How many times have you left that arm in when passing the guard and get caught in that triangle? How many times do you throw that Jab and drop the right and then get countered? Well if its more than once its not a mistake... It is a decision.. or at least a subconscious one. How many times do you think it took you to stop putting your hand on the fire before you realized that was bad? I am guessing once!  The negative effect can be felt sharp yet is prolonged for a period with a burn. Most children learn with out too much thought that although the fire can warm the body, touching is a bad decision. I think we all make this mistake? after all, you don't know what you don't know! Many things in life are like this, but why do we at times keep making the same mistake over and over again? I believe it was Einstein that said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result".  One thing that I have learned is that humans are creatures of habit. Like it or not, we are. Fold your arms you will find that you tend to fold one arm over the other more often than not? Now fold your arms again the other way. how did that feel? Strange I am sure. How can we identify when we are making a mistake or a decision? Lets look at leaving the arm in and getting caught in the triangle. I am only a purple belt coach but lets assume you have learned that leaving your arm in when passing is bad. You may not have known why but when trying to pass the guard  against a higher belt you found out why. how many times did it take you to correct it? I am guessing if you were the only white belt in class or on the open mat you learnt pretty fast that leaving your arm in was bad. But you still do it? If you still do it its a decision you have decided to leave your arm there. the consequences end up the same. Why? I am guessing your so focused in the end result and not the process of the doing. So you get caught again! You have created a habit and you need to address it. Go through the process. step by step. remember the rule two arms in two arms out. Before you know it you have side control.   It is the same with the Jab after a few black eyes you weld that right hand up and catch the counter. great! Unfortunately we do this off the mats also, but it is not as easy or fast to get the feedback at times like getting triangle choked or socked in the eye.  How often do you check your phone? Did you miss something your child did that was fantastic? Did you check that text whilst driving? You didn't miss that truck you hit as you passed through the stop sign and now your in hospital.  Sometimes we get instant feedback on our decisions or mistakes, but ultimately we have to own them as we are the masters of our own destiny. I guess how fast we address them is the effect that it has on our lives, if we address them at all. Everyday we are given an opportunity to learn, the world is a ready to teach us and has provided us with an environment that is conducive for learning. Just find what mistakes you are doing and what decisions you make. Is the pay off negative or positive to your life?  Break it down. think about the process and not the end result.

I am off to learn a bit more.

Craig