Student X comes to Paramount BJJ with the goal of fighting in the UFC. Student Y wants to win an IBJJF (Jiu-Jitsu) tournament. Student Z wants to fight and win an amateur Muay Thai bout. The student enrolls and begins training. After a year, he is still training just 2 days a week. When his coach reminds him that to reach the UFC an athlete must be training daily Student X/Y/Z says, “I can only train twice a week, I work 60 hours a week and I’ve got a wife and 2 kids.”
What should he do?
The answer is simple, but the decision may not be easy. When a person’s goals and actions are not compatible, that person must change one of the two. In the above example, the student must decide whether to change his actions (frequency of training) and accept those consequnces, or change his goal and accept those consequences.
The consequences of increasing training time could be serious- being reprimanded at work, being demoted or even fired, relationships can be strained or even lost. On the other hand, it’s scary to face the stress and depression that comes from accepting that you just aren’t willing to do what you need to reach the goal you originally set.
It is not often that a person looks themselves in the mirror and objectively evaluates their potential and willingness to achieve their goals. Most often, people have a vague idea of what they want to achieve and a vague idea of how to do it. Even when told directly exactly how to achieve their goals, many aren’t initially willing to accept the amount of work it will take.
(For example, I’ve seen students training 3 days a week with the goal of winning a BJJ World Championship- It’s not going to happen)
Here’s the cold hard truth. Before you make a firm commitment to achieving a goal, you should first discuss it with your coach and family. Take some time to really think about whether you’re willing to do what it takes, what both your coach and family will ask of you. Then commit it, or modify your goal to match what you are willing to commit.
More information on training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and MMA in Downingtown PA can be found HERE.