Branches and Sequences
the mats and your life
i
In Brazilian Jiujitsu, you can’t rush a chokehold. First you have to take the opponent down. Then you pass his guard. You have to secure your position before you can even begin the attack. Each move builds on the last as you progress towards the submission. This chain of events, done in sequence, leads to victory or a missed opportunity.
I like to think of it like the kanji for 'ju' in jujitsu — 柔. The word ‘ju’ means gentle, pliant or soft.
But look at its branching strokes. The sequence moves from one stroke to the next. Each stroke is done in discrete steps yet it flows as a whole.
You can model it like a decision tree. Each node on the graph represents a technique or position. Like a cross road, the node branches out based on the set of moves that can be executed.
The branches differ in terms of likelihood of success. The likelihood is determined by factors like your relative experience against your opponent’s, your proficiency with technique and your physical attributes.
ii
Let’s imagine you’re on the mats. During a sparring session, you take the initiative and go for the take down. You have the advantage. You're on top with your weight pinning your opponent down. You have options to continue the attack: you can switch to a different position, to exploit a weakness in the opponent’s game; if his arms are overreaching, you can attack the elbow; if his neck is exposed, you have the chokehold. Each option branches more options.
On offense, the decision is to pick the right moves (and not to be choked by indecision). The move that gets you closer to your goal – the submission – with more certainty.
Let's say your take down failed. You got taken down instead and now have to scramble to get back up. You're now the one pinned, your back’s on the mat. That's not a great place to be.
You want to fight your way back up. It is not easy. Your options are limited. It cannot be done in an instant either, because BJJ is a sequential game. You have to execute the moves in sequence.
You have to play defense, to stop whatever the next move your opponent is about to make. You may find a way to take a load of his body weight that's crushing you to work the escape. Or if the escape attempt failed, you still gained yourself space – creating options for yourself.
On defense, the game becomes about creating options for yourself, so that you move from a losing position to one where you can win.
iii
Our lives too come in sequences and branches.
Careers, passions and relationships, they don’t just unfold randomly. They are the outcomes of our past. Decisions that are now irrevocable and options that are forever closed to us.
The way to win in life, as it is in BJJ, is in those branches and sequences. We have to create options for ourselves, expanding the space of possibilities. We have to make the right choices every step of the way.
Our lives are still all to play for.