One Stripe Closer

What Jiu Jitsu has taught me about goals, consistency and showing up

I’m one stripe closer to my black belt!

And yes, I’m pretty excited about it. 😂

When I started Jiu Jitsu, I had a big goal in mind: one day, I wanted to earn my black belt.

At the time, it seemed a very long way away.

I’m a late starter in the sport, and I knew there would be plenty of learning, practising, failing, getting frustrated, trying again and showing up involved along the way.

But that’s one of the things I love about Jiu Jitsu.

You don’t get to skip the journey… You earn every little step.

A stripe might look small…

To someone who doesn’t train, a stripe on a belt probably doesn’t look like much.

To me, it represents hours on the mat, learning new things, getting things wrong, trying again, being uncomfortable, asking questions and turning up even when I don’t necessarily feel like it.

And that’s what struck me when I got my third stripe.

Big goals are achieved through lots of little ones.

You don’t suddenly become a black belt.

You become a little better, then a little better again.

The goal matters, but so does the journey

Having a goal gives you something to work towards, but I’ve discovered that the goal itself isn’t always the most important part.

Jiu Jitsu has given me strength, fitness, confidence, challenge, friendship and plenty of laughs along the way.

It has also taught me that progress isn’t always obvious.

Some weeks you feel like you’re improving.

Other weeks… not so much! 😂

But you keep showing up.

Practice. Learn. Adjust. Repeat.

What are you working towards?

Your goal doesn’t have to be a black belt.

It could be getting stronger – Returning to an activity you love – Walking further – Feeling confident in your body again – Learning something completely new – Or simply staying capable of doing the things that matter to you as you get older.

Whatever your goal is, I think there’s something powerful about having something that makes you want to keep moving forward.

So here’s to the next stripe… And eventually, that black belt.

I’ll keep showing up. 🥋