Having a one bad day at training is no big deal. Having a week or even a month is no big deal either… But what if you’ve been sucking at BJJ for a long time – how do you deal with that? How do you stay motivated and keep going, when things obviously aren’t going into your favor?
You need to approach this issue head on, at least if you wish to keep training Jiu-Jitsu for years down the line. For, if your motivation dwindles with time, so will your eagerness to stay involved in the Arte Suave.
Therefore, it’s better safe than sorry! Here are 4 ways to keep your spirits high during long periods of sucking in BJJ.
PRIORITIZE DISCIPLINE OVER STAYING MOTIVATED
Now, even though we’ve mentioned that staying motivated is really important for the longevity of your BJJ journey, there’s one thing which is even more important than that. Do you know what it is?
Yup, it’s discipline. You should prioritize discipline over motivation every day of the week, because it’s going to take you much further in Jiu-Jitsu (or anything else in life, for that matter) than motivation ever could.
You can look at it through the lens of a metaphor: the motivation kindles the flame… But discipline keeps the fire – the progress – burning.
So, make it a point to just keep showing up to training, motivated or not. Long term, it’s going to build character and the relentlessness necessary for reaching the pinnacle of your grappling.
DEVELOP CONCRETE GOALS FOR EACH TRAINING SESSION
If your only BJJ goal is to „reach a black belt one day“, to „win an XYZ competition“, or something similar… It’s going to be tough to stay motivated. Especially when things haven’t been going your way for quite a while.
So what do you do? You form short-term goals – goals for each training session.
Make up your mind what you want to work on and achieve each training. For example, perhaps you’d like to get really good at Armbars, so you could go for the bare minimum of 5 Armbar finishes on your next training.
This doesn’t mean that you’ll successfully reach your goal each time, of course. But you’ll at least have concrete goals and benchmarks to work towards, and that’s the most important thing – as it will keep you motivated.
BE ANALYTICAL OF WHAT YOU SUCK AT
Take a notebook and start writing. Seriously!
After each training session, when you get home, take at least 10 minutes of your time to analyze what you did wrong in your training, write it down, and figure out ways to improve at it.
One of the worst things about being demotivated doesn’t have to do with actually „sucking“ at Jiu-Jitsu, but it has to do with not knowing what the exact cause for your lack of progress is… And how to solve it.
By becoming analytical about your suck-iness, you’ll identify the key areas, positions, and techniques that aren’t going your way. With that, you’ll know what you should work on if you wish to continue improving.
UNDERSTAND THAT YOU’RE IN THIS FOR THE LONG RUN
And finally, take a breather for a bit. Stop and think: for how long do you wish to keep training BJJ?
You’re in this for the long run; for as long as your body, health, and time allows. Why should you be stressed out about sucking for a while?
One day you’ll look back on this period and realize that it was nothing more than an episode in your journey. Enjoy it, and the whole journey, while it lasts.
