One of the greatest BJJ athletes ever recently gave some great advice on how habits can form a champion. Here, Rafael Lovato Jr spoke about what it took to become great and how to achieve your goals as an athlete. Often in BJJ, advice applied to the mats can also be applied to other areas of life.
Specifically, Lovato Jr said: ‘Habits are everything. Carry the attitude of a champion in all that you do. Remember the past is the past. Always focus on what you can do right now. Breathe and center your mind. Be grateful to have people around you that can push you. Happy Monday!’
This was accompanied by a text photo that added, ‘No matter how exhausted or frustrated you may feel after an intense round of training, you must always end the round by shaking your partner’s hand, telling him thank you or good training, then immediately stand up, walk, and tie your belt with your poker face like you are a machine.’
Based out of Oklahoma City, some of his notable accomplishments include being the first American to win the Brazilian National Championships (Brasileiro) at the Black Belt level, as well as winning the World Championships as a Black Belt, making him only the second American to do so after BJ Penn. He received the prestigious BJJ Competitor of the Year Award for 2007, won a Bellator belt, and holds a black belt in BJJ under Carlos Machado.
