3 percent

[JiuJitsuNation]

It's been said that 3 percent of the population makes 97 percent of the income. This means 3 percent of the population is extremely wealthy and successful monetarily. This also holds true for anything in life where people are extraordinarily successful, and athletes are no exception. I've been all over training with many top trainers and coaches and each time I would always ask them what I could do to take my game or business to the next level.

The answers? Well, before we get into that lets talk about truth for a minute. Truth is consistent. It is never wavering and forever stays it's course. For example, you can read 10 books on the same subject and many things will be different within each book. The way to find truth is to find the things that are consistent within each of those books. Cross referencing is a great way to find the truth.

So what do you think I found when I asked those questions? The answer was simple. The guys who were highly successful were the guys who had to be told to go home, to go out and do something else besides train. The kind of guys who didn't have girlfriends because in their minds they had no time for girls. They had a sort of obsession with what they did. They had a drive to be the absolute best at what they did. Funny thing is no one knows these guys during this period of their lives. But once they have risen to the top and people know them, what do they see? They see an insanely talented guy with a really hott chic and some cash. But this is simply the results of years of sacrificing everything. These guys were not followers. They did not feel as though they were missing out on something when everyone else was going here and there. They just had one thing driving them, a desire to be great. They only felt they would be missing out if they didn't make it to the gym to drill, to roll, to learn and just be better each and every day. In their minds they don't know they are missing out because in their minds there is nothing to miss. They enjoy what they are doing so much they don't think of anything else. It was once said to me: "Don't go around chasing your dreams. Just focus on being great. Once you are great, your dreams will come chasing you!" These men and women are the 3 percent, you are or your not. Not for me or anyone else to decide. These people are who they are, like a bird can fly ,because, he is is a bird. In other words as much as I think highly of my dog... he will never fly. As a coach we must accept these facts of life. As very few coaches are blessed to be touched by the ones who just are... 3 percent.

[sensei8]

Interesting summation! The summation of 'why' is to the summation of 'because'!

[dwarf2]

What is being the greatest worth, no real friends, no real family time, someone with nothing but me me me because this is what it will take to be the best. Then one day you hear those words coach and you start saying back when and then theres was that time and the mad rush begins to find center in life . When i was younger i had a chance to go on tour in europe and I made a choice to stay home with my family and not be on the road for at least 200 plus day's a year. Now im older and i say what if alot . I now think a person can find balance if they try, martial arts are suppose to be about balance and i believe someone can find it if they want it, just like there drive to win .

[JiuJitsuNation]

What is being the greatest worth, no real friends, no real family time, someone with nothing but me me me because this is what it will take to be the best. Then one day you hear those words coach and you start saying back when and then theres was that time and the mad rush begins to find center in life . When i was younger i had a chance to go on tour in europe and I made a choice to stay home with my family and not be on the road for at least 200 plus day's a year. Now im older and i say what if alot . I now think a person can find balance if they try, martial arts are suppose to be about balance and i believe someone can find it if they want it, just like there drive to win .

I suppose people will take this differently. The way I see it is this person is just driven and doesn't consider the choices or may not even see that there is one to make. I'm not trying to inspire people to be the greatest. I don't believe you can which is what my last few statements were about. As I see it I will be the greatest at something. I may not even know what it is yet. I may already be doing it. And maybe not. These people didn't make a choice to be the best really. They just couldn't stop or find a reason to even slow down doing whatever it is they are doing. Simply an observation I have made. I have tried to be inspiring to individual after individual who claimed they want to accomplish this and that. Only to have them burn out in a short time realizing the work it takes to get there. My conclusion is you can pump them up all day, but the people who really accomplish great feats don't need anyone. They just forge themselves in the fire. Of course there are great teachers and coaches around them, but there are millions of people around those same teachers and coaches who do nothing with it. But there are a few who do extraordinary things.

[Tzu-Logic]

All meaning the things in your life have, you have given them.

[sensei8]

Cliff,

I your honest opinion, who and/or what person and/or type of person would be in the 3 percent of the martial arts?

[JiuJitsuNation]

Cliff,

I your honest opinion, who and/or what person and/or type of person would be in the 3 percent of the martial arts?

In BJJ they would be Roger Gracie, Marcelo Garcia, Terere, and Jacare at the moment. Also it is said that only 2 percent of people that start BJJ actually get to black belt. And of course every attempt to increase that number has watered it down. In the UFC it would be Anderson Silva, B.J. Penn and GSP just to name a few. In all the world there are like 10 people actually making money doing the UFC. I use these as examples not to exclude anyone in any other arena but simply because this is the extent of my knowledge in elite competition.

Also I would like to add that for everyone person we are aware of there are others we don't that are just as talented. Like there are inner city street ball players that would clown on the best NBA players all day but they aren't team players and can't follow a system that leads them out of playing at the park. And maybe, they don't care.

[ps1]

Good post. I agree with it 100%.

[JiuJitsuNation]

There are over 13,000 athletes that compete at the Summer and Winter Olympics in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events. Can anyone tell me the percentage of people going home with gold medals? lol

[bushido_man96]

There are over 13,000 athletes that compete at the Summer and Winter Olympics in 33 different sports and nearly 400 events. Can anyone tell me the percentage of people going home with gold medals? lol

One for each event...smart-alec comment, I know, but I don't do math. I'm not in the mathematically elite 3%, thats for sure.

As for the OP, I'd say 3% is probably right. Its that way in all things, from kids playing sports up through high school and college, businessmen that you mention, teachers that become great teachers, and on and on.

I also think you nailed it with the thougths people have of missing out on certain things. Teenagers, I think, are especially subject to this, and I think most of it comes from peer pressure and the want/need to be accepted by their friends.

Great thread, with lots of good things to think about.