Working on “The Dream” & philosophizing about Jiu Jitsu…
I am paying my bills right now but one of my current jobs will end on Nov. 6th and then I will be working at a new club that opens up around that date. I am waiting to start working at that new club so I can get my schedule locked and loaded. That way I can have 3 specific days and times every week so I can have a consistent schedule to teach and build my student base up with. I have 12 dudes now that say that want to train with me but I am stuck here trying to do the bill pay thing…it’s pretty darn frustrating but that’s how starting a business goes…at least when you are starting from scratch and have no investment or seed money;) I still remember opening “Animal Fitness Systems” in Seattle 6 years ago and having 10 of my personal training clients just waiting for me to get my equipment delivered and set up so we could start Rocking & Rolling:) It was the exact same thing I am going through now but this time it’s with Jiu Jitsu:) My patience is being tested but I see the end goal and am laser focused on that! Successful people think in years and not days!
As I wait I have had the great Honor to be on the mat with some Black, Brown, & Purple Belts and be inspired to continue doing what I am doing. The sense of Peace and Joy I get when engaged in combat on the mat is something I can’t put into words, but I will try. Regardless of the struggles I am facing now, which are vast and numerous, I am reminded of how Beautiful Jiu Jitsu really is! Once I step on that mat and prepare myself for battle, all of the problems in my life and the world disappear into nothingness…when you are worried about not getting your arm broken or choked the F out, the lack of money in your bank account or personal relationship problems mean absolutely nothing…life becomes strangely and Beautifully quiet and serene. In the midst of trying to survive and destroy your opponent/Brother-in-arms life is Peaceful and in the words of Bob Marley “Everything’s gonna be alright”
If you are reading this and have never tried Jiu Jitsu I encourage you to give it a shot and see what ya think and if you do please let me and all the readers here know your thoughts on the most Beautiful Martial Art known to man:)
Thank you for reading my Blog and your support!!!
Got to roll HARD tonight!!!
One of the hardest things to find on this planet is a place where there is a mat with a good amount of high level guys that want to roll. I am so Blessed to have found a place just like that:) I walked into the school and expected to get my tail handed to me and boy oh boy was that going down tonight;) I held my own technically but WOW does this altitude mess with a Jiu Jitsu Fighters game or what! It was crazy how my body just shut down on me and wouldn’t do what I wanted it to do after only 2 rolls! I am by no means the stamina king but I was in absolute shock at how I my leg would NOT go from an armbar to a triangle after an effective shuck from a very skilled Black Belt…I just couldn’t move my leg! I am by no means making ANY excuses…I am and will always be a student of this Beautiful thing called Jiu Jitsu but this was the first time I felt the way I did, wanting to do something technical but just totally NOT being able to do it! I had a BLAST getting thrown around and rolling with some AMAZING Jiu Jitsu Pimps and I am Blessed beyond measure to be able to have these guys around and am soooooooo looking forward to getting on the mat again:)
In regards to Animal Jiu Jitsu, I went by a gym/kickboxing school that I might be able to teach at. I am going to talk to the owner next week, after he is back from that piece of shit country known as mexico, about me bringing 2-5 students over there so Animal Jiu Jitsu can have it’s very first roll session:):):)
As always I Thank ALL of you for reading my posts:) Your support means more to me then I could ever put into words!!!
Getting closer…one possible student at a time…
It’s been a muito muito busy week busting my butt trying to pay the bills:) My 3 jobs this week included; Bouncer, Personal Trainer, and door to door political talker-guy (I have no idea what my title would be for my door to door political job;) My hours have been pretty up and down and I’ve been forced to take a nap a few of those days due to extremely low sleep going from one job to the next. I am Blessed beyond measure though b/c I am making enough money to pay my bills…Thank You Jesus!!!
I have also made some pretty decent progress in terms of building Animal Jiu Jitsu, at least in terms of “potential students” Beside my first student Mitch, I have a total of 6 other dudes who say they want to train under the Animal Jiu Jitsu banner. One of them, and possibly two, are Blue Belts so that is going to be Awesome! and one of them is a white belt ammy fighter so I am hoping he does train with me so I can help him in his career of being an accomplished Professional MMA Fighter:) Out of those 7 dudes that say they are going to train with me, I say 2, maybe 3 will actually join and be there week in week out. Not being pessimistic, just being realistic. I’ve been teaching for too many years to know that “everybody and their freaking dog” says they are going to get on the mat and train, but only a handful actually do:)
This last week has been a week of personal reflection and goal setting as well as heavy on the work to pay the bills. I have been watching my budget this last week and am planning on completely getting out of debt the Dave Ramsey way:) I have been listening to Dave Ramsey’s (http://www.daveramsey.com) and Adam Corolla’s (http://www.adamcarolla.com) podcasts for many many months now…I actually started listening to Adam Corolla years ago when he was on LoveLine (when it was Adam and Dr. Drew). Anyways my point is that both of these men are mentors of mine, online/audio mentors at least;) I have yet to meet either one of them but am so looking forward to it someday! Since I am FINALLY in a city that I can live in for the rest of my life, and hope I am able to, I have started to heavily reflect on what I am doing and who I am in this Entrepreneurship process. Both of my mentors have really been on my mind in the last couple of weeks as I formulate a more solid game plan of exactly how I will open my own school. Thanks to Ramsey, this is the very first week I have been keeping track of the exact! amount of money I spend on everything and it has been an Awesome experience! My goal is to be debt free when I open the business doors for Animal Jiu Jitsu’s and I am now working with that express goal in mind:) I have also been reflecting on the “keep at it” and the “never give up on being successful” mantra that Corolla preaches in his podcasts. I have NEVER been a quitter but this experience of mine in Denver has been taxing beyond anything I can describe. It has been beyond extremely difficult in many ways:( Although hearing story after story on Adam’s podcast talk about how he and others “just got through it” and how it is possible to not cave into mediocrity has helped me beyond measure make it through this week! Having Dave’s and Adam’s online/audio support has crystalize my resolve and totally helped me “Keep My Eyes On The Prize” as Big Daddy Kane would say:) I don’t know what I would do without my mentors!!! If either of you Homies ever read this, I just want to say Thank You for guidance and help!
On an AMAZING note…I am sooooooooo PUMPED b/c I have finally found a church home:)!!! I am looking forward to growing spiritually with and in Park Church in Denver (http://www.parkchurchdenver.org) Tonight was an AMAZING night b/c I felt in my Heart like I have a church I can call home:) It is time for me to plant my flag and get involved and find some Beautiful and Amazing Fellowship at my home church. Been meeting some AMAZING Jesus Loving people there and am starting to get involved in the community there and I couldn’t be more Joyful about that process:) Thank You again Jesus!!!
So off I go into another week of frenzied work to pay the bills to support the Dream of Animal Jiu Jitsu…Thank You all who are reading and are supporting this process and Dream, Thank You from the bottom of my Heart!!!
Animal Jiu Jitsu 