5 ways that BJJ helped at work
Today, with a steaming cold and in front of lots of new friends, I was promoted to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) blue belt by my teacher…
Today, with a steaming cold and in front of lots of new friends, I was promoted to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) blue belt by my teacher Chris Cleere — a black belt under Roger Gracie.
Getting there has been a long road that covered quite a tumultuous time for me professionally. I left uSwitch, joined loveholidays (the fastest growing business in the UK) to help scale it, only to shift focus a year or so in when the global pandemic hit.
Surprisingly, there have been a number of parallels between these two experiences. So much so that BJJ has helped me at work in a number of important ways:
Beginner’s mind — the continued exposure to how little you know and the importance of being open to new ideas and experiences
Respect — reinforcing the humility to understand that there is always something to learn from the person in front of you
“Comfortable being uncomfortable” — that repeated exposure to difficult situations develops your ability to think and react calmly under pressure
Confidence — addressing head-on feelings of insecurity and self doubt can build your resolve and help realise your potential
Perseverance — building the grit and determination to get back up even when the odds are against you
I would recommend trying BJJ to anyone — you will be surprised how much fun it is (after the whole someone rubbing their face on yours thing)
Hopefully see you on the mats soon
🤙