Ron White, memory training expert, would like to share with you lessons on discipline as taught by himself and former U.S. Navy Seal, T.C. Cummings in their “Mind of a U.S. Navy SEAL†workshops.
I recently heard a story about a woman who was snowmobiling with her friends and they were miles away from base camp when she took a tumble and broke her arm. Not wanting to spoil the trip for the rest of the group she continued on, not letting anyone know about her injury. This is a good example of “mind over matter.†She was able to focus on other things and not her pain, and for the good of the group (team) she continued on until the ride was over. When she saw the doctor she had broken her arm in half!
How was she able to carry on through the pain? Because she was able to focus her attention on the end result, which was to finish the ride.
The key to any outcome is how much you want it to happen. You create your own destiny by the way you set your mind. If you want to get something done, it will happen if you are determined to follow through. If you give up, it will not. “If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.†if you can get through what you are put through in order to make your goal, what you had to go through to get there just doesn’t matter.
There are three main points in this discipline lesson I would like to bring out.
- Get Comfortable getting uncomfortable
- Proactive Pressure
- When it comes to mind over matter – Do it again
My friend, T. C. Cummings is an 8 yr. veteran of the U.S. Navy SEALs, decorated in both Desert Storm and Desert Shield. He is my partner in leadership workshops we call Mind of a Navy SEAL.†In these workshops T.C. explains how the mindset of a Navy SEAL is programmed to make each team member a leader, and how they go about thinking outside the box in order to maintain their physical and mental stamina to endure extreme circumstances. Since the U.S. Navy SEAL is one of the best-trained military units in the world, the lessons they can teach us will build our stamina and leadership qualities in every aspect of life.
One of the lessons T.C. has brought to the table is to get comfortable being uncomfortable. We have to take ourselves out of our comfort zone and take risks once in a while. Sometimes that means we have to be uncomfortable in order to be successful.
T.C. gave an example of his SEAL team infiltrating a compound in order to take pictures and gather information about how many people were there and where they were located. They took advantage of the laws of human nature, which is to take the path of least resistance. Knowing soldiers on guard duty would try to keep warm and turn their backs away from the blowing rain in their faces, the SEALs scaled the hills on the north side of the compound, where the wind was coming from. As the guards huddled around the campfire to keep warm the SEALs were able to get inside and take pictures from under the trucks, and then get out. Their mission was accomplished and the enemy guards had no idea they were there.
The SEALS took themselves outside of their comfort zone by taking the beating of the cold wind and rain in order to accomplish their mission. If you are trained to get comfortable, find where your discomfort zones are and learn to become comfortable in that situation.
Another lesson in discipline from the SEALs is that of taking Proactive Pressure. By placing pressure on yourself to keep moving forward you can take advance of the momentum you have going in order to continue upward. If we get too comfortable we start letting things slide because we are in a state of neutral, neither moving forward or backward. We cannot let our victories stop us from moving on.
One example is that of the turtle and the hare – the hare was content knowing he was faster than turtle so his ego got the better of him and he allowed himself to rest instead of finishing the race. While he was resting the turtle slowly inched past him and won the race. Sitting back on your past victories, and not continuing through to the end, allows the competition to pass you – and you never see it coming.
How often do you lack personal pressure? If you put pressure on yourself you will always be prepared. If you let up on the pressure, and stop before the race is over, you will soon find yourself finishing last. Create pressure on yourself and keep the pressure constant and you will continue to go up.
One client we spoke to in one of our seminars starts the day with at least six points he wants to accomplish that day, then applies pressure on himself to get the job done.
Lastly, When it comes to mind over matter – Do it again. If you fail, get back up, dust yourself off and start all over. How valuable are you to yourself or anyone else if you quit when you make a mistake? It’s not shameful to fail if your heart is pure and you are going in the right direction. The shame is quitting on yourself, and your ability to overcome any roadblocks in order to achieve your goal.
If you learn only one lesson from all of this, it’s the value of being able to get back up and keep on moving forward.
You will find the lesson in discipline among many available on the training CDs “Mind of a Navy SEAL,†and in our training “Think Like A U.S. Navy SEAL†workshops.
Sources:
“Mind of a U.S. Navy SEAL†workshop
NavySeals.com forum – http://www.navyseals.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-161270.html