
It’s piercing.
Picture a boa constrictor collapsing on helpless prey. Slowly, inch by inch, your breath escapes, the tension rises. It doesn’t hurt until the end. Imagine the moment a lion finishes a zebra.
You tap, you bow, you say thank you.
I haven’t missed a day of Jiu Jitsu since I began. I’ve been choked and tapped out, made to feel helpless by a blackbelt, and made my willpower to feel weak by a gentle Russian. I continue to show up.
Running bridged me to Jiu Jitsu. It enabled me to lose the added weight, gain a base of conditioning so I could come to participate in BJJ. What’s in turn happened is that I’ve run 227.2 miles over the last four weeks, often several times a day, and have found two new passions I would have never believed years ago.
Just start somewhere.
I get asked a lot of questions about it. Mostly from family. Some are good, some aren’t. I appreciate them because it always feels good to have someone take an interest in your life. People are simple, man. Give them real love and they’ll give you the world in return.
I get asked how to get started; but, I don’t get asked the right questions. Here are some you should consider:
- How do you start? Is this a small enough step
- Aren’t you tired? What’s making you push through?
- How do you make time?
- Have you always been disciplined (the answer is no)?
- How have you dealt with the suck phase?
- Is the journey worth it?
You all have your own interests and passions that you want to pursue.
I learned how to begin. Take that from me, apply it to your own journey, and take the first step.
In time, you’ll come to realize that it was never about the miles and it’s certainly not how fast you go.
Answer the call of the road when it beckons for you.
All I’m trying to do is write this sentence of my life a little better than the one from yesterday. Why not try the same?