Starting a new journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is always exciting! The idea of learning a powerful and effective martial art that doubles as a tool for self-defense and personal growth is enough to get anyone pumped. But here’s the truth—like any worthwhile pursuit, mastering BJJ isn’t a straightforward path. It’s a winding road filled with challenges, setbacks, and sometimes it can feel like you’re going nowhere.
The Plateau of Latent Potential
James Clear, in his best-selling book Atomic Habits, introduces a concept that perfectly captures the experience many of us go through when learning something new: the Plateau of Latent Potential. When we set out to learn a new skill, like BJJ, we often expect our progress to be linear—we put in the effort and expect to see steady improvements. But in reality, progress is usually frustratingly slow in the beginning.
The good news is this phase is normal, and your skills are quietly developing beneath the surface. Eventually, you’ll hit a point where everything seems to “click.” Techniques that once felt confusing suddenly make sense, and connections between them become more clear and intuitive. This idea is best illustrated with the Ice Cube Analogy below.
The Ice Cube Analogy: Understanding Hidden Progress
To borrow another concept from James Clear’s Book, imagine an ice cube on a table in a brisk 25°F room. Slowly, the room begins to warm—26°, 27°, 28°, all the way to 31°—and each degree seems to have no effect on the ice cube. But then, at 32°, something finally happens. The ice begins to melt.
That final degree of change might seem small, even identical to the increments before it, but it’s the one that unlocks a significant transformation. This moment of visible change is the result of all the prior efforts—the gradual increases over time that set the stage for this breakthrough.
This analogy is a powerful reminder that progress often builds slowly, below the surface. You might not notice the immediate effects of your efforts as they are accumulating. However, you’ll eventually reach a tipping point where all your hard work suddenly becomes apparent, leading to noticeable, and often dramatic results.
The Valley of Disappointment
This brings us to another critical concept: the Valley of Disappointment. It’s that place where you’re putting in the work, attending classes, drilling techniques, but not seeing the results you expected. It’s easy to get discouraged here and question whether you’re cut out for this journey at all.
However, the real magic happens in these seemingly stagnant periods. Each class you attend, each sparring session, and each technique you practice is like turning up the temperature in that room with the ice cube. Your efforts are quietly preparing you for that breakthrough moment.
So if you find yourself on a Plateau or in the Valley of Disappointment, the solution is simple: KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Keep attending classes and making small, incremental improvements wherever you can. Understand that this phase is completely normal, and it will eventually pass.
BJJ and Growth Mindset
One of the biggest barriers to overcoming the Valley of Disappointment is mindset. In the world of personal development, there are two distinct ways of thinking that can shape how we approach challenges: the Fixed Mindset and the Growth Mindset.
Fixed Mindset
A Fixed Mindset is rooted in the belief that our abilities, intelligence, and talents are static traits—they’re something we’re born with and cannot change. People with a fixed mindset tend to view challenges as threats because these challenges might expose their perceived limitations. They often shy away from difficult tasks, fearing failure, and may give up easily when confronted with obstacles. In this mindset, effort can be seen as fruitless—if you believe you’re not naturally good at something, you never will be.
For instance, someone with a fixed mindset in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu might think, “I’m just not cut out for this,” if they struggle to learn a new technique. They might see others excelling and believe it’s because those individuals have a natural talent they lack. This way of thinking can lead to a self-fulfilling prophecy where progress stalls because the individual stops putting in effort, convinced that their abilities are fixed.
Growth Mindset
On the other hand, a Growth Mindset is the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through dedication, hard work, and learning from failures. People with a growth mindset see challenges not as threats, but as opportunities to grow. They understand that effort is a crucial part of the learning process and that every setback is a chance to learn and improve.
In the context of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, someone with a growth mindset might struggle with the same technique, but instead of giving up, they think, “This is tough, but with practice, I’ll get it.” They view others’ success as inspiration rather than a benchmark to compare themselves against. Over time, this mindset leads to greater resilience, more consistent progress, more volume of work, and ultimately, mastery of the skill.
In short, a Fixed Mindset can limit potential and stifle growth, and Growth Mindset opens the door to continuous improvement and success. It’s not about where you start, but how you choose to approach the journey ahead.
Practical Tips for Your BJJ Journey
- Celebrate Small Wins: You’re improving every time you step onto the mat, even if you can’t see it. Focus on small victories, like understanding a technique better or feeling more comfortable in a tough position.
- Embrace the Process: Understand that the journey to mastery is not linear. There will be ups and downs, and that’s okay. Trust that every bit of effort is contributing to your growth.
- Stay Consistent: The most significant improvements come from showing up regularly. Consistency is more important than intensity in the long run.
- Practice a Growth Mindset: Remember that every challenge is an opportunity to improve, not a reflection of your innate ability or worth.
The Bigger Picture
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is more than just a martial art—Jiu-Jitsu is life! The discipline, resilience, and patience you develop on the mat will serve you in all areas of your life. Whether you’re facing a difficult project at work, a personal challenge, or simply trying to get better every day, the lessons from BJJ are universal.
If you haven’t already, be sure to register for our Free 30-Day Trial. Whether you’re interested in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kickboxing, or Judo, this a great opportunity to get your journey started. Remember, every small step counts, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.
See you on the mat!