So you want to compete in your first (or your 100th) Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament...
However, as the competition day (or the time to decide) comes closer, you're becoming increasingly nervous - because you don't feel ready.

You feel as if you should have trained more. That your technique should be crispier. And that you should be more "on point" all around.
In short, you're thinking that you should wait it out. Maybe wait for the next one, right?

But hear us out. You need to compete before you feel ready.

COMPETE BEFORE YOU'RE READY

Here's the thing. You're never really "ready" for competition.
There will always be things that you'd like to have worked on more. More techniques, more details, better cardio. But you won't win chasing "more" in this case. You just have to dive in and do it.

Competition is one of those things that you have to do in order to have the power. That you have to, sort of, throw yourself in - to gain the benefits.
Because the real award of competition isn't the medal you'll have around your neck. Rather, it's the experience and new-found knowledge you'll gain.

You'll figure out which parts of your Jiu-Jitsu suck. You'll be exposed to your mistakes much better than it's the case with your usual training sessions.
And guess what? You'll be able to improve much more as a result. And then you'll go ahead and compete again. Learn something new. Improve & compete. Rinse and repeat.

Will it be frustrating? Sure it will from time to time. But it should be like that - because you can't improve without learning and understanding WHAT you need to improve in the first place.
So, go for it. Embrace the suck. Give it your best shot. And compete before you're ready.

Because the benefits are so profound.