Bernardo Faria recently had a pleasure to attend Jocko Willink’s conference about leadership. During the conference, Willink emphasized that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu was instrumental in helping him gain clarity and more progress in his life.
When asked by Faria to further explain what he meant by this, Jocko explained:
I was in the military. I was in leadership positions in the military, always in combat leadership positions in the military… So, trying to learn how to maneuver elements on the battlefield, as also trying to learn how to work with people, trying to learn how to overcome obstacles.
And I sort of had ideas on how to do all those things – and then I started training Jiu-Jitsu. I really started training Jiu-Jitsu all the time.What I realized is that which you learn in Jiu-Jitsu, the mindset of Jiu-Jitsu… That it translates into everything you do in life.
Because, if you’re on a battle field and the enemy has a super strong position – you don’t attack that position. You might distract them from that position, you come around from the other side, you come from the flank. It’s just like in Jiu-Jitsu. If I want your arm, I don’t attack your arm – I attack your neck. And then I get your arm.If you’re my leader and you have a big ego, I don’t attack your ego. No, I actually make your ego feel good. Because if I attack your ego, you’re going to defend it.
Jocko emphasized that those were the reasons why BJJ is so important in his life:
So, for me, Jiu-Jitsu connected the dots in all these different things. And that’s why I’ve said tonight [that] Jiu-Jitsu gave me everything. Jiu-Jitsu gave me everything.
Check out the rest of Jocko Willink’s conversation with Bernardo Faria on the topic:
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