On its surface Jiu-Jitsu seems like a waste of time for adults. People getting together, wrestling, trying to strangle each other…
I’ve put over 1,000 hours in on the mat. Here is why it makes perfect sense to me.
- Competence builds confidence. It is great to learn self-defense, but it is even better to actually get good. This confidence spills into other areas of life.
- Strong convictions, loosely held. This important life principle is taught and retaught every sparring round. In Jiu-Jitsu you have a sentient opponent who reacts to what you do. This creates a dynamic problem solving environment. As such: you need to attack opportunities when they arise, but quickly move on if they don’t work or the situation changes.
- Observe, orient, decide, act. The OODA loop is a concept popularized by John Boyd, taught to fighter pilots. The idea is that the pilot who can go through the loop fastest wins. This applies to all forms of competition.
- Deliberate practice is the key to getting better. Deliberate practice is practice that is approached with an intention and feedback afterwards. Naïve practice is showing up and going through the motions. Deliberate practice is an accelerant when applied to your career. Naïve practice is how you get the same experience for years on end.
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