There’s no universal playbook for success in Jiu-Jitsu, CrossFit, or business—only the one you create for yourself. Trial, error, and personal discovery shape the journey far more than any plan ever could. Each path is unique, molded by challenges, preferences, and adaptation. At Gym Force, we’re not just following someone else’s blueprint—we’re writing our own, one lesson at a time.
If there is a playbook for success, whether in Jiu-Jitsu, CrossFit, or building a business, it is not something you follow. It is something you create. No one can plan for every obstacle in advance, and trying to map out every step before starting is impossible. The process is trial and error, adapting to setbacks, and figuring out what works along the way. But once that playbook is finally written, it is almost as gratifying as the accomplishments themselves. That is where a lot of inspiring books come from. Not just the victories, but the unique path taken to get there.
Jiu-Jitsu is a perfect example. Every journey to black belt is different. Some people struggle with scheduling, while others face financial hurdles. One person may train both gi and no-gi for six months before realizing they prefer one over the other. No two paths are the same, and the best approach is to let your own personality dictate the way forward.
The same goes for CrossFit. A lifelong commitment to training looks very different for a 60-year-old with no prior experience than it does for someone chasing a spot at the CrossFit Games. What works for one person might not make any sense for another. There is no single way to do it.
Tracking progress is another reason there is no universal playbook. In CrossFit, logging workouts is an important piece of long-term success. Knowing previous times, weights, and rep schemes allows athletes to push themselves in a way that makes sense for their own development. In Jiu-Jitsu, taking notes on techniques, positional details, and personal insights helps refine your game over time. These habits are not just about improving inside the gym or on the mats. They are tools meant to be used and studied outside the friendly confines of a CrossFit box or martial arts school.
Building Gym Force has been no different. As a martial artist and CrossFitter, I have seen firsthand how every challenge requires its own solution. There are lessons to learn from others, but no one’s playbook can be followed exactly. Part of the fun, whether in training or in business, is figuring out what works.
For me, diet and recovery strategies for Jiu-Jitsu and CrossFit do not look like anyone else’s. And in the short history of Gym Force, our unique path is shaping the story we are writing.
If there is a playbook, it is personal. You don’t follow it, you build it, one lesson at a time. The mistakes, the adjustments, the things that worked when they weren’t supposed to, all of it becomes part of the process. And by the time it starts to make sense, you realize the real reward wasn’t just in reaching the goal but in figuring it out along the way.