If you want to get better at guard passing, get swept a lot. An essential skill in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) is the ability to pass an opponent’s guard. That is, the ability to get past a downed opponent’s legs in order to attain a dominant position on his or her torso and from which to … Continue reading Passing Guard for the (Small) Win
“The aiki-arts (aikido, aikijujutsu, hapkido, et al) are ineffective for fighting and incapable of teaching practitioners how to defend themselves against even the most inexperienced attacker, let alone a seasoned martial artist.” As a practitioner of both aikido (one aspect of Taikyoku Budo) and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ), I have spent a lot of time contemplating … Continue reading It’s Not For That (And That’s Okay)
Sometimes, the needs of the business take priority over our personal interests. Some time ago, in my first year as a General Manager (GM) for a large coffee company, I was at a development meeting with my District Manager (DM) and we were discussing labor and scheduling. He observed that I had several part-time employees … Continue reading This Is My Real Job
There are different attitudes about scarcity in this world. Some believe that we live in a world of limited resources and, in order for one person to have something, another person must have without. Others believe that we live in a world of abundance and that there is more than enough to go around. Of … Continue reading Spend Your ‘Yes’ Wisely
“If we use busy as an excuse for not doing something, what we are really, really saying is that it’s not a priority. It’s not as important to us.” -Debbie Millman More and more, we find ourselves saying how busy we are or that we are too busy for certain things or certain people. While … Continue reading Busy is an Excuse to Not Make a Choice
