Losing Is Part Of The Cycle

Competition is a great way to put your skill to the test. It's a reality check of how your effort put into training will translate when you are put under pressure. It's an amazing feeling to have your hand raised and know that all your hard work got you to that point. At one point (or many) you are going to come up short. How will you handle the loss?

You lost the battle, not the war. Success is a living, breathing process and it could take a lot of failures to get to where you want to be. It is important to realize that when you lose, you must take it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Sure, it may be easier to say than do, but learning to manage your mental state in times like these is a crucial part of the game.

Statistically, I have lost more matches than I have ever won. I like to compare the feeling to one of my first major hobbies of skateboarding. It takes so many attempts to learn a basic movement and synchronize your body to be able to put that movement to the test. All the times you risk bodily harm, yet there's a beautiful thing happening; you are programming yourself to be mentally strong. I spent countless hours failing to eventually attain the goal that I was trying to reach for so long; landing the that trick. It's a feeling that no one can buy when your hard work speaks for itself.

Through determination and perseverance, all those failed attempts begin to shape the way you value the end result. I had never appreciated anything as much as the things that were accomplished after weeks, months, or even years of being unsuccessful. On that same token, my mind also began to appreciate that growing process just as much as, if not more, than the finished product itself. Embracing the suck and loving the process is what it is all about.

I've heard countless cliches over the years from person after person saying: "it's the journey not the destination," and "it's a marathon, not a sprint." Of course I thought I understood, but it never truly made complete sense until I experienced it for myself. Self-growth comes from reflecting on personal experiences; that is simply something you cannot fully feel from reading and studying. By using these reflections, we can began to understand what is lacking and shape the way we think and train to improve.

One of the first things I realized with competing is directly related to something I already knew about jiu jitsu in general. It's that same thing that gets relayed to someone who wants to start learning the art. They feel as though they have to get in shape for it first, yet to get in shape for jiu jitsu, you have to do it! The same goes for competition; if you want to get better at competing, you have to compete!

Thinking a little deeper on the other end of the spectrum, the idea of "being in shape first" is still slightly true. However I believe it's not being physically ready, but being mentally prepared to take on the process. It is going to take some serious mental strength to immerse yourself into such a different element of the game and learn to deal with the roller coaster of emotions that come along the way. That is the biggest barrier that stands in your way to begin something new. That is the barrier that needs to be hurdled to get better and win.

How is it possible to face this wall standing in front of you beforehand you might ask? Ask yourself ahead of time why you want to compete and if you are ready to put in the effort to prepare. Think about the benefits of putting yourself out there and testing what you have dedicated your time towards. And lastly, if you lose, take the time to see the chance to tighten up your game and start the process over again.

It's a beautiful process to train, perform, reflect, repeat.

With the main goal being to become a better martial artist and person as a whole. Put yourself out there and have fun with it. Competition is just another tool for learning the craft. By looking at every outcome as another way to learn, you will be one chance closer to getting where you want to be. Keep training and setting goals, and you'll be where you want to be before you know it. Success will not happen in a single day, so keep your head up and put in the work.