Rickson Gracie is regarded by many as the greatest BJJ practitioner of all time.
But, even despite his numerous successes, Rickson came to understand that the most important things in life cannot be “bought” by success and money alone.
He revealed why, as well as shared his love for meeting new people, in his “Breathe: A Life In Flow” book:
Money can’t buy the most important things in life. Friendship, loyalty, courage, honesty, happiness, intelligence—anyone from any class, race, or station in life may or may not have these attributes.
If I felt power, love, respect, intelligence, I was going to engage with an open heart and be willing to accept that person as a brother or sister.
Rickson always wanted to learn and improve, which reflected on his friendships:
I realized at a very early age the value of interacting with people from all walks of life.
I was always curious and interested in anyone who did something really well.Fishing, bull riding, painting, singing, art—it didn’t matter—I have always admired ability in all of its manifestations.
I was never jealous or envious; in fact, sometimes I wish I could’ve spent more time learning different things.
All in all, he tried to savor every moment he could:
The Japanese have an expression, ichi-go ichi-e, which roughly translates to “once in a lifetime.”
It could refer to a gathering of friends, a special meal, an epic day of surf, but the idea is to savor that occasion, because it will never come again.I share this view and believe that if you see every moment in life as a unique opportunity, you live with much more intensity and precision because you are using 100 percent of your energy, your voice, and your senses.
It is always important to remember that.
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