A wise philosopher who ardently studied the power of friendships, Aristotle used to say, "He who delights in solitude is either a wild beast or a god."
If the reader is not a divine being, a barbarian on the loose or a committed loner, you have all it takes to develop your jiujitsu once and for all. Just look at the friend beside you.
According to a thesis by the researcher Dan Buettner, from National Geographic, the best tool to attract good health and a long life—as effective as conscious nutrition and daily exercise—is good company.
Buettner's argument is solid and based on a simple idea about mankind: behaviors are contagious.
In an article by Tara Parker-Pope, in the New York Times, Buettner said the most powerful thing you can do to add healthy years to your life is to organize your circle of friends. You want friends with whom you can have a significant conversation.
Friendships with common interests bring a continuous influence, more consistent than a diet—which can be abandoned—or an exercise—which can get boring. But good company has real staying power.
In the case of jiujitsu, the result is similar. That buddy who can't get enough jiujitsu will be bringing new videos to your attention, will have an angle on a technique you hadn't seen and, of course, will drag you out on a day when you didn't want to leave the couch.
At the end of the day, the lesson is the same since the times of ol' Aristotle: life is too short to be near negative people, who always see the world as a glass half empty.
Lastly, an important piece of advice by the American researcher: three or five friends in the real world are worth more than 50 distant friends on social media. Enjoy your training!
Comments
Thank you Sir,,, I needed to read this.
Thanks for this post! How encouraging. To whomever wrote this, you are a true wordsmith. Anybody who quotes Aristotle is alright with this Philosopher Chaplain!
Best, Chappy