Goals

It's trite and cliche, but it is also valuable.  Writing down your resolutions helps to ensure that you stay focused on them.

Goals for the coming year:
- I would be lying and evasive if I didn't say that I want to get my blue belt.  This is probably the thing over which I have the least amount of control and for which I have the most drive.
- Improve my diet; I got the Gracie Diet book (haven't finished it), but I'm pretty sure that I won't be able to stick to something that strict without someone to do it with me.  Also, I'm not entirely sure that our budget can support that many trips to whole foods.  But it does give useful information.
- Cardio.  I don't know exactly how to improve this without running (which I absolutely loathe).  I might get a training attachment for my bike, but that will come second to getting a new road bike.  Also, let's not forget that I live in Minnesota, so even a new bike would only start to be of help in (hopefully) late April.
- Stop being scared of upper belts.  If everyone were completely honest, we would all admit that upper belts frighten us when we start training.  Their confidence, their technique, their crushing guard and suffocating top control, effortless sweeps---it's almost too much to face down at the beginning.  I'm getting rid of that apprehension bit by bit; what I want to make sure is that a rise in ego and stupidity does not accompany the loss of apprehension.  So stop being scared, but don't be stupid enough to walk into fire deluded that I won't get burned.
- Become a better teacher. I am often one of the higher ranked students in Klint's classes.  This is both good and bad.  Good because it means I'm doing something right, and bad because it means that some of the newer guys think I have answers and can easily explain those answers to them.  This is not exactly the case.  On the rare occasion that I do have an answer, I cannot clearly explain it and help someone else understand it.  So that will take attention and practice, but it will also help my own understanding of jiu jitsu.

That's all.  Looks easy enough, right?