Complacency and Mentality

I noticed a regression in my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu lately. I was giving up bad positions, not really putting effort in advancing and electing to getting into stalled positions. After some contemplation, I realized that my mentality was negative, and it reflected in my performance. Part of it was due to complacency, and another part may have been coming back from injury. A strange thing happens in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu though, if I don’t exert a lot of effort, maybe because I don’t want to get too tired, I end up getting more tired. It is not as if my partner stops working just because I have. I end up working harder, not smarter.

I think that this mentality also transfers to writing as well (among just about everything else in life). If I get lazy, I’ll go on the internet or look at my phone more frequently, but the consequence is that less of the story gets created. I am stopping myself from reaching my goal quicker when my mentality, which is a part of discipline, is compromised. Now, I have to work harder, when it is smarter not to be lazy and subsequently distracted. It’s not like the internet will go away after I am done writing.

It is understandably a tough thing though to have a positive mentality at all times when it is needed. Under situations of stress and duress, it is easy to surrender even if it is not in one’s best interest to do so. I think that it just goes to show that in reaching goals, the biggest obstacle truly is yourself.