Taken from my Facebook post:
This is a great post from Michael Brown and something I agree with very strongly. There is a slogan in BJJ that is very popular these days "You can't teach heart" that I disagree with 100%. Overcoming adversity is most definitely a skill that can be learned and improved (just like armbars). Perhaps some people tend to come by this skill a little easier than others, but from my own personal experience and through my experience as a coach, I have seen PLENTY of situations where people who have started out on the meek end of the spectrum have since become ferocious competitors. (I'll refrain from posting their names here so as not to embarrass them, but you know you are because we have spoken about this and your journey has been a great source of inspiration.)
Another problem with the slogan "You can't teach heart" is that is sends the message that you cannot improve your skill to overcome adversity. What happened to all of the inspirational and various "BJJ teaches you to overcome adversity" slogans? Should we just pack up and go home because, in reality, we're all stuck as our current selves with no chance of improvement?
I have also heard people use the "you can't teach heart" idea as an excuse to quit and succumb to defeat: I once heard someone say: "You're born with it or you're not." As Mike says below, it is a choice. Of course the choice may appear to be written in stone if you don't properly prepare and train yourself, but that is true of most things.
You most definitely can learn / teach heart. As Mike says below: "I know because I was there."
tl;dr - "Heart" is a skill like any other than can most definitely be taught / learned.