Train for training's sake.

One of the things I have come to realize over time is that martial arts training needs to be a habit. A ritualised, repetitive activity that is part of your daily or weekly routine. And that to be fulfilled in your training you need to be able to train for its own sake. Competitions are great, grading to your next belt level is great, being able to get your favourite submission is great but at the end of the day unless training is a ritual or a routine, when these external motivations are removed, and trust me and some point the goal posts always move, your desire to train will fade. Learn to enjoy the process of learning and testing techniques positions and ideas. Thats where the juice is in my opinion. And when you get good enough at something then share it with the next person. That way people move forward as a group and progress occurs. I remember when I got a black belt in karate at 16 years of age after almost 9 years of training and I thought I knew something. Well it quickly became clear that it was only the beginning. In BJJ they say the hardest belt is black for the same reason. View training as a life long activity and change your perspective on what training means to you. Make a paradigm shift and see what happens.