The SEAL’s, kinda like the Spartans back in the day, are mentally tougher then they are physically. The Agog is where the Spartans learned to strengthen their mind prior to the ultimate test in the Phalanx. BUD’s is where our modern day Spartans do likewise. Whether in 480 B.C. or today in 2015, the mind is ultimately what matters. Few master their mind and make it succumb to their will. We call these few, leaders.
Leaders are not developed in some kinda soft, politically correct, classroom setting. Leaders are built through tough training and tough truth telling. Leaders are built when they sit in practice they can’t control and don’t know when it will end. Leaders are built when they hear and respond to truth, especially the truth that stings. Like a good anti-septic, the truth brings a crisp, clean, healing edge that stings – but only for a few seconds.
So, next time you find yourself in the middle of a storm and you can’t see any logical way out, grab hold of your mind and tell it to make it through the current trial. Tell it to focus on this trial and get comfortable in the chaos. Tell it there is no finish line. And, as you begin to believe and frame your mindset this way you will arrive on the other side and won’t much recall how you got there. SEAL’s have built such a mindset. You can too. This morning, with Krits and six other crazies, we made it through 69 minutes of work one trial at a time. The enemy is looking ahead. I always look at the seconds timer and only allow my eyes to focus on the current work highlighted in red. When the color is gray (rest), I allow my eyes to look one red segment ahead. I prepare mentally to focus on finishing. I don’t look ahead. I tell myself to make it through the next red segment with a mindset of no finish line. Somehow, time flies with this mindset.
No finish line, friend. Baby step into the mess. Baby step again. Finish the current red segment. Three deep breathes and another baby step in the mess. No finish line. And, somehow, someway, sometime later…
Good.
BUILT TO LEAD 