Aim High or Get Smashed:
Why Reaching for the Stars is the Only Way to Win in Life

The other day in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), my coach was teaching us a move to escape one of the worst positions you can be in on the mat—the mount.

Imagine being pinned down, feeling the weight of your opponent bearing down on you, and knowing that if you don’t get out soon, things are going to get a whole lot worse.

It’s uncomfortable, disorienting, and can quickly lead to you getting submitted.

It sucks.

Almost as bad as getting your back taken, where you’re pretty much defenseless.

But that’s the thing about BJJ.

It’s not just about learning how to fight or defend yourself; it’s about learning how to think.

Every move, every roll, every tap is a lesson in strategy, persistence, and mindset.

And that day, the lesson wasn’t just about how to get out of a tough spot on the mat.

It was about how to get out of tough spots in life.

The Lesson from the Mat:
Aim for Closed Guard, Not Half-Guard

So there I was, trying to escape the mount, when my coach started explaining the technique.

The goal was to transition from the mount position into the closed guard.

For those of you who might not be familiar with BJJ, let me break it down.

Closed guard is a strong, defensive position where you have your legs wrapped around your opponent, giving you control and options to attack or defend.

On the other hand, half-guard is a position where you have one of your opponent’s legs trapped between yours.

It’s not as strong as closed guard, but it’s still better than being mounted.

But here’s where it gets interesting.

My coach emphasized that we should aim for the closed guard, not the half-guard.

Why?

Because if you aim for half-guard and miss, you could end up in an even worse position—flat on your back, getting smashed.

But if you aim for closed guard and miss, you’ll likely end up in half-guard anyway, which is still a good position and far better than being mounted.

This is more than just a BJJ strategy; it’s a life strategy.

Too often, people settle for the bare minimum.

They aim low because it feels safer, less risky.

But here’s the truth: aiming low often backfires.

You might hit your target, but it’s not going to change your life.

Worse, if you miss, you could end up in a much worse position, feeling demoralized, defeated, and stuck.

The Problem:
Settling for the Bare Minimum

Let’s talk about the problem with aiming low.

It’s tempting, isn’t it?

Setting a small goal feels manageable.

You think, “If I can just achieve this, I’ll be okay.”

But here’s the thing—okay isn’t good enough.

Okay doesn’t lead to greatness.

Okay doesn’t change your life.

Think about it.

When was the last time you settled for something small and felt truly satisfied?

Maybe you set a modest goal at work—just to get by.

Or maybe you aimed low in your personal life, not wanting to push too hard or risk too much.

And sure, you might have achieved that small goal. But did it make a difference?

Did it move the needle in your life?

Probably not.

And what happens when you miss that small target?

You end up in a worse position than where you started.

Just like on the mat, if you aim for half-guard and miss, you’re going to get smashed.

You’re left feeling worse than before, wondering why you even bothered.

The Danger of Playing it Safe

The real danger here is that when you constantly aim low, you start to internalize a mindset of mediocrity.

You begin to believe that small, safe goals are all you’re capable of.

This mindset bleeds into every area of your life—your career, your relationships, your personal growth.

When you play it safe, you avoid taking risks.

You avoid challenges.

You avoid anything that might push you out of your comfort zone.

​But growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.​

Success doesn’t come from doing the bare minimum.

And happiness doesn’t come from settling.

Let’s go back to the dojo for a moment.

The mat is a microcosm of life.

Every roll, every drill, every submission attempt is a test of your limits.

And when you push those limits, you grow.

You become stronger, more resilient, more confident.

But if you only aim for the easy moves, the low-hanging fruit, you never really test yourself.

You never really know what you’re capable of.

Now, think about how this applies to your life.

If you’re always aiming low—if you’re always playing it safe—you’re never going to achieve anything truly great.

You’re never going to unlock your full potential.

And that’s a tragedy because you have so much more inside you than you realize.

Aim High, Even If You Miss

So what’s the solution?

It’s simple: aim high.

Aim for the stars.

Reach for the moon.

Set big, audacious goals that scare you a little.

Goals that make you uncomfortable.

Goals that force you to grow.

When you aim high, you might not always hit your target.

But here’s the thing—you’ll likely achieve more than if you had aimed low.

Remember the BJJ lesson: if you aim for closed guard and miss, you end up in half-guard.

And half-guard is still a good position.

It’s not the closed guard, but it’s a lot better than being stuck under mount, getting smashed.

In life, when you aim for something big—whether it’s a promotion, starting a business, improving your health, or building a meaningful relationship—you might not achieve exactly what you envisioned.

But in the process, you’ll grow.

You’ll learn.

You’ll get closer to your true potential.

And even if you fall short, you’ll still be in a better position than if you had settled for something small.

From Mediocre to Exceptional

Let’s talk about the transformation that happens when you start aiming high.

​First, you stop seeing failure as something to be feared.​

You start seeing it as part of the process—something that’s inevitable when you’re pushing your limits.

And this mindset shift is powerful because it frees you from the fear of failure.

It allows you to take risks, to step out of your comfort zone, and to pursue goals that really matter.

​Second, you start to build momentum.​

Success breeds success.

When you achieve something big, it gives you the confidence to go after the next big thing.

And before you know it, you’ve created a positive feedback loop of growth, achievement, and fulfillment.

But perhaps the most important transformation is this: you start to see yourself differently.

You start to see yourself as someone who’s capable of achieving great things.

You start to believe in your potential.

And when you believe in your potential, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.

The World is Your Dojo

Now, here’s the part where I challenge you to take action.

The dojo is a microcosm of the outside world, but the outside world is the true dojo—the real “house of the way” where you learn, grow, and become the person you’re meant to be.

Sidenote: Dojo, 道場, literally mean "House of the Way" and the Way being the Taoist influence of way of enlightenment or living a better life.

So ask yourself: What are you aiming for in your life?

Are you settling for the bare minimum?

Are you playing it safe?

Or are you reaching for the stars?

Are you aiming for closed guard, or are you just trying to get by with half-guard?

I challenge you to aim higher.

Set bigger goals.

Take bigger risks.

Don’t settle for mediocrity when you’re capable of greatness.

The world is your dojo, and every day is a chance to train, to grow, and to become better.

You have the potential to achieve more than you ever thought possible.

But you have to be willing to aim high.

You have to be willing to push yourself.

And you have to be willing to embrace failure as part of the process.

So go out there and aim for closed guard.

Aim for the stars.

And even if you miss, you’ll end up in a better position than where you started.

And that, my friend, is how you win in life.

Final Thoughts: Embrace the Journey

In closing, remember this: life, like BJJ, is a journey.

It’s a constant process of learning, growing, and improving.

You’re going to get knocked down.

You’re going to fail.

You’re going to find yourself in tough positions where it feels like you’re stuck under mount, getting smashed.

But you’re also going to find moments of triumph.

You’re going to hit that sweep, lock in that submission, and achieve goals that once seemed impossible.

And when you do, it’s going to feel incredible.

It’s going to remind you why you started this journey in the first place.

So embrace the journey.

Embrace the ups and downs, the successes and failures.

And most importantly, keep aiming high.

Because when you do, you’ll find that the possibilities are endless.

And that’s what makes life worth living.