what bjj taught me about rocket league: first, just stop losing

It took me two years of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to really understand this. Two years of watching white belts attempt flying armbars while I was getting crushed by blue belts who had mastered the simple art of not beating themselves.

So when I picked up Rocket League during the pandemic, I made a decision: before I tried to be great, I would first learn not to lose.

In BJJ, new practitioners love to focus on submissions - the fancy moves that end the match. But here's what actually happens: they get so excited about their attacks that they forget basic positioning. They create gaps. They lose their base. Then they get swept, mounted, and submitted.

They didn't lose to superior technique. They lost to their own eagerness to win.

Sound familiar? In Rocket League, new players obsess over aerial shots and ceiling plays. Then they miss the ball entirely, leave their goal open, and watch their opponent score an easy ground shot.

Different game, same mistake.

When I started Rocket League, everyone told me I had to learn how to fly. But my time on the mats had taught me better. Instead, I asked myself: "What are the ways I'm most likely to beat myself?"

In BJJ, it's:

• Losing position chasing submissions

• Poor weight distribution

• Leaving obvious gaps

• Burning energy on low-percentage moves

In Rocket League, it's:

• Missing easy touches

• Being out of position

• Wasting boost

• Attempting aerials you'll miss 90% of the time

The parallel was clear: before you try to win, learn not to lose.

So I made a rule: for my first month of Rocket League, I wouldn't leave the ground. No aerials. No wall plays. No fancy flicks.

Instead, I focused on:

1. Making solid contact with the ball

2. Staying in good position

3. Maintaining boost

4. Rotating properly

Just like in BJJ, where a solid base and proper framing prevent most submissions, these fundamentals prevented most goals against me.

The result? Diamond rank in four weeks. Not because I was making amazing plays, but because I wasn't making basic mistakes.

The blue belts who crushed me weren't winning with spectacular techniques. They were winning because they didn't beat themselves. They maintained position. They conserved energy. They waited for their opponent to make mistakes.

In Rocket League, I didn't reach Diamond because I could make amazing shots. I got there because I could consistently hit the ball while my opponents were flying past it.

Here's what most people get wrong about improvement: they think it's about adding new skills. But often, it's about removing basic mistakes.

In both BJJ and Rocket League:

• 90% of losses come from unforced errors

• Most mistakes happen when attempting low-percentage moves

• Consistency beats flash

• Position beats submission attempts

• Basics beat creativity (until you've mastered the basics)

Whether you're starting BJJ, picking up a new game, or learning any skill:

1. First, identify how you're beating yourself

2. Remove those mistakes

3. Master the fundamentals

4. Only then start adding complexity

You don't need to be great to win. You just need to stop losing to yourself first.

The path to mastery isn't about learning amazing moves. It's about making fewer mistakes than your opponent. I had to learn this the hard way in BJJ. You can learn it here.

Take whatever you're learning right now. Could be coding, chess, cooking, doesn't matter. Now ask yourself:

1. How much time are you spending watching highlight reels and "advanced technique" videos?

2. What percentage of your failures come from missing basics rather than lacking advanced skills?

3. If you had to constrain yourself to just fundamentals for a month, what would those fundamentals be?

Be honest: are you actually trying to get better, or are you just watching cool shit on YouTube?

Remember: The fastest way to improve isn't by adding new techniques. It's by removing basic errors. First, just stop losing.