10-10-10 Rule

To achieve perspective, ask yourself how you'll feel about your situation 10 minutes/months/years from now.

The great Saulo Ribeiro once said, “If you think, you are late. If you are late, you use strength. If you use strength, you get tired. And if you get tired, you die.”

I love this quote because it touches on one of the most relatable problems with Jiu-Jitsu: overthinking.

The worst part about overthinking is how it follows us off the mats. If allowed, our Jiu-Jitsu insecurities can occupy our minds all day. This leads to distraction, obsessive thoughts, impostor syndrome, and all manner of other problems we'd like to avoid.

The 10-10-10 Rule

First popularized by Suzy Welch, the 10-10-10 Rule tells us to ask ourselves three questions about our problems and decisions:

“How will I feel about this in 10 minutes? 10 months? 10 years?”

By asking ourselves these questions, we achieve perspective. We may learn our problems aren't that important over the long term.

Decades ago, I underperformed while working toward one of my goals, and I was stressed about the result. An older, wiser peer gave me some perspective by asking this question: “Will this outcome still matter 10 years from now?” This was a great illustration of the 10-10-10 Rule, and it really stuck with me.

Using the 10-10-10 Rule in Jiu-Jitsu

In Jiu-Jitsu, the 10-10-10 Rule is especially useful for competitors. It's normal to stress about matches before, during, and after the performance, but it's also important to manage that stress so it doesn't overcome you.

If you're stressed about a match or devastated by a recent loss, ask yourself how much the outcome will matter 10 minutes/months/years from now. You'll probably realize you're overthinking.

Many high-level coaches employ a similar tactic by asking their worry-prone athletes to envision the worst consequences of failure: What happens if you don't win this match? Many athletes realize that even if they fail to achieve this goal, they're still on track to live an awesome life.

But what if you use the 10-10-10 Rule and decide that your fears are justified, and failing would be catastrophic? Honestly, that's still good feedback. It's an indication you might not be living a balanced life. You may need to diversify so that a single loss won't wipe you out.

Regardless of what you discover, the 10-10-10 Rule helps us feel confident that we've considered — and are ready for — all outcomes. The knowledge that you are prepared is a huge confidence booster, and it helps with overthinking too.

On the podcast:

• Ep. 335: The PLAY Framework feat. Erin Herle

Further study:

• Habits Over Results