It works because you do it RIGHT, not because you do it FAST

OK, so time for another philosophical post. This one is directed at mostly people who feel like they can TASTE that blue belt. You're sure that the only thing holding you back from it is demonstrating how awesome you are by tapping out some existing blue belts, or running a clinic on your white belt compatriots. I've got some bad news for you, you're sabotaging yourself.

I've seen this happen with some guys in our gym, guys who really do have the technical skill to be getting their blues very very soon, but won't. Probably they will have to wait for another year. Why? Because they are rushing. They rush through techniques drilling, hitting the techniques hard and fast as if they are in competition. As a result they screw stuff up and end up getting like 4 decent reps in and otherwise getting confused and flubbing it over and over again.
Then when we start drilling they rush. Instead of working the techniques we just learned from the starting position they move directly to their "A" competition game and don't learn anything new.
And finally when rolling they rush rush rush trying to pass guard, trying to get a sub, trying to escape. Everything they do is in a hurry. The result is a bunch of activity for very little relative result.

So for everyone who has ever spent 5 minutes running back and forth around some guy that looks half asleep, been choked out 20 different ways in one round by someone that seems to move at a snails pace half the time, or feels like they just got done with a track meet after they leave their jiujitsu class I want you to repeat after me, "It works because I do it RIGHT, not because I do it FAST."

That's my motto and I suggest you all adopt it. Throwing your legs up super fast and yanking on an armbar will not get you a tap if your legs are in the wrong place, and not pinched together, and your hips are too low.
Breaking your opponent down, getting your guard up high, isolating the arm, and swiveling for a proper armbar will get you a tap every time, no matter how fast or slow you do it.
If you feel like you CAN'T get the armbar without throwing up fast, then generally you need to back up a step or two to how you're setting up the armbar and re-examine it. That applies to ALL techniques too. Triangle chokes will not work if you throw them on super fast and your heel is halfway down the guys back and he has both of his elbows tucked down. He's got all the time in the world to escape from that no matter how hard you crank.

So I exhort you all to please SLOW DOWN and do things right. I promise you it will increase your success rate in the long run, because once you get used to doing it right, THEN you can do it fast.