In this coaching conversation, Michael Strong checks in with Alana about her summer priorities. Alana identifies her top priority as training for jiu‑jitsu competition, emphasizing that consistent training—not just the events—drives excellence. Her second priority is learning, which she splits into two streams: formal academic work (advancing from 6th‑ to 8th‑grade math) and ambient learning that occurs through family interactions, travel, and podcasts. She describes listening to Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History with her dad, especially an episode on the Pacific Theater of World War II, as a catalyst for a new interest in history. Alana also notes that a high‑school finance elective has sharpened her awareness of household budgeting discussions, allowing her to apply concepts in real‑life contexts. She plans to devote 15‑30 minutes daily to math, feels growing confidence in the subject, and values the discipline required for both jiu‑jitsu and her academic pursuits. The dialogue highlights her evolving maturity, the role of ambient learning environments, and her enthusiasm for self‑directed growth over the summer.
Chapters
So, um, good to see you, Alana. So let me, let me kind of check in on your priorities. So priority number 1 is, um, jiu-jitsu competition this summer. Is that correct?
Yes.
Okay, what would you say is your second priority for the summer?
Well, there's education. I think that's kind of a wide scope because there's math and there's reading and there's learning and history and podcasts and then projects. I'm— just a small detail that's related to education. I wasn't that into history. And but my dad is, and he's been playing Dan Carlin's Hardcore History in the car as a podcast. It's one of his favorite podcasts. I'm listening to Supernova in the East of the Japanese Pacific Theater in World War II, and it's really interesting. So I'm going into that more and I think it's really, really cool.
Very cool. We can jump into history and that's fabulous. You're doing that. I wanna kind of understand how you think about learning in general a little bit more. So, um, I guess, you know, it's clear to me that jiu-jitsu is a priority and com— competition. Was it the jiu-jitsu? Is it the competition? How would you describe that priority? In what way is that a priority for you?
Well, when you say competition, there's just a few points. Well, if you say competition is a priority and training for the competition isn't the priority, I don't think that's the best way. I think training should be the priority, and then training for the competitions, because it's not just showing up to the competitions, you have to work for it. Um, that's number one.
Would you say, um, in some sense, um, excellence is the priority and that training leads to excellence and the competition is sort of measure of excellence?
I think excellence depends. Do you mean like performance or outcome?
Good question. And I realize that you could really perform well and still lose. There's just things happen sometimes. But that, and I guess, you know, when you, when you said training is the priority, I guess I would expect the reason that training is priority is, is for you to improve constantly. That is, it's not just to train and training. The purpose for training is, and the reason I thought of excellence is, you know, the peak to improve as much as possible. Is that accurate?
Yes.
Okay. And right. And then competition are a rough and inconsistent measure of that because sometimes you can have trained and just be in top condition. and for various reasons, it could still lose a particular match. But still, competitions give you some sense of, is the training resulting in getting better all the time? Is that fair enough?
Yes.
Okay, cool. In which case, let's think about learning. What would you say are your priorities with respect to learning, either this summer or, you know, longer term?
Well, like I said, that's pretty big. There's, um, we're gonna be traveling a lot this year for competitions and to see family, so learning more about what goes into that. Um, just learning about life and how that works. I was just learning and listening from my parents. And then there's the actual learning, like math, and I want to get ahead in that. But priorities for learning, I mean, what would benefit me most in the future for me to work on right now? I'm not too sure.
Okay, totally fine, totally fine. I actually like how you separated the kind of Do you know what the word ambient means?
When you say ambient, I think of like ambient music and being calm and meditating and stuff. I'm not sure.
Yeah, ambient means sort of in the air, in the environment around you, kind of what's going on around you. And so you, I hear you dividing your learning into two things. One is specifically academic learning, for instance, mathematics is the example you mentioned. The other is kind of learning from being around your family and traveling and all of that. Did I understand you correctly?
Yeah, yeah, that's a good way to put it.
So I would describe the first as kind of ambient learning, and certainly it sounds like listening to history podcasts with your dad is part of that. Can you say more about what other kinds of learning you expect to learn from being around your family and your travels?
Well, in my travel, there's places to see, cultures and different areas to explore, but then also maybe find— not that they, or not that my parents indulge everything to me, but there might be some financial experience, learning how to budget and again, priorities. So just for example, when you're traveling, I think it's fun to listen in Um, especially when my parents are planning something. Um, that's interesting to, to hear all their thoughts.
Got it. Would you say as you've gotten older, you pay me more attention to these kinds of things?
Definitely. I think everybody, not just me, when they're younger, they kind of— they're— I just went along with the flow. I didn't really know what happened. But now that I'm getting older and I'm around my parents more when they're doing stuff other than bringing us places and taking care of us. I think it's, I think it's good that I'm hearing that kind of stuff because I don't think I should be unprepared for in a couple years when I'll be helping with that.
Yeah. Did you by any chance take the finance elective this last year?
I did.
So do you think taking the finance elective has made you listen to your parents discussions of finance in a different way.
Yeah, definitely.
Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. Do they kind of discuss some kinds of financial decisions with you?
Um, I think— or they don't go, Alana, come here, listen. But they don't say, Alana, go into the other room. I think they are free with me listening in, and then they know I listen in too, so it's not like they're trying to have me not listen.
It's kind of cool you get to apply it. I would expect the finance class gave you kind of a framework for understanding certain basic issues, and that it's then interesting that you can kind of apply it by, you know, sort of understanding Home Finance 101. And then with math, what are your specific math— you told me, but I forgot— what are your specific math goals this summer?
It's okay. So, um, I'm in 6th grade. Last year I was doing 7th grade math. Um, this summer I want to move on to 8th so that I'm still a grade ahead and also doing harder math than I would for tests. Um, of course math is important. I've never been like the kid who's super interested in math, but recently I've been better at it, or I feel better at it than I have been over the past couple years. So it's made me more confident and I like, I like it.
Oh, good. How much math do you do over the summer? Like a certain amount every day, every week, roughly how much do you do?
So the first few weeks of summer, we, I really haven't had a lot of time to isolate, but when, like next week, every day I'm gonna sit down and try and do, uh, some math piece.
Like half an hour, 15 minutes, an hour. How much?
15 minutes to half an hour.
Okay, got it.
I don't know how much would be a sufficient amount. Like, I guess other kids might do more or less, but I feel like that would be okay. It's a little less than what we do normally in this, in the school year, um, but it's not nothing anyways.
Yeah, it is summer. I think it's great that you're, um, doing math over the summer on your own volition anyway. Um, so yeah, then just touch base on the history Um, would you say you had previously been interested in history, or tell me how your interest in— is it just you like this particular podcast? Uh, how did you develop the interest in history?
Well, honestly, before, like even just a year or two ago, I wasn't— I wasn't— I mean, just if you're talking about in the car and we're driving to and from jiu-jitsu or something, um, my dad plays all kinds of podcasts, Joe Rogan and stuff, but he also plays the history podcast. And when I was younger, I never really listened or took interest, but a little while ago I had— I just started listening in because I was like, well, if my dad's listening to it, then it must be good. And I— the first one was— yeah, I found it really, really interesting, especially because it was touching bases on different battles and war that I'd never really looked into. And now I know a little more than I did a month ago.
So what's interesting to me is what I'm hearing is that, you know, in finance you're starting to pay more attention, with history podcasts you're paying more attention, and that your attitude towards math has also changed in a more positive direction. And the math thing is a little bit different, but And the finance, clearly, I think the course set you up for it. Do you think it's just maturity that led you to interest in history, or what? Do you have any guess as to why you've become— you started listening in, whereas you didn't before?
I think it might, because I feel like when I was younger, I would have been able to comprehend all this stuff. It's a little— I feel like if I was 6, I would have— it would have been a little confusing, all the analogies and things. But I think part of it is definitely being older and realizing that it's there and I can take advantage of it and it's a good source of learning.
It has— what's the most surprising thing that you've learned is about history in general as you listen to various history podcasts?
Um, let's see, the one, uh, for the one that we're listening now, um, is again the about World War II, the Pacific Theater. And one of the first things when I started listening— I don't think I started listening at the very beginning, which might not have been a great decision, but when a little after I started listening, what really got me hooked in was when Dan was talking about Pearl Harbor and the logistics that went into that, and also how Winston Churchill actually kind of enjoyed it because that would mean that America's in the war. And I was like, wait, what? But I think I got it, and I enjoy listening to it.
Got it. Do you and your dad ever discuss what's going on in the podcasts?
But yes, whenever I have a question or something might be confusing, we pause it and we talk about it for a little bit.
Excellent. No, I think it's such a great way to learn history, and it sounds like you're getting a lot of history. And, you know, I didn't like history textbooks very much in school, but as an adult, I read a ton of history and I find it really fascinating. For me, I want to understand, yeah, how the world, how did the United States come to be? You know, what's, what happened in China? What happened in India? What happened in Africa? I'm just really fascinated about all kinds of bits of history. Um, what would you say is the, uh, the single— I think you mentioned it early on— what's the single episode you've loved most of, uh, of all the history podcasts?
Um, well, that's a little hard because each of the episodes are like a couple hours long. Um, I think the one that I mentioned, uh, had the part about Pearl Harbor or Pearl Harbor in it, because again, that's what got me really, really interested, um, and taught me a lot, a lot, a lot of new things.
Yeah. Had you heard of Pearl Harbor before?
Yeah, I had, but I didn't— I knew that it was a bombing in Hawaii, but I didn't really know Why?
Yeah, got it. Okay, well, this is all really exciting. I'm so glad to hear you're deep, getting deeply into history. And great that you're working on math over the summer. And yeah, good luck on the— not luck. I was— good luck is an expression we use all the time. But when something like jujitsu is a matter of commitment and skill, it feels problematic for me to describe it as good luck. So Kudos to you for your discipline on the jiu-jitsu as well. Thank you. Okay, in which case, I will wish you well and have a wonderful Sunday and see you again soon.
