Looking out over a crowded training hall – I am always struck by the thought that potential champions are everywhere – it's just a matter of good coaching married to ambition and discipline that creates the actual champions. Most people have complex lives that take them in many different directions. Thus their ambitions in jiu jitsu are usually more modest, since they have other priorities and approach the sport as a recreation. That does not blind me to their potential however – I have recreational students who can give even champions a very hard time indeed on the mat. Never lose sight of the fact that we all have roughly the same potential to excel in the sport – the actual differences are mostly due to lifestyles choices and time committed to training. Have faith that even a recreational approach can produce a shockingly good student in time. Never think that because you are not a full time professional athlete that you cannot excel to a level that even the best will be impressed by.
