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Abundance Paradox

You probably feel like you're falling behind... but you're not,ย and you shouldn't worry about it.

Most grapplers are anxious about whether they're "falling behind" in their Jiu-Jitsu knowledge. Spoiler: You're not. Here's why.

More Jiu-Jitsu doesn't always make for better Jiu-Jitsu. You don't need quantity, you need quality.

The desire for more manifests in many ways.

Maybe you're overtraining, and your body is being taxed too hard to perform at its best.

Maybe you're overconsuming, and spending more time (and money) watching Jiu-Jitsu content than is helpful.

Heck, maybe your problem is overthinking, where you're allowing Jiu-Jitsu to occupy too much of your headspace at the expense of everything else in your life.

These are all classic examples of Jiu-Jitsu imbalances that get in the way of your long-term progress (and enjoyment) of the art.

You probably feel like you're "falling behind," but you're NOT, and you shouldn't worry about it.

You are not obligated to watch every new instructional, master every technique, or compete in every tournament.

And you should not feel pressured to do so.

Jiu-Jitsu is best done at your own pace. The most beautiful thing about this gentle art is how it can bend and adapt to whatever you need it to be.

These days, we suffer from an embarrassment of riches, or abundance paradox. There's simply too much good Jiu-Jitsu stuff happening to consume it all. The overwhelming influx of quality Jiu-Jitsu material hasn't always made our lives better, because the sheer volume gets in the way of our ability to process it.

Ironically, being exposed to more Jiu-Jitsu isn't always better. Too much Jiu-Jitsu content makes us feel obligated to watch everything, consume everything, and participate in everything. When we do this, Jiu-Jitsu becomes less of a passion, and just another chore we need to keep up with.

Too many options can screw up our decision-making, too. We've talked about Hick's Law before: the psychological concept explaining how too many choices slow down (and even paralyze) our decision-making abilities.

More is not always better, especially if it's leading you to stall on decision-making, or if it's killing your enjoyment of the sport you love.

Remember, this is your Jiu-Jitsu journey, not anyone else's. You are not obligated to buy and watch every instructional. You don't have to (and never will) master every element of the art. And you certainly don't have to compete in every tournament, or even compete at all.

The solution to the abundance paradox is boundaries. Saying "no" to the never-ending firehose of distractions is how you find purpose, focus, and love in this art.
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