Frequently, the best abilities escape notice

‘Saepe summa ingenia in occulto latent’ - Latin Saying: (Frequently, the best abilities escape notice)

Many of the actions and habits that distinguish the highly successful from the less so - are by definition, very difficult to see - they are very often for all intents and purposes … invisible. If they were not difficult to see - everyone else would take them up and also achieve exceptional results. The ‘not so obvious’ secret here is simply this - exceptional results come from taking exceptional action. 

So-called ‘Invisible Jiu Jitsu’ - something that several of the very experienced and truly outstanding BJJ Black Belts talk about - refers to all those ‘difficult to see’ habits and micro-actions that have ‘crept’ into the game of the highly experienced over time. These hundred little things, amount to a lot, over time - and can have a remarkable effect on performance. Perhaps I am being a little harsh when I say that describing high-talent as ‘Invisible’ is in a way, code for ‘Sorry, but I cannot explain what it is we are doing’. But I do in large part - believe this to be the case. 

It is the task of the sublime teacher - to render the invisible - visible. This is a part of what professional teachers and coaches should do - they should be constantly striving to understand what it is that the exceptional are doing (that others are not) and make this information available to their students.

I have long stood by the belief that those who are achieving exceptional and outstanding results, above and beyond the average, are simply doing things that most are not doing. These things they are doing, are by definition, difficult to see … so we must train ourselves to spot them - and when practical - emulate them. JBW