DARUMA: THE INSPIRATION
During my stay in Japan, while training for the Japan Cup, I met a bartender. When I told him about my participation in the competition, he gave me a Daruma doll with one eye already painted, meant for the opening of his bar. He told me that if I won the competition, I should paint the other eye of the Daruma.
I didn’t win the final that year, so I didn’t paint the second eye. But I kept the Daruma close, holding another wish in my heart: to win gold at the Hong Kong Open the following year.
That wish came true. When I finally painted the Daruma’s second eye, I felt a deep sense of happiness and pride. Every time I look at it sitting next to my medal on my desk, it reminds me of perseverance, determination, and the power of never giving up on your dreams.
Later, when I wanted to create my own Daruma, I painted the first eye to celebrate the creation of Peel Gi. Now, I want to offer the same opportunity that the Japanese bartender gave me—to let others paint the second eye, making it a symbol of their own goals and victories, whether in BJJ, in life, or any dream they are pursuing.
The Daruma is more than a symbol—it’s a reminder that every small step, every bit of dedication, brings us closer to turning wishes into reality.
