Operation Tattered Belt: SmART Goals for BJJ

I gagged a little using that term outside of the office, but SMART goals are exactly what I need for the project Julia and I are working on.

So the whole idea is that the goals are SMART...Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. I left the M little because my measurement is a bit subjective. I'm going to be working with a few higher belts at the gym whom I've warned informed about my goals over the next year. So...


Specific: Check. Each month we're working on competency in the respective positions.

Measurable: Cue higher belts. Little M because this part's a tad subjective. Right now I'm working with...

• Ryan: brown belt who was my first instructor. 
• Adam: Ginastica natural instructor and advanced Purple belt (that's him doing the spidery thing.
• Hector: One of the first blue belts I trained with. Closest to my height and weight, though infinitely stronger than I am. 

Attainable: The plan is laid out and ready to go.

Realistic: I made it to Blue, I can make it to Blue+

Timely: I've got a year.

So the actual goals...

• Finding the best of bad positions. No more "settling" into positions that are disadvantageous that I've gotten used to starting in from drills.
• Quit settling on my back...stay on my side. Give them nothing. 
• End stopping because of blanking. Pauses should be strategic.
• Attain a comprehensive understanding of what I SHOULD know and be competent in as a Blue belt, as opposed to just a list of techniques.

For Frodo...