Musings from a Former Rugby Player

When I was playing rugby I had a goal to be the best at what I was doing. My friends would often ask- why can’t you come to “XYZ” event? Can you skip practice? Why are you busy Saturdays? Sundays? Etc… My priority was rugby- and to the average person that made no sense. I often gave in to pressure from friends because I was worried about what people would think and about the impact on my social life etc..

Fast forward to training Jiu Jitsu. Suddenly everything became about my ability to train. Can’t go out because I have class in the A.M, can’t drink because I have a tournament. I stopped letting people sabotage my training and I saw nothing but progress. Jiu Jitsu really isn’t for the average person. There are sacrifices that must be made to truly be good at what you do. Your family might not get it. Why aren’t you eating mashed potatoes and all of the sides at Thanksgiving? Why are you cutting weight again? Why are you pursuing a goal that doesn’t matter to them? Because it matters to me and I prioritize my well-being over the feelings/wants of people around me. It’s easier to stay home and watch TV, go out and drink, or eat out every night. It is easy to live a comfortable life, but the majority of us who have set foot on the mat, don’t want comfort. We are chasing something, even if it’s hard or uncomfortable. The reality is that nothing feels as good as seeing your hard work pay off- be that a gold medal, a promotion, or just the moment when something finally clicks.

Jiu-jitsu is life-changing.

-Professor Maggie