What’s that title mean? Well, I guess it all boils down to if you’re gonna talk the talk, you sure as hell better walk the walk. I pride myself in establishing that my word is my bond; I don’t commit myself to tasks and obligations only to not follow through. If I promise something, I damn right stick to it, unlike the jargon of empty political promises we face on a regular basis. Nobody likes that person who consistently comes up empty and is the least reliable individual in a clutch situation. Secondly, people also learn to resent the person who talks a big game but has little to back it up with. If you want to be an all-star competitor, you better learn to be an all-star training partner, a consistent driller, and a dedicated individual. If you want to be a Grade A fighter, you better do all the work people don’t see behind closed doors plus the hours people do bare witness to. Basically, put up or shut the fuck up.
We all want to believe we are special in some sort of unique way; that there is something about us that sets us apart from the rest. However, while I wholeheartedly believe we all have the capabilities to excel past mediocre into something truly magnificent, few members of the population possess the dedication, commitment, and willpower, discipline, and drive to make it happenn. There is a significant amount we can achieve by sheer perseverance, aggression, and luck, but eventually a wall will be hit if we never push past the boundaries that threaten to throw a wrench into our journey. Be mentally stronger than the problems that arise and deter you from your dreams.
Smooth seas never made for a skilled sailor, so why should any of our paths not be paved with potholes and cobblestones; we need the difficulties to crop up so that we have the chance to rise above it. If everything always went according to plan, with little to no struggles faced, then we would never reach our full potential. Jiu Jitsu has a saying about learning to be comfortable being uncomfortable. The adversities we face on the mats and in life are opportunities for us to learn how to flourish above certain situations and become all the much better for it.
It’s good to believe in yourself, but you run a risk of limiting your potential if you become too consumed in believing your own hype. Confidence is a great thing to possess, but cockiness is a whole different issue. When it comes to drinking the Koolaid of your own potential, make sure it hasn’t been laced with cyanide beforehand. Jiu Jitsu is hard man, and not every day you step on the mats in training or competition will be a glorious day for you. There is a reason people often talk about plateaus or sometimes being the nail versus the hammer. The good thing is, the more you prepare yourself in your training, the greater chance you give yourself to excel. While you may not always come away with a win, the more often you train and compete, the law of averages dictate that you will emerge victorious on more occasions. You will fail at some point, that is life, but those who learn how to work on their shortcomings to inevitably fix them rather than relying on excuses will no doubt accomplish greatness.
If you want to be a winner, you need to put in the work with your body, and not just with your mouth. (Side note, is this a Jiu Jitsu blog or a manifesto on sexual work? Both are applicable I guess). Do all within your power to prepare and regardless of the outcome, you won’t be left with questions of ‘what-if’ or thoughts of regret. If we fail to prepare then we inevitably prepare to fail, so might as well put our best foot forward in order to give us the best possible chance of success. We may still fall short, but at least we can rest easy knowing we gave it our all. There will be a multitude of setbacks, reasons why we could absolve ourselves of responsibility and no one would bat an eye, and other issues that crop up and cause us to hesitate or falter. But the strongest above us all will rise up to the occasion and walk that walk that our lips talked. Zip those lips and get it done.
