The mental side of all of this - and family.
Let me preface with this: Mostly this is just me putting into words the thoughts I have in my head. I'm absolutely positive every single person here has experienced what I'm about to write about.
Tuesday night I struggled. Tremendously. I'll admit, I'm a bit more emotional than a lot of men I know and I think it's mainly because I can never seem to get out of my own head. Tuesday was a very tough day of rolling for me. It wasn't a win/loss thing. I don't think I tapped any more than normal when rolling with the people I was rolling with. It was something else. A mental block. A mental struggle. I left Tuesday doubting everything I thought I was as a Jiu Jitsu practitioner. Wednesday is my family day so no JJ but I could not stop thinking about it. Thursday I tried everything in my power to find an excuse not to train. But that little voice in my head, the one that screams at me when I feel like tapping because I'm tired, the one that screams at me when I feel like ordering a 3 piece fried chicken instead of a grilled chicken salad - that voice... it made the final decision for me and I got in my car, drove the 45 minutes, and went to class.
IT WAS THE BEST DECISION I COULD HAVE MADE.
Being around teammates, and getting over these mental hurdles together, makes this journey so special. Knowing that every guy on the mat (with time under their belts) has gone through it makes our bond stronger. We talk all the time about 10th Planet family. Emphasis on the word family. But in this case, I genuinely look at these guys as family.
Brandon Mccaghren has created an environment that is conducive to learning and also welcoming. He demands an atmosphere of love and respect in his gym and I am so so thankful I have him to guide me along in this journey.
I will be 10P4Life. Not entirely because of the "system" but also because I have never been part of an organization that truly cares about their fellow practitioners the way 10P does.
We really are family and I'm grateful.
