Recently I achieved something that has taken years of training, discipline, and pure heartbreaking resilience – black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

The journey made me think about my heritage and the values of our Greek community. Imagine you’re a kid at the beach, watching waves roll in, one after the other, unyielding, no matter what stands in their way. Training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu feels like that. You show up day after day, wave after wave, practicing the same movements, until they’re burned into muscle memory. Every belt is like another wave and progress isn’t always visible, but you feel it with every session, every grapple, every defeat that teaches you more than any win ever could.

The journey has connected me with the history of my Greek culture. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu like wrestling – was one of the first Olympic sports back in ancient Greece. Our ancestors watched men grapple in Olympia not just to see who was strongest, but to honour the art of resilience and strategy. Wrestling was about endurance and adaptability and these are qualities that, thousands of years later, still hold up high.

The journey to black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu brings this back. Like our ancestors who wrestled on those dusty fields, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu isn’t about brute force, it’s about thinking on your feet, making split second decisions and adjusting with each move.

In this spirit, we can imagine just like in those ancient games, it’s about facing yourself as much as facing your opponent. Wrestling in ancient Greece wasn’t just about winning. It was about grappling with your own limits and coming out stronger on the other side.

Inspiration in Greek values

I found myself thinking of these ancient lessons and the values of resilience, humility, and strength of mind. There Greek phrase, “Gnothi seauton”, or know thyself attributed to Socrates, are a key to wrestling and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In training, you come to know yourself better than ever because you see your weaknesses, your strengths, and your breaking points. This kind of self-awareness becomes a compass, guiding you to improve, to push forward, and to face whatever challenges life throws at you.

This was also a lesson I found in Josh Waitzkin’s journey. Some of you might know him as the chess prodigy who inspired Searching for Bobby Fischer. After dominating the chess world, Waitzkin found himself on the mat training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Marcelo Garcia, a legend of the sport. Josh Waitzkin once said that both chess and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu require “the ability to adapt and solve problems as they arise.” His journey, like mine, reminds me of that ancient wrestling wisdom that is in every match and every roll teaches you something new about yourself and how to handle whatever’s coming at you next.

Josh Waitzkin says: “In Jiu-Jitsu, the mat becomes a space where ego dissolves and the real work begins. It’s a meditation, a way to confront fear, embrace vulnerability, and move with the rhythm of the moment. The art teaches us to find calm in chaos and to transform resistance into flow. That’s where the spirit truly grows.”

Real time problem solving

I think of ancient Greeks’ capacity for innovation and problem-solving. In 490 BC, at the Battle of Marathon, a small Athenian force defeated a far larger Persian army by using clever tactics and the terrain to their advantage. Outnumbered and outgunned, the Greeks adapted quickly, proving that strategic thinking could overcome the toughest odds. That’s a lesson for us today, whether we’re on the mat, in business, or simply facing life’s challenges.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, like ancient Greek wrestling, is a problem-solving sport. You face an opponent who’s constantly trying to outmanoeuvre you, and you have to think two or three steps ahead. If you rely only on strength, you’ll lose. You have to stay calm, study your opponent, and make each move count. Just like those Athenians at Marathon, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu teaches you to keep your head and adapt under pressure. It’s this kind of mental flexibility that makes a difference in real life, too. It’s a lesson that goes beyond Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – I carry this skill with me into every challenge I face – in my personal life, my business, or my negotiations. The same way our ancestors learned from their battles, I’ve come to realise that each roll on the mat teaches me something invaluable about tackling life head-on, with creativity, patience, and purpose.

In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, patience and timing are everything. It’s not always about being the aggressor, sometimes the best move is to wait, to listen, then to act only when the time is right.

Socrates knew this. “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realise how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, just as in life, victory often comes when we acknowledge our limits and find creative solutions beyond brute force.

Lessons beyond the mat

The lessons of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu don’t end when I step off the mat. In our community, whether as a lawyer, business owner, or family member, we all face challenges and, in each challenge, we’re called to adapt, to stay resilient, and to approach each obstacle with a cool head and a willingness to learn.

I started Rolling Through Negotiations, a podcast where I dive into the skills and strategies that have helped me on the mat and in life. In each episode, we explore the art of negotiation with life’s challenges, whether through stories from Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, ancient Greek wisdom, First Nations community or modern-day problem-solving techniques.

Socrates said “education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.” My hope for the podcast is to spark that same curiosity and resilience in each of you when you listen in and join me on the show each week.

Rolling Through Negotiations is an exploration of what it means to live a life of purpose, patience, and constant learning. if you’re intrigued by how ancient Greek and First Nations values, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and real-world negotiation skills come together please listen. The podcast offers insights that resonate with all of us.

Adelaide-based Greek and Aboriginal lawyer Matthew Karakoulakis, winner of the 2024 Indigenous Leader of the Year Award, draws on both Greek and Aboriginal values in his practice and life.