Grit

Posted on by moderndayzendaddy

It is said that, “Life is hard.” Even within the context of our modern era, and all the luxuries that we enjoy these days, there are those who succeed and those who fail, those who appear to have it pretty easy and those who struggle. On this spectrum one can find families who are financially secure and those who struggle to make rent, or world-class athletes alongside poor folks who are too obese to get out of bed.

There are many factors that lead to such disparity. Many are out of our control, such as our genetic predisposition, or where we were born, whether geographically, or socio-economically. As I’m continually reminding my children, fretting about these things is a waste of time and energy. Focus instead, on the things you can do something about, and get busy doing something about them. In this regard, Life is hard – it requires a concerted effort over a long period of time in order to achieve higher levels of success.

Take world-class athletes as an example. Ask anybody who has competed at the World-Championship or Olympic level in any sport and they will tell you the same thing. It is a long, hard road. Having some talent doesn’t hurt, but at the end it’s about who is willing to put in the long, hard hours, day-in and day-out, year after year, in order to reach their goal.

Thankfully, there is plenty of research on this subject. Indeed, self-help/self-improvement is a multi-billion dollar industry. While there are many factors recognized as being keys to success, one constant is Grit: dedication, indefatigability, perseverance, steadfastness, tenacity, or stick-to-itiveness. Whatever you wish to call it, one undeniable fact is: those who keep trying keep succeeding.

Check out this great Ted Talk on Grit.

 

This week the Little Samurai and Junior Jujiteiros will be working on escaping the side control and mount positions, while Adults Level 1 will be working on arm bars and arm bar escapes.

See you on the mats!

Put In The Work

Posted on by moderndayzendaddy

The past two weeks we discussed the importance of being your own CEO and Manager. While these roles help you develop a great vision and a strong plan, they don’t get the work done. Strong leadership and effective management still need talented labor to provide a quality, finished product. All the dreaming and planning in Organization trianglethe world is just that. If the work isn’t being done, well, nothing gets done. See that girl above with the shovel? She’s the one that “gits ‘er done!”

Try as we might, there’s no escaping this part. You can manage yourself well, work smarter, thereby being more efficient with your effort, but in the end, you’ve still gotta put in the effort. You’ve got to batten down that cap, put on your gloves, and get to shoveling.

For the jujiterio, this means mat time. You can dream about that gold medal around your neck, and plan on training twice a day. You can pay close attention to your professor, ask lots of questions, and theorize about strategy. You can watch videos on YouTube, and cheer on your favorite fighter in the latest UFC. None of that can replace the key component: mat time. You’ve gotta put in the work. Don’t get me wrong, that other stuff is fun, and it’s important – but it falls into one of the first two categories. After you’ve done all of that, get on the mat and put in the work!

The Little Samurai will be working on the fundamental movements of break-falling and the technical stand-up, as well as their self-defense application. Junior Jujiteiros will be reviewing basic attacks from the closed guard and learning a couple passes. The Adult Level 1 class will be working on some fundamental take-downs from more of a self-defense perspective.

See you on the mats!

Management

Posted on by moderndayzendaddy

Last week we talked a bit about the business model as it relates to our personal lives. This week, we’d like to touch on the second part of the model: Management. Management is in charge of developing a plan to achieve the desired goal, and guiding the progress along the way. If management does a poor job, then the organization is inefficient, or completely ineffective in achieving the goal.

Organization triangle

Once you’ve established the big picture, or your vision, it’s time for “management” to figure out a plan of action. How are you going to get where you’re going? What steps must you take in order to bring your dream to fruition? Will it take you weeks, months, or years?

In order to check your progress, this roadmap should have some measurable goals, or checkpoints, along the way. Break down big goals into smaller, more easily achievable ones. If your goal is a week out, you may need daily goals; if a year out, perhaps monthly checkpoints are in order. However you decide to do it, these checkpoints are vital, as they help you make sure you’re on the right path, and are powerful motivators.

Your plan should also be flexible. It’s good to have some contingency plans, because sometimes “life happens.” Unforeseen circumstances, if not adjusted to, can disrupt our pursuits. Without flexibility, it’s difficult to adjust to the change and continue moving forward. Recognize when circumstances change, modify your plan accordingly, and stay the course.

Finally, surround yourself with like-minded people, both peers and mentors. There’s nothing quite as uplifting as the support from a group of folks who are traveling the same path, and experiencing the same trials and tribulations. Finding a mentor can provide the guidance and reassurance needed to stay focused on your journey.

All of this planning is a critical step in the process of being successful. Not only does it help you be more efficient, and effective, but knowing you have a well thought-out plan helps keep you motivated along the way!

The Junior Jujiteiros and Adult Level 1 classes will be focusing on a number of sweeps from the closed guard this week.

See you all on the mats!

What’s your Vision?

Posted on by moderndayzendaddy

Behind every successful organization one will find three essential roles that helped lead to victory. Whether a multi-national corporation with thousands of employees, or a sole proprietor, Leadership, Management, and Labor are all necessary parts of the whole. Without any one of the three, an organization will struggle to accomplish it’s intended goals, and more than likely fail all together.

Organization triangle

This business model applies just as well to each and every one of us as individuals. The better we are at embracing all three roles in our personal lives, the better we are at achieving our goals. You have to be your own CEO, Manager, and Laborer.

Leadership provides the ultimate goal, product, or Vision of an organization. Without this, there is no business to begin with. These are the folks that dream big, look for opportunity, and envision the final outcome.

So what is your vision? What do you want to do with your life? Each of us needs to take the time to dream, and decide what it is we want for ourselves. As the leader of your life, you have to ask yourself the eternal question, “What do I want to be when I grow up?” Starting big and general, work your way into a more well-defined, specific picture. Where do you want to live? Profession? Education? Married/single/family?

You have chosen to pursue this Brazilian jiujitsu thing. What does that mean to you? Do you want to get in better shape? Learn to defend yourself? Have fun? Become a world champion? Your goals are yours alone. However, as a member of our school, you’re surrounded by like-minded souls on similar paths. We can all help each other achieve success, however each of us may define it. What is your vision?

We’ll be talking about this life-skill in the kids classes this week. We’re going to work on a few ways to break the opponent’s closed guard in the kid’s classes and the Adult Level 1 classes.

See you on the mats!