Twelve Commandments of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

By Carlos Gracie

I think that in terms of modern or cotemporary “martial arts code”, the 12 commandments1 by Grandmaster Carlos Gracie is definitely one to study and consider.

1. Be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

2. Speak to everyone of happiness, health and prosperity.

3. Give all your friends the feeling of being valued.

4. Always look at things from a positive point of view and turn positivity into a reality of life.

5. Think only about the best, work only for the best and always expect the best.

6. Always be as enthusiastic about the victories of others as you are with yours.

7. Forget about past mistakes and concentrate your energies on the victories ahead.

8. Always make those around you happy and keep a pleasant attitude to all those who address you.

9. Apply the largest amount of your time on self-improvement and no time criticizing others.

10. Become too big to feel unrest, too noble to feel anger, too strong to feel fear and too happy to tumble in adversity.

11. Always have positive opinion of yourself and tell it to the world not through words of vanity, but through benevolence.

12. Believe strongly that the world is on your side if you keep true to what is best within you.

There are many truths and if you take your Martial Arts seriously, you would do good to take time to read and meditate on these and all the others we discussed previously.