Doubt can hold you back. Eventually, it can hold you back so much that you stop improving at something or end up abandoning it altogether.
A martial arts practice can guide you toward developing the mental skills that make you more mentally tough. Here are a few ways that Jiu-Jitsu can improve mental toughness:
1. Sharpen Focus and Concentration.
The ability to focus and concentrate on a particular task is a skill – just like any Jiu-Jitsu skill you’d learn in class. Because it’s a skill, that means that it’s possible to improve on it. If you feel like your attention wanders all over the place when you’re trying to focus on something in class, you’re not alone. But the more you work on bringing your attention back to your practice, the more your focus will improve. The more you can stay focused and keep irrelevant thoughts from intruding on you.
2. Improve Self-Discipline.
Jiu-Jitsu can be fun and rewarding. But there will be days or times when you’re not so excited to go and train. The days that you stay committed to your practice and continue showing up are the days that improve your self-discipline. A martial arts journey isn’t about going from white belt to black belt overnight. You need to keep showing up to put in the work, especially on the days that your mind tries to talk you out of it.
3. Manage Negative Thoughts.
At some point in your training, it will happen. Negative thoughts about your skills and progress will creep into your mind. It’s impossible and futile to attempt to stop these thoughts from popping up in your head. So instead, you must learn to manage negative thoughts when they do arise. With practice, dealing with negative thoughts is another skill that you can get better at. So the more you’re able to turn your attention to that critical voice and deal with whatever it’s saying, the more mentally tough you will become.
To learn more about the classes we’re currently offering at Team Rhino Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in Meridian, contact us today.
