Loneliness in a crowded room: Jiu jitsu is at the same time both a deeply personal and a very group oriented journey. You train and develop in a group – but you experience everything, every small daily triumph and failure, as an individual. In truth there will be many more failures than there will be triumphs. It's natural to feel that everyone else is stronger, faster and more talented than you. That everyone else learns and progresses faster than you do. Don't get too caught up in comparisons with those around you. Focus more on comparisons with earlier renditions of yourself. As long as you continue to improve a little at a time you will get to the level you want. You will get there faster than some and slower than others. It does not really matter WHEN you get there so much as it matters THAT you get there. It's good to be ambitious and want to get to goals quickly and efficiently but temper this sentiment with a healthy dose of reality. If everyone else in the room is progressing at roughly the same rate as you then you will never suddenly feel as though the game suddenly became easy. Remember also that the only common characteristic that everyone who got to a high level in the sport exhibited as PERSISTENCE. When it gets lonely and disheartening take a step back and reflect on the virtue of persistence. Understand that everyone else who entered that room felt the same way many many times. Most quit and so never realized their potential in this domain. The few that didn't are the one who are so good they make you feel as you do know. Stay in the game. The feeling of frustration that is so strong in you today can be replaced by elation tomorrow with just one small and unexpected success.
