With the domination of the Mixed Martial Arts world by Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, I have noticed many outsiders have the perception that Jiu-Jitsu is a one dimensional art that teaches "ground fighting" and is practiced by a group of brutish Neanderthals. What many people have missed are the incredible mental benefits.

I have had the incredible fortune to train with some of the greatest instructors in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu including Royce, Rodrigo, and Relson Gracie, Pedro Sauer, Pedro and Gi Valente, and Marcio Simas. To varying degrees all of these great instructors share some common traits that the general public has missed; traits that are the core of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and made it a world wide phenomenon and the fastest growing martial art in the world today.

First, they all posses a deep seated respect and genuine interest in the well being of their students in class and out. If you visit one of their schools or a seminar you can count on being treated graciously. I used to be surprised when I visited a new school and after an hour the instructor and other students were talking to and treating me like a long lost cousin they hadn't seen in a while. The culture of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is very informal compared to most other martial arts, but it is extremely personal. Every student feels like they are a part of something bigger than themselves. The feelings of belonging, acceptance, and respect are some of the reasons why the student retention rate of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is so high and their children's programs are so successful.

Beyond the self-defense and fitness aspects, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu inherently teaches life lessons that helps students become better people. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is one of the few martial arts where a practitioner must train with multiple partners in order to advance and improve. It forces students to learn to give of themselves and others during every class. If a student is selfish, too rough, or disagreeable, other students will not want to train with him or her and that student will not progress. Without learning to care for and help others you cannot be a practitioner of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Strong moral character is expected of every student. The art is so ingrained in the realities of hand to hand combat that no instructor with good conscience will teach a student of low character. Instructors are very concerned with the conduct of their students outside of class. Unsupervised fighting and "school yard" bullying is not tolerated.

Next, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu develops and teaches one of the most important aspects of character building: mental toughness. I was first introduced to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu through the Army's Ranger Program. The US Army Rangers are among the most elite of the world's special forces, and they chose Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as the core of their hand to hand combat program, and since their selection, West Point, and the US Marine Corps have added it to their curriculum teaching every new cadet and recruit Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Any combat veteran will tell you that the one character trait that separates warriors from the rest of society is mental toughness. It is the key ingredient to success on the battle field. The development of an iron will to succeed no matter the adversity faced is the key trait that sets the Rangers apart, and for that reason they chose Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as their martial art of choice. This idea is embodied in the last stanza of the Ranger creed "Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to drive on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor. Rangers lead the way!" Whether in combat, business, or life in general mental toughness is a fundamental character trait that builds success. Dedication and diligence toward the mastery of any skill is in itself a valuable character building endeavor. Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a very complex art and it is not uncommon for a student to take 10-15 years to achieve a black belt. It takes commitment to excellence and the willingness to continually put others before your self. The character of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is its greatest strength and value to society.