Tenacity

If there is one thing I find guarantees a higher level of success at anything – it’s tenacity. Tenacity – that “stick with it”, “suck it up”, “make it happen”, “keep going” attitude that leads to success and even greatness.  Tenacity is the one and only secret to success in Jujitsu.

I have told many students that the secret to success in Jujitsu is continuing to show up.  But it is a little more than that. Showing up, and not giving it your all – over and over and over again – will not cut it.  So I revise my statement to – Tenacity is the secret to success in Jujitsu.

Tenacity also implies a level of difficulty in continuing an endeavor.  Nobody is considered tenacious because they sit on the couch and eat chips over and over and over.  But someone who tackles climing a mountain range, or shows up at a Boot Camp training course at their gym over and over, or sticks with the martial arts for year after year – is considered tenacious.

Tenacity can also be shown in never giving up on something.  A person finds a purpose, and then hammers away at it, week after week, month after month – refusing to give in to distractions or resistance until his or her will is imposed.  I see that sometimes at the dojo where a senior student will take on a junior student as a “project”.  The senior student sees the potential and is insistent that the junior will fulfill his potential.  So week after week – class upon class, the senior student pushes, encourages, challenges, and develops the junior – knowing what that junior can become.

Of course, anyone who has attended a military specialty school like Airborne, or Air Assault, or Ranger, or BUDs, or Sniper knows what tenacity means.  You will be challenged mentally and physically far beyond where your mind thinks it can go.  And only those that keep on keepin’ on will make it through.  We aren’t a military school – but we have many ex-military and police instructors and students – so sometimes portions of the class take on the feeling of a military school.  Students and Instructors are pushed to their limits – whether it is a crazy long run through a rail yard, or up a huge hill, or an hour an a half of newaza, or carrying your partner fireman style for a loooonnnngg time, or even just ridiculously long ab workouts – you get pushed.  Why?  Well because we are looking for tenacity.  Who is going to suck it up – who is going to go past their pre-conceived notions of what that can and cannot do.  Why?

Because is a real life violent encounter you are often starting to defend yourself after being put down by a punch or a tackle.  You may have to defend yourself or your loved one AFTER being stabbed or beaten.  Because when it comes to life or death you cannot give up, give into the pain, not last, throw in the towel.  You have no choice – you must survive.

When I see students give up on a physical challenge, chosing to fail rather than succeed I get very concerned because this translates directly into how they will react when confronted by a seeminly overwhelming violent attack.  So we push, and motivate, and inspire, and train students and instructors to be tenacious.

If you need a mantra to help you do this – run this through your head over and over the next time you are facing or experiencing a challenge:

STICK WITH IT, NEVER GIVE IN, SUCK IT UP,  and MAKE IT HAPPEN!