Obsession with Jiu Jitsu

If a warrior is to succeed at anything, the success must come gently, with a great deal of effort but with no stress or obsession

-Carlos Castaneda

Almost everything in bjj revolves around balance, including fitting it into your life.

 I would love to be at the gym 3 times a day, every day. I wish my body would hold up to it. I wish it wouldn't interfere with other obligations and relationships. However, at this point in my life that just isn't possible. I have a lot of people I respect and admire in the bjj world; my professor, Jacare Calvacanti, for creating one of the most dominate competition teams in history, the Gracie family for helping bring bjj to the whole world; Marcus Almeida “Buchecha” for showing that big guys can move. You all know those names, but there are others that I respect that you don't know. These are the guys (and ladies) that are balancing a couple kids, a career, bills, and other obligations and yet I still see them on the mats several times a week. Those folks have crazy balance! I'm still trying to find it and it's tougher than hitting a flying armbar. What is the definition of obsession? What signifies crossing that line?

I recently changed my work schedule specifically to allow more time on the mats. I loved my schedule. It gave me a 3 day weekend every week! I'd been doing it for 3 years and it's completely ingrained in me. Since being married, my gym's evenings classes have been difficult to attend. I needed to find a work, wife, jiu jitsu balance. So I sacrificed the work schedule I loved. Is that obsession? Is putting bjj in my top priorities a problem?

I hope not.