can stall yourself out by staying on the outside, making excuses, and never passing the guard. Or, you can take it head-on and continue to press forward, regardless of what is thrown at you. You are going to fail. You are going to get submitted. Use those experiences in life excuse free and MOVE FORWARD!
5. Worry About Your Position First!
This is what I believe to be the MOST important of the five. If you are not focused on where you are first, then it is hard to accomplish much. If you are stuck worrying about what your opponent is doing, what position they are in, or what they are accomplishing, then you will never get your game started. Ask yourself: Am I in good position? Am I able to have success in this position? If not, focus on working out of those positions before you worry about what others may be doing in their lives.