In modern life it could be argued that mental toughness is lacking in some parts of society. Arguably, life is too easy now, with technology making things more convenient than ever. Because of this, people need to find a balance and by adding a mentally tough workout such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – can reclaim some mental toughness in their lives. In brief, whilst BJJ may not make you into a spartan warrior or philosophical scholar; it will enhance your ability to push through hard times in both training and in general life.
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Why BJJ will make you a tougher individual
As John Danaher once said, “there is a difference between discomfort and pain”. What he meant by this is pain is something which is horrific, such as breaking your arm. You should tap if an armbar is locked in and is beginning to break your arm through pressure. However, discomfort is completely different. An example of discomfort in BJJ could be getting cross faced or receiving shoulder pressure. Yes, it is uncomfortable and may hurt a little. But it isn’t pain that could potentially maim or kill. With this said, when first training you may find pressure difficult and whilst this doesn’t go away you will also learn to tolerate it.
This can be used as a metaphor for wider life. For instance, you will have bad days where bad things happen which is discomfort. These things may be annoying but if they don’t harm you then you will survive. The pain is something horrible happening like a life-threatening illness or grief of a family member. By experiencing true pain, it will shape you and isn’t a nice experience. However, it is not really comparable to discomfort which may be a mild distraction in the big scheme of things.
Without BJJ the smaller things may be harder
As looked at, discomfort and pain are two different things. The idea is that in modern-day, some people over-react to discomfort and confuse it with pain. For example, getting insulted on social media should not really affect you. Whilst it’s something which is bad and wrong – it isn’t something which should cause pain and impact your life. In short, by training BJJ you will begin to see things like this example for what they are; a small event with little impact on you. If it can’t physically hurt you then you can move on.
However, without training BJJ then suddenly these issues can become bigger. If your life doesn’t involve any form of mental or physical toughness then you may become easily affected by smaller things. Because of this, training BJJ helps put things into perspective. In short, by training BJJ you will learn to tolerate physical discomfort which should translate in tolerating mental discomfort outside of the gym.
BJJ adds structure and discipline which is good for the soul
Every successful person ever follows routine and structure. In extreme terms, this can be seen with any military organization. This is because with the military, routine and structure is key to saving lives. Back in the ordinary world, structure isn’t as vital for the average person. However, this doesn’t mean that it isn’t relevant.
By adding structure to your life, you create discipline which key to building mental strength. Without discipline, you cannot expect to stick with things which means you cannot expect to grow things either. For example, if you want to start a business but lack structure then you will lack discipline; this can result in failure. Because of this, BJJ is great for adding structure.
For instance, if you enjoy BJJ then you will train it and create a routine. By creating a routine for something you like, you’re more likely to be able to make a routine for something you don’t like. In starting positive mental behavior patterns, these can be applied to other areas of life when times get hard. With this said, getting into a habit of training consistently is a great mentality to apply to other parts of your lifestyle.
Hard rolls make tough people
Some people will train BJJ and do it in a certain way. For instance, if you’re older and train for fitness then you may gain mental toughness from burning calories and getting a hard workout. However, for those who like hard rolling, it will also create a hard mentality. Whilst rolling hard all the time isn’t advised in terms of injuries; it is good to do every now and then to truly test yourself.
In brief, hard rolls are not always easy or fun – and they aren’t meant to be. Sometimes you may get beat during the roll and face heavy pressure throughout. Because of this, you are effectively testing your tolerance and ego. If you get smashed and can take it, then it shows you have the correct attitude. However, if you get smashed and get angry, then it shows you may lack toughness. Basically, you should embrace the hard times and physical roughness. As long as you’re not in danger, there’s no harm in rolling hard and pushing yourself.
BJJ creates leaders
One lesser-regarded aspect of mental toughness is the leadership qualities that form from this. If you can gain toughness then you’re more likely to be looked up to. Similarly, as you rise through the ranks of BJJ – newcomers will also look up to you. For instance, if you become a black belt then this brings a certain amount of authority and respect from others. A result of this is that people will ask you for advice and admire your longevity and knowledge in the sport. Because of this, you become a role model within the gym whether you like it or not.
With this newfound respect, you’re more likely to become a leader. Some of the qualities of leadership include determination, setting good examples, teaching, and trying to improve others. In doing this, you set an example and have to be strong at all times. Whilst you’re still only human, by showing these qualities you still have to maintain standards and set a precedent. This develops mental toughness by constantly setting high standards and sticking to them.
Summary
As mentioned, there are several ways in which BJJ breads mental toughness. From physically tough rounds to breaking your ego – to coming out the other end as a leader – the BJJ lifestyle can be brutal at times but it gets results. Because of this, it can truly change lives and improve people for the better. Whilst these improvements may not happen over night, you can still expect to become a more resilient character if you stick with BJJ and take the good times with the bad.
