I almost quit Jiu Jitsu (more than once)

Hey again,

Can I be real with you?

There were days I wanted to quit Jiu Jitsu.

Days where I got tapped five times in five minutes. Days where everyone around me felt like they were leveling up and I was just… stuck.

But here’s the thing I learned:

Those are the days that grow you the most.

The mat doesn’t lie. You can’t fake your way through it. You either show up and face the hard stuff—or you don’t.

But every time I wanted to walk away, I reminded myself: Tap. Reset. Go again.

That became my life motto.

Now when life throws some chaos my way—stress, setbacks, tough conversations—I handle it better.

Why? Because I’ve trained my brain to keep breathing and keep moving.

Jiu Jitsu gave me mental armor.

Not the kind that makes you emotionless. The kind that keeps you from falling apart every time things get tough.

And let me tell you—sparring does more for my stress than any rant on social media or hour-long “just venting” session.

Every time I step on the mat, I walk off lighter.
Mentally clear.
Focused.
Grounded.

And juggling training with work? Yeah, it used to be chaos.

Until I made Jiu Jitsu a priority, not an afterthought. I stopped saying, “I don’t have time,” and started saying, “This matters, so I’ll make time.”

Funny thing is… the more I trained, the more focused and productive I got at work, too.

And let’s not forget the people.

The ones you roll with through sweat, struggle, and survival? They become real ones. Friends who push you, check on you, and remind you you’re not alone.

So if you're feeling stuck right now—in training or in life—here’s your reminder:

• You don’t build resilience by winning easily.

• You build it by showing up when it sucks… and doing it anyway.

Keep rolling. Keep learning. You’re tougher than you think.

Tomorrow we talk about something we all battle—stress—and how Jiu Jitsu became my sweaty, awesome escape from it.

See you then?

—Ben

P.S. Ever have one of those “I’m done” moments… but came back stronger? Hit reply and share it. I’d love to hear your story. 👊