Congratulations! You made it to purple! Now what?
A lot of meaning is assigned to the purple belt. It's the first belt considered advanced. You are expected to be sharp from everywhere and give upper level belts a challenge. Your knowledge and experience runs deep. You have spent years building your games, looping them together, and sharpening your basics. You have respect for your skills on the mat and accomplishments in your progression.
You know, this seems like a great time to quit on a high note!
But we all know you would have done that at blue belt. You have stuck through plenty of plateaus and valleys, and now it's time to focus on leveling up. You now need to discover your excellence.
Your purple belt represents years behind you. Discovering your excellence will define the years ahead of you. It will shape your journey, and the journey of your team. So, what is your excellence?
Why are you here? What is your mission? What is the mark you want to leave with Jiu Jitsu on your life, your family, your team, and your community?
Answer these questions, and you will discover your excellence. The mission that drives you and keeps you on the mat. The force that pushes you through the hard times and brings you to new heights. This excellence is not a technique. It's not a game. It's not a coaching methodology. It's not a gold medal. It's how you define your mission.
To some degree, this takes you back to day one. We all come to the mats for different reasons. To get back in shape. To learn self defense. To be an MMA fighter. To conquer your fears. Whatever you were looking for on the mats, you clearly found it. But years have passed. You have now been shaped by your Jiu Jitsu journey, and grown into a new person. What brought you here may not be what keeps you going. Define your fuel.
Do you want to be a champion? Do you want to be a coach? Do you want to spread Jiu Jitsu throughout your community? Do you want to train with your kids? These questions are not simple. They are personal. Sometimes complex and have overlapping answers and implications. When you can define your mission to move forward, you will set yourself on the course to excellence. Your path to level up is clear. You will have discovered your version of excellence.