I want to add that sometimes I do find that I should be a little more aggressive when finishing some submissions, like to say I started standing with this guy and immediately I grabbed his lapel and sleeve and transitioned to an arm bar, from the guard... which I almost had but sometimes I don't get it, cuz when I train I go slow when applying the pressure, which is how u want to do it, so I didn't go that hard on him thinking I could crank his arm too much and he escaped...
I like to attack and attack, kimura he defends it, then transition to scissor sweep he defends it, then break his base, or transition from the scissor sweep to the triangle, work a high guard, grab his collar and attempt a collar choke and always moving around, not being flat on my back, all this at a pace my cardio holds up and only with technique...when in my guard I know my opponent has lots of things he has to defend, so why not take advantage, the guard for me is an advantageous position if you want it to be, I have sweeps,submissions, and transitions, my opponent has to be ready for all of that, mostly he wants to pass the guard...but if you play a guard that is not active and you just hold him, and go for one technique at a time...its going to be difficult for you in training and in competition.
I think Jiu Jitsu is about distractions, if your not actively creating distractions,and you don't distract your opponent then your not going to get the subs,sweeps and transitions...so mostly the first and sometime second attempts at a technique are just for distraction in my opinion, your usually going to the get the second or the third...also something I will do more is work both sides, man that helps so much...need to train that more.
Thats my white belt opinion, take care.
