Cultivate Curiosity

There is a skill that extends far beyond the mat but enhances everything we do upon it: the ability to be deeply interested.

Many enter the room with the desire to impress—showing athleticism, toughness, or clever technique. But the truelearner, the one who grows steadily and reliably, is not the most impressive person in the room. Instead, they are the most interested.

The interested student asks questions—not only of the instructor but of their training partners. They want to know how another person sees a position, how they solve a problem, and how they approach the same guard pass or escape differently. By showing genuine curiosity, they open doors into perspectives they could never have discovered on their own.

Consider this example: a novice rolls with a higher belt who seems to escape every pin with ease. The beginner could leave the round frustrated, thinking only of their own failure. But the interested student pauses and asks, “How did you slip out when I had side control? What did I miss?” The higher belt, happy to share, explains how they used a small frame under the neck and timed a hip escape. Now the white belt walks away not with frustration, but with a new tool—something that might have taken months to discover alone.

This curiosity creates a ripple effect. First, it builds relationships. People enjoy sharing their craft, and when someone listens with real attention, bonds form quickly. Second, it accelerates learning. Every training partner has insights shaped by their body type, habits, and experience. By asking, you collect those lessons and make them part of your own game. And finally, curiosity attracts opportunity. The student who engages with more people inevitably finds themselves in the right place at the right time—whether that means learning a key detail, being welcomed into a new group of training partners, or even catching a break in competition.

So do not strive to be the loudest, the flashiest, or the one demanding recognition. Strive instead to be genuinely curious, because growth often comes not from trying to stand out, but from leaning in—listening, asking, and learning.