Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Morgan.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I had no idea what Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) even was until I was 23 and had already graduated college with health and exercise science degree. I went to school because I didn’t know what else to do. I had no real passion, but I knew after being a competitive gymnast from the ages of 5-17 that I wanted to stay fit and active. After I graduated from college, I accepted a job as a personal trainer at a gym in South Carolina called Athletes Arena. At the gym, they happened to also offer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and after much convincing, I finally stepped on the mat for my first class. The first technique I learned was a flying triangle and I was immediately hooked. I didn’t want to leave the mat and I couldn’t stop thinking about Jiu-Jitsu. I had found my passion.
I realized that this is what I wanted to do with my life. There was nothing stopping me except fear, and I wasn’t going to let that keep me from my pursuit of happiness. I knew if I wanted to be the best I needed to train with the best, so a year later, still as a white belt, I decided to leave my old life and move to the Mecca of BJJ: California. I sold most of my belongings, packed up my car, and drove cross country straight to San Diego to begin my training at the best Jiu-Jitsu school in the world, Atos. I didn’t even have a job there yet or much money but I knew I had to take a leap of faith to follow my dreams.
The IBJJF World Championship happens every June and is the largest tournament of the year. All of the most elite BJJ athletes at every belt level from around the world travel to compete at this prestigious event. A world title at every belt level (white, blue, purple, brown, and black) is the goal.
Five months after moving to San Diego, I won my first World title at white belt and received my blue belt on the podium from my head instructor Andre Galvao and his wife and the head instructor for the women’s team, Angelica Galvao. This was only the beginning of many more grueling training camps, injuries, wins, and loses. Always training as much as possible but still having to balance the stress of working and barely scraping by financially. I spent the next 3 Worlds chasing that World title but always coming up short until this year, my second Worlds at purple belt, I became a 2x World Champion and received my brown belt on the podium.
Has it been a smooth road?
No way, but is it ever? Those bumps in the road are what builds resilience. Every time I overcome an injury, a loss, or a setback, I allow myself to grow from it.
When I first moved out to San Diego, I worked at Starbucks. I would open the store at 4:30 am so I could get off in time to train in the 10:45 am competition class. I was basically an extra from the Walking Dead 24/7, a zombie. But, I just knew I had to persevere and eventually my hard work would pay off and a better opportunity would present itself. A little over a year later, that opportunity came. I was offered a job at Atos with a schedule catered directly to my training. No more getting up before the sun! It was perfect and yet I was scared to leave my cookie-cutter job and I almost didn’t take it. I almost let my fear rob me of a great opportunity and I am so so happy I didn’t. This second time I encountered my fear of the unknown I was able to recognize it and conquer it head-on. That further instilled a valuable lesson in me and now, I try not to ever let my fear control me. I always try to step up to the challenge and embrace being uncomfortable.
BJJ continues to teach me lessons like this about myself all the time. It’s taught me confidence, patience, mental toughness, and how to deal with adversity just to name a few. I’m not only improving my BJJ every day but also learning how to deal with the ups and downs of life.
Ladies, I would encourage you not to settle on being average or working a job that you’re not happy doing. You deserve more and it’s your responsibility to go out and get it. You are capable of so much more then you realize. Get comfortable being uncomfortable and push yourself out of your comfort zone because that’s where the real growth will happen. Also, always try to stay positive. It’s up to you and you alone to control your mind and not let negative thoughts pull you down. Life is always going to throw you curveballs, it’s all about how you handle those challenges. Don’t let them keep you down, instead see it as an opportunity for an extraordinary comeback.
What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a professional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete training at Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ under Andre and Angelica Galvao. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is growing in popularity quickly but it’s still a fairly new sport which means it’s hard to get a lot of support from sponsors and make enough money to support yourself financially until you’re a black belt (which takes on average 8-10 years).
Most of my job as a BJJ athlete involves training and competing which helps me progress, get support from sponsors, and opportunities to teach my Jiu-Jitsu. I make my living mostly from teaching private lessons, seminars, and working at Atos HQ.
In order to overcome the pressure, fear, and performance anxiety that comes along with competition over the past few months I’ve been focusing on developing my mental game and becoming more mentally tough. I credit my win this year at worlds not only to my physical training but also my mental training. I believe reading the books and working on my mind gave me the edge I needed to win. It’s a key part of the process.
Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
I think it’s vital to have a mentor. My main mentors are my professors Andre and Angelica Galvao, my boyfriend Dominique Bell, and my Atos teammates. It’s a long and extremely difficult road to becoming a black belt World Champion and there’s no way I would be able to do it alone. I think with anything difficult it’s going to be nearly impossible to succeed without a strong support system and a mentor you can look up to. I constantly look up to and ask the advice of people who have gone before me and accomplished the goals I want to accomplish. They’ve been there and they know what it takes and it’s encouraging to know you aren’t alone. Some days it’s going to feel impossible so you need those people who are going to pick you up when you’re down and keep you motivated to continue moving forward. Surround yourself with like-minded people who have the same values as you so you can feed off of each other’s energy and lift each other up. Be kind, be humble, and always be ready to learn.
Contact Info:
- Email: heatheramo@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heather_morgainz/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/heatheramo
Image Credit:
Dom Bell, ATOS Jiu Jitsu HQ, IBJJF
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