By becoming a black belt, you will become whatever it is you wanted to be in the first place, and Jiu Jitsu will have served its aim.

I would more appropriately define mastery as the technical ability possible within the constraints of your particular existence.

We must not learn to try harder. The key is to learn how not to try in the first place.

In Jiu Jitsu, we often fall into the trap of simply trying a technique "harder," rather than recognizing that it is a poorly chosen tool for the task at hand.

Imagine a true master of the art, someone with complete skill in every aspect of Jiu Jitsu. This master would not force anything. He would simply allow the roll to take whatever form it does, and in every position would act in the most efficient way based off what the circumstance dictates, and not what he himself prefers.

Any advanced student will tell you the best way to recover guard is simply not to get your guard passed in the first place.

It appears, at least from my perspective, that each and every position in Jiu Jitsu regardless of the seeming complexity is really governed by no more than a handful of minimum viable products. Pursue to understand these essentials, and you will see that complexity is a myth perpetuated by lack of understanding, and it is this understanding which is possible for each of us.

If we do not master ourselves, we will be a slave to ourselves.

The highest aim was never to master Jiu Jitsu; it was to master myself.