“ We must not learn to try harder. The key is to learn how not to try in the first place. Chris Matakas
“ By becoming a black belt, you will become whatever it is you wanted to be in the first place, and Jiu Jitsu will have served its aim. Chris Matakas
“ I believe we must pursue mastery for who we become along the way in its achievement. When we progress in Jiu Jitsu, that newfound experience and wisdom transcends into all areas of our lives. We use J… Chris Matakas
“ I believe the real reason we pursue anything in life is not for the thing itself, but for who we become on the way to its accomplishment. We strive to accomplish things in the attempt to mold ourselve… Chris Matakas
“ I would more appropriately define mastery as the technical ability possible within the constraints of your particular existence. It must be noted that this is a subjective definition, and that this de… Chris Matakas
“ You are never as good as you think you are, and you are never as bad as you believe yourself to be. Chris Matakas
“ Jiu Jitsu is a baptism by combat, and serves a purpose in the inner life of the individual that has always existed, but our modern culture fails to acknowledge. Chris Matakas
“ I use my understanding of jiu jitsu as a road map to learn other activities. I look for the similarities between the two, and use jiu jitsu as an allegory for whatever my new practice may be. I truly… Chris Matakas
“ There is no concrete way to play Jiu Jitsu, and this is why so many different types of people find joy in it. Chris Matakas
“ I believe that which you study is only matched in importance by the sincerity with which you approach it. Chris Matakas
“ For the sincere student, it mustn't be enough to simply understand Jiu Jitsu. We must seek to understand ourselves. Chris Matakas
“ The infinitude of Jiu Jitsu allows for the infinitude of the types of practitioners. There exists a game for each and every one of us which is specifically possible within the confines of our particul… Chris Matakas
“ An arm bar in a vacuum is worthless. It is the realization of the truths which constitute that arm bar that is the real treasure we seek. Chris Matakas
“ Do not seek victory, for victory in itself will not serve you. Seek to understand what made the victory possible. Chris Matakas
“ Jiu Jitsu can be a source of total transparency such as a mirror, but it takes a conscious choice to see what it has to say. Chris Matakas
“ I have seen far by seeing through the lens of Jiu Jitsu. I have exchanged a great deal of physical health for these insights, and these were trades worth making. My efforts were worth the return. I ha… Chris Matakas
“ We call it training. Not because we are training for Jiu Jitsu. We are training for life. Chris Matakas
“ I wanted to get to the most essential aspect of my being, and look around for a while. I wanted to explore what I am in my most basic self. I wanted to chip away at all of the nonsense I have acquired… Chris Matakas
“ Jiu Jitsu has shown me that we are not confined to the lot which we inherit. We are not bound to these fetters eternally. They are temporal. We can transcend them should we sincerely choose to. Sincer… Chris Matakas
