290 - Cult Behaviour in Jiu-Jitsu, with Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models

Steve Kwan from BJJ Mental Models comes onto the podcast to discuss cult behaviour in BJJ, good and bad club cultures, and the big picture behind effective jiu-jitsu training.

"I consider cults to be any organization that uses unscrupulous tactics to manipulate the members for the benefit of the founders or the people higher up in the chain."

"People always tell you that jiu-jitsu builds character and makes you a better person. That is not true.  Jiu-jitsu gives you confidence and makes you a bolder, more assertive version of the person that you already are.  And whether that’s a good person or a bad person is up to you."

"In a time when things are as uncertain as they have ever been in our lives, we crave certainty. If someone can promise you certainty in an uncertain time especially if they can confirm what deep down you've always believed to be true, you're going to gravitate towards them and it shuts off part of your brain."