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“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are” -Unknown

There comes a point in all our lives when we look in the mirror and accept the fact that high school sports and college parties are in the rear view mirror. The moment may be quick or drawn out but when the moment hits you know somewhere between homework and 3am bedtimes you grew up and morphed into adulthood. For me adulthood meant 40 hour work weeks, a part time job and video games during any down time. I quickly realized my post-college life was becoming stale and I was staring down a long road to “average”, an adjective no young child fantasizes of becoming. With a strong desire to avoid this, I did what any young adult would do, and began learning a combat sport.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, BJJ, Jits or Grappling,“jiu jitsu” is a sport of many names and even more styles. For me, it was an outlet. My interest in the sport was piqued during college when I would grapple with friends as a way to be active and replicate what I watched in the UFC. Fast forward, I was two years into a career and decided to officially begin learning jiu jitsu. I started by attending a few classes. A few classes turned into a few more and before I even realized, I was hooked. After four months I began competing and did fairly well. The more I rolled, the more I enjoyed myself, so I kept at it. Eventually I began seeing a change in myself and one day it hit me. I wasn’t only learning the sport I signed up for, I was developing a mindset. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu was teaching me to think conceptually. Time-after-time, with each and every roll, I am reminded that for any problem encountered it is my responsibility to carefully breakdown the situation and find the solution; The solution always exists. Suddenly my approach to tasks at home and work changed. Tasks at work became more tactical and strategic. The solution may not be a step-by-step process, rather, a way thinking or acting.

I am now a year and a half into a sport that takes a lifetime to master and very grateful I have gained a hobby, great friends and a new approach to life. BJJ should be considered by anybody who wants the satisfaction of knowing that with each class and every roll, they are developing a way of thinking that cannot be replicated in most workplaces or by many hobbies. I chose BJJ because it was a physical sport that required determination and commitment on the mat and I will stay with BJJ because each day it makes me a smarter person off the mat. Oh, and there is always the benefit of weight loss and improved cardio, but that is for another blog post on another day.

-Adam Saball