Self Motivation

Yesterday, I was very impressed with a bunch of my Jiu-Jitsu friends. I was proud to be with them.

All of us have locally-awarded rank stripes on our belts. I'm the only one to also have a Gracie University stripe that can only be earned after taking a ridiculously difficult and massive examination.

Three guys were there yesterday, on the mat, starting to prepare to take the god-awful exam. It will take months of serious practice. The drills are done in pairs, and as there was an odd number training, I got to be the fourth. We were at it for about an hour.

They want their Gracie University stripes by the end of the summer.

The sad thing is that there is no real reward for all of this, other than a feeling of self satisfaction and accomplishment.

When they get their Gracie University stripes, they will not be in addition to their current, locally-awarded rank. The fancy, new little stripes take the place of stripes these guys have already got. There is no forward rank movement at all.

Three guys at it yesterday, and a few more who weren't, are putting themselves through a lot. Their Jiu-Jitsu will improve greatly. I find it surprising that HQ doesn't give even a token reward. How about two months taken off of their next promotion time? How about one? How about the time put into all the extra drills counting towards attendance? Nope. None of that.

They are doing it for the best of reasons; self-motivation.

And they are even going to be coughing up an $85 testing fee.