I’ve been hearing about this for many years. It’s a phrase whose logic we grasp immediately, but whose deeper meaning takes a bit longer to land. At least, that’s how it was for me.
Understanding it is tied to the concepts of information and knowledge or, more precisely, to the difference between them. Information is horizontal (shallower), while knowledge is vertical (deeper).
The first time we hear that “pressure is a privilege” and that we need to find “comfort in discomfort,” that is still just information. For it to become knowledge, we have to experience a lot of discomfort, and in that regard, Jiu Jitsu is exceptional.
I only truly understood what that “comfort” means after realizing it had nothing to do with solving the problem. It’s easy to feel comfortable once the problem is solved. The hard part is seeking comfort while still living inside the problem, still in the middle of it.
Accepting the problem, the pressure, and the discomfort as just a moment, knowing it is not eternal, with patience, calm, and perception, is what finally led me to start really understanding the concept and to turn information into knowledge.
When I talk about perception, I mean sharpening your vision, your reflection, and your understanding of what is actually happening in that moment of pressure: trying to see what put you in that position, where you went wrong, and what you can do right then.
Sometimes the answer is that there is nothing to do in that exact moment, only to “survive.”
Imagine a sparring round. A strong, technical opponent passes your guard and starts pinning you.
Replacing the guard is not finding comfort in discomfort; that is solving the problem.
Comfort in discomfort is calming the mind while still being smashed, focusing only on surviving and waiting for an opportunity to solve the problem, without rushing, without losing control, even when you can barely breathe.
It is a process. It is not something you learn in the same moment you understand it. You understand it first, and only after failing many times do you finally learn it.
Have a great week, everyone.
Oss.
