Responsibility
“The price of greatness is responsibility.” Winston Churchill
To understand responsibility, we need to look at what our role is at the places we go. When mom’s and dad’s go to work, they have tasks that need to be completed or progress has to be made on projects that will more to a final product. When students go to school, they have skills that they will begin basic training in and move up to more complex skills or knowledge that they will start to understand about different subjects.
At our school, the staff has the responsibilities of keeping the facility cared for. We do this with daily mat cleaning and making sure the seating area is tidy and the bathroom is clean. We are also responsible for the instructors holding regular classes and being knowledgeable. We do this with regular training outside of group classes and attending instructor seminars, we review videos and make sure that we arrive to classes early enough to make sure any last-minute things are taken care of. There is more, but these are two examples of a general group of tasks that must be done.
At our school, the students have the responsibilities of learning. We work with students to provide classes that will work into your schedule and can really focus on what is the most important things to start learning when it comes to Jiu Jitsu. When students begin classes, one of the responsibilities is to show up. When we understand that learning Jiu Jitsu works best with a training partner, we understand that not only do we need to be there for ourselves, but we also need to be there for our training partners. Some students, will simply need a body that they can work the moves on, while others will need more from us by adding resistance and challenge.
Never underestimate how helpful you can be. Simple feedback is another way that we can enhance the learning process for those we train with. It is also part of each student’s responsibility to find some type of feedback to give and the other student has the responsibility to accept and use it, even if they believe they already know that feedback. Use feedback that you know to recycle your thoughts on Jiu Jitsu. You were a different person when you first heard this information, if you take some time and reuse it, this can lead to greater insights.
Those students that have the time for more responsibility, can take on more. This can come in the by volunteering to help with classes, but an even simpler way is being an increasingly more skilled and knowledgeable student. Watching, drilling, reviewing videos online at GracieUniversity.com is great way to take yourself to the next level and when you come to classes you will raise up your training partners as well when you can help them with some of the more forgettable details. And if you and your training partners are both working to help, this can lead to greater insights on moves and connections.
After reading this, take time to brainstorm on how you can take on responsibilities as a student to raise yourself up, raise your training partners up, and raise the school up. Each action we take can make hit all three. We just have to dream, think, and plan.