Feeling frustrated a bit, eh? You’d somewhat like to pull the hair out of your head because you can’t figure that technique out… Even though the coach has shown it, like, a hundred times? Or maybe you’re staring blankly into the wall because no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to get your first win at a tournament?
Frustration is a true struggle for almost every Brazilian Jiu Jitsu athlete. Here’s how YOU can get over it, and make sure that it doesn’t hold you back from enjoying the beauty of BJJ.
ARE YOU FRUSTRATED BECAUSE OF BJJ OR SOMETHING ELSE?
Ever been to a doctor, telling him about a pain of sorts – perhaps your knee hurt – only for him to tell you that the location of pain isn’t the source of it? Maybe your knee hurt because your hamstrings are stiff as a rock. Or maybe you have some hip issues. Whatever it may have been, the bottom line was: the location of pain wasn’t the source of pain. Something else needed fixing, for it to be gone.
Same thing may be true for your Jiu Jitsu. Perhaps you’ve been building up stress at your job, where you’re unable to experience it because of the daily rush… And then, when you can finally unwind a bit, that frustration shows its ugly head. Or, maybe you’re not feeling well due to some other situation(s) in your life; and BJJ simply ends up as a place where these frustrations make their presence known.
Be very mindful. Think if it’s truly Jiu Jitsu that creates stress; or could it be that you’re overreacting to stuff you usually wouldn’t mind at all, simply because your stress levels are peaking in other areas of your life.
TALK THE FRUSTRATION OUT
The way to figuring out the solution to a problem is to first figure out what the problem really is, as we’ve discussed above. If frustration is truly found in your BJJ practice (and even if it isn’t), then the best way to formulate that problem is to – talk it out.
Talk it out into existence, into the open space! If you’re constantly thinking about it, chances are that you’re doing it in a cyclic motion; same thoughts repeat themselves over and over again, without concrete resolution. The way to counter and solve this is to speak those thoughts out; once you do that, once you share them with another person, you’ll be able to better understand them.
Plus, as you come to better understand your frustrations, so will the people listening to you be able to give you some advice. This is why it’s good to talk it out with your BJJ friends and your coach.
Your friends may be sharing the same frustrations as you do, and you will be able to exchange experiences and common grounds upon which you can solve the issue(s). Your coach, on top of that, will also be able to give you good advice; after all, he has gone through it and can impart some wisdom that will serve as a helping hand.
DON’T QUIT
When it all comes down to it, don’t quit BJJ just because you’re frustrated with something. If you quit, then, well, you won’t solve those frustrations; you’ll just be running away from them.
The best way to solve any sort of a problem is to keep at it. Think about it and talk about it, yes – but keep moving as well. Jiu Jitsu will grant you great gifts; ones that’ll heavily overcome all those frustrations you’re feeling at this moment.
