Dojo Discernments

Hi all! Welcome to this week's iteration of Dojo Discernements where I share nuggets of thought gleaned and gained on the mats! God Bless!

Jiu-Jitsu: The Art of Neutralization 

Jiu-Jitsu isn’t about violence, it’s about negation.

We don’t meet force with force. We nullify it. Rather than initiating chaos, we nuetralize it.

Jiu-jitsu at its core is built around one idea: make their effort mean nothing.

We say “no” by taking away their yes.

That’s jiu-jitsu.

Black Belt is Learning How to Define Things 

Being a black belt isn’t just about knowing more moves. It’s about being able to define what you're seeing.

The stuff you see every day—positions, reactions, patterns—you start to break them down. You learn to name the part of the sequence you're in, or the part that's missing. That clarity helps you fix your own game, and it helps you teach others.

It’s not about being flashy. It’s about seeing clearly.

Knowing what’s happening.

Naming it.

And using that language to understand. Then to create bridges for others to understand.

Don't Confuse the Means for the Ends

Techniques are not the end, but a solution to a problem. They’re tools, not trophies. A move is only as good as the problem it solves.

Same with grips.
Grips serve a function, not the other way around.

It’s easy to get caught in the details and forget the direction.
To focus on how something feels and miss what it’s for.

And jiu-jitsu itself? It’s a means. Not the end.

The goal isn’t medals or rounds won.
It’s a life sharpened by the practice, more clarity, more humility, more discipline.

Is your training helping you grow or are you just keeping busy?

The craft matters.
Make sure the path you’re walking is still leading you where you want to go.

Understand Your Role: Do It Well

Name the position you’re in, then own it.
Student. Teacher. Competitor. Coach. Friend. Son. Leader.

Whatever the role, call it out. Step into it fully.

It’s easy to veer left or right, to lose track of where we’re supposed to be.
But when you name your role, you call yourself back to position.
You align your actions with the moment.

Sometimes growth isn’t about doing more, it's about doing the right thing, from the right place, with the right intention.

So pause and ask: Where am I?
What role am I in?

And am I doing it well?

The Best Commit

Something the very best, the ones that make it, do. Is that they commit. 

They commit to the point that death won't keep them from their goal. They commit to the point where they outlast everyone else. They commit so fully that they learn things others never had the opportunity to pick up on. 

How do you think that athlete pulled off that move?

How do you think that person accomplished that goal?

Full commitment. All it takes is all you got. 

This style of writing is the style of thought I try to fill my mind with to live the best life possible. My prayer is that through sharing this, I can spread some of that health further than just myself. If you enjoyed this week's newsletter, consider snagging a membership to the DOJO Library of Instructionals. If you would like a certain theme covered in any format let me know!