Ryan Hall believes that you should compete if you train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu – and it has a lot to do with the mindset you are developing along the way.

Hall believes that, when approached with the right mindset, competition instills discipline, resilience, and a laser-sharp focus:

Competition, if done properly, forces you to be better.
Anytime you have a clear goal and strong opposition, you’re going to improve.

However, Hall doesn’t just advocate for competition – he challenges those who enter tournaments without full commitment to win:

Going in with a “let’s see what happens” mindset is a cowardly way to compete.
That approach gives you nothing. It doesn’t teach you what you need to learn.

His perspective comes from personal experience:

I’ve put everything into preparation, fought hard, and won.
I’ve also done the same and lost, and it hurts. It really hurts.

But for Hall, the pain of defeat is far more valuable than the hollow comfort of playing it safe.
And so, when you apply to something, you need to apply to it fully:

If you half-ass it, the loss won’t sting as much, because you never really put yourself out there.
But that’s how a coward approaches things.