ADCC veteran Robert Drysdale recently delivered a blunt perspective on responsibility in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – pushing back against the common tendency to blame external factors for lack of progress.

Speaking on the Wash Your Gi podcast, Drysdale made his stance clear:

It’s never your coach. It’s never your training partners.
It’s never your girlfriend. It’s never the referee. It’s always you.

Your coach at best is 1% responsible for your journey, which is ironic because people put this hyper focus on the coach.

According to Drysdale, that mindset often serves as an excuse rather than a solution:

Man, if with that mindset, you’re not making it anywhere.
It’s just an easy way out.

He believes one of the biggest issues in modern Jiu-Jitsu is a misalignment of priorities:

I think that’s a huge problem in jiu-jitsu. We see this everywhere. People have the wrong metrics in sight.
They’re more worried about followers than they were about being great.

According to him, this shift in focus makes real development difficult, if not impossible:

You can’t help someone whose heart is more invested in approval on social media than it is in being great on the mats.

How am I supposed to make a diamond out of you with what you’re giving me?

Drysdale ultimately sees this as a broader cultural issue within the sport – one that places ego and external validation above discipline and growth:

It’s a generation of very, very self-centered practitioners.
It’s very difficult to deal with.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Wash Your Gi Podcast (@wash.your.gi)

Sloth Jiu-Jitsu: The Ultimate Guide for Calmly Beating Bigger, Younger Opponents

💥 What if slowing down was the fastest way to win? 💭 Tired of Getting Smashed by Younger, Stronger Grapplers? It’s not your age. It’s your strategy. If you’re a passionate grappler over 35 who’s sick of getting outpaced, outmuscled, or out-cardio’d by opponents half your age — this 120 page e-book was made for you. 🔓 Unlock the Power of Sloth Jiu-Jitsu:

Build Sustainable Strength—Without Wrecking Your Joints, Energy, or Jiu-Jitsu

Tired of waking up sore and burnt out after lifting? Sloth Strength is a proven blueprint for grapplers over 35 who want to get stronger—without the pain, burnout, or injuries.

Developed from 25 years on the mats, this no-burnout approach is made specifically for BJJ athletes in their 30s, 40s, and beyond.