I spend a lot of time thinking of my purpose within the world. How could I be of use, service and help? Of course, it’s foolish to think that we, singularly, can cause a significant difference worldwide. But, if we start small, then maybe we can?

So, how can I be of use to my community? And perhaps it can spiderweb into something greater? This is my goal and what I am trying to achieve through Masterskya.

We are doing more than giving people a sweat and showing them the quickest way to hyperextend a joint. Not that there’s anything wrong with that at all. Some are looking for exactly that, and they’ll surely get it. But, maybe more… too?

There have been several debates over the past year whether or not someone becomes a better person through martial arts, or if they will just be the same old person… but a more dangerous one, after training. I would argue that both can be the case. But without a doubt, there are many who highly benefit from training and do in fact become “better” people.

Making the decision to have the discipline to train consistently, persevering through failures on the mats daily, filling your time up with a positive activity rather than nonsense, goal setting and exerting mental and physical energy through training all lead to overall growth.

One of my close friends and private students, who we will call “nascar”, used BJJ as a vehicle for growth. Today, he is highly successful and has a beautiful wife and two kids and has many goals for himself and his family. The person he was beforehand was almost unrecognizable to who he is today. He lost a lot of weight, gained a ton of confidence through pushing himself out of his comfort zone and competing and jumped over many hurdles within his BJJ journey.

So in short, being able to provide a space and help nurture a community of people looking to grow and be better people, is what gives me personal fulfillment and gives me a purpose every morning.