Win or Learn

“I win. Or, I learn. I will never lose.” Per verbatim or otherwise, these words echo the attitudes of Gracie Barra’s most prolific athletes. Our alumni, including the likes of Braulio Estima, Roberto Alencar, and Gabriel Arges, compete with this mantra. In training, these values are passed on to students both seasoned and new.

To see a loss as a learning experience is the mark of a winning attitude. More importantly, it is the product of a mind that knows what its owner can do while embracing incompleteness and shortcomings. 

Sure, winning is great. But, compared to what you’ll learn after coming short of a podium finish or your first match, winning is just the cherry on top. 

This is true in BJJ and martial arts. Most importantly, it’s true in life. 

“Losing” is only a word used by those who are blind to its significance. Here’s why.

True Success Begins With Failure

Gracie Barra has produced some of the best BJJ athletes in the world. If you see the top BJJ rankings worldwide, one of the top five is bound to be a product of a Gracie Barra school. 

BJJ elites like Carlos Lemos Jr. and Victor Estima have climbed the rankings. More former students have now either followed suit or put up their jiu-jitsu schools. 

Ask them what they’d credit their success to, and you’ll likely hear about one thing from their past — a loss in jiu-jitsu competition. 

At Gracie Barra, we embrace the value of learning over anything else. It equips jiu-jitsu athletes with a healthy mindset as they go on the mats or into a competition. 

Without a loss or the experience of failure, there will be no attempts at self-improvement. Without the desire to improve, you cannot progress on the mats, in martial arts, or life. 

It is for this reason that the team has created several platforms for healthy competition. Gracie Barra Compnet is one such platform that encourages jiu-jitsu athletes of all skill levels to participate. 

Next year, CompNet (CN) will become a global league with dozens of tournaments worldwide and a global ranking system.

Check out our event calendar for the latest tournaments!

Blog Written by Veronica Street - Gracie Barra Blue Belt