Chris Matakas

In my own life, I have always viewed personal mastery as simply a medium through which I become capable of providing more service toward my fellow man.

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.

we must remember that the end of personal mastery is service to others.

I can think of no more worthwhile aim than pursuing mastery in this craft while transcending one's own limitations.

In whatever we do, we should be investing in ourselves and not our jobs. Everything I have ever pursued has been for the sole goal of who I was becoming in its achievement. I competed and fought because of the man I became. This is the only worthwhile victory. You cannot take the trophies with you.

Today's world is flooded with participation trophies. In an attempt to promote equality we have robbed our youth of the most growth-inducing aspect of competition, failing. If you want to be resurrected, you have to first be crucified. Everybody wants to be reborn, but no one is willing to die. Losing, in the context of whatever arena it may be, is a microcosmic death. When we learn from our failures and grow because of them, we are reborn.

I envision a world in which the vast majority of us are actively striving toward our potential as human beings by spending our lives serving others through mediums we are most passionate.

We must strive to become more daily. We must honestly assess our weaknesses and overcome them. We must work toward the highest possible version of ourselves. This is a worthy use of our time, but it is only when we do so with the ultimate aim of service to our fellow man that we really connect with something greater than ourselves. To contribute to the world in a positive way, this is the gift of life.

The beautiful truth about service is that we are afforded countless opportunities to be its vehicle. Every interaction with another is an opportunity to serve. From simply letting someone into your lane in traffic, to holding a door, to a kind smile. This is all service. I am humbled by this simple truth. We are given the opportunity to express the most meaningful use of our lives every time we interact with another sentient being.

If nothing lasts then everything has meaning. If everything dies that means we actually live.

Let's live our lives with great meaning and purpose in the attempt to influence the world to whatever degree our circumstance allows.

We are free to live the life we have imagined, not the life imagined for us.

We strive toward the middle, and we run from ourselves.

It is in community where we find our very selves.

The more specifically you define your goals the more attainable they become.

Do not get caught pursuing the goals of who you used to be instead of who you are.

Constantly re-evaluating your purpose is the best way to ensure that you are pursuing the goals of who you are and not who you used to be.

A core group of guys, all sharing similar goals, can move mountains.