Self-Discipline

The Ultimate Guide to Self-

Discipline Like a Navy SEAL!
John Collins
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One - Develop a Deep Sense of Self Awareness
Chapter Two – Mental Models that SEALs Live By
Chapter Three - Set Goals Like an Elite Warrior
Chapter Four – Create Valuable Habits by Applying Self-Discipline
Chapter Five – Eat and Train Like an Elite Warrior
Chapter Six – Why Self-Control is Like a Muscle
Chapter Seven – Develop a Productive Morning Routine
Chapter Eight – 12 Traits of a Navy SEAL
Conclusion
Bonus – 30 Day Challenge
Introduction
“Get comfortable being uncomfortable”.
It is hard to imagine a group of people who possess more self-
discipline than the US Navy SEALs. SEALs are among the world’s most-
elite military forces, and just the name alone conjures up images of these
shadow warriors taking on seemingly impossible and deadly missions.
Some of the most important military actions in U.S. history were
undertaken by the SEALs, and for good reason – they are a group of elite
soldiers who can be counted on to get the job done, no matter the
circumstance.
When you live by slogans like “Pain Is Weakness Leaving the
Body”, you are an easy candidate for the difficult jobs. Another factor that
contributes to the greatness of these shadow warriors is that they are part
of a select few who have passed the grueling initial training program. This
program is an 8 week apprenticeship where only 20 % of participants
complete and move on to Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training
which is another 7 months of being pushed to your limits.
In battle, self-discipline is a required trait. SEALs must have the
discipline to stick with the plan especially when the going gets tough – and
certainly when there is life on the line. The situations that are encountered
by SEALs all around the world are uncomfortable at best, and downright
dangerous at worst. SEALs are given a key phrase early in their training
that they learn to live by – “ Get comfortable being uncomfortable”. This
speaks to the challenges of being really uncomfortable for long periods of
time. SEALs will endure extremely cold water for a day at a time while
they carry out weapons training or climb through an obstacle course. The
message is to adapt to being uncomfortable as it will increase your ability
to outperform the enemy when the time comes.
Do you live up to the example set by the Navy SEALs? At this
point, probably not. That might sound harsh, but for most people, it is true.
Most of us don’t live up to the level of dedication and commitment that is
required to perform as a SEAL. There is good news, however – there is
potential lurking inside of you. No matter what your goals are in life, or
how far you are from accomplishing them, you have enormous potential if
you are willing to stop making excuses and start living a life of dedication
and commitment.
 No one is born a Navy SEAL – rather, they grow up as regular kids
just like everyone else. In fact, many of them enrolled in the military
without thinking they would ever reach this elite status. So if they aren’t
born into the SEAL way of life, how do they acquire the level of discipline
required to do the job? Simple. They learn it, in much the same way that
you can learn to be more disciplined in your own life.
We all have goals. For the SEALs, those goals are very specific and
focused. For example, the SEALs may need to take down an enemy
installation, or rescue someone who has been captured by enemy forces.
Their missions have detailed objectives, and the SEALs work as a unit to
accomplish those objectives as safely as possible. In your own day-to-day
life, the goals you are working toward may not be nearly as detailed. You
probably want to do things like make more money, spend more time with
your family, get in better shape, etc. These goals are important to you,
even if they don’t compare to the level of danger or risk involved with
being a SEAL. In the end, it doesn’t matter what the specific goals are,
because the requirement of self-discipline is the same. While you can
build a plan to reach those goals, it is ultimately your persistent self-
discipline that will determine your success or failure.
“No plan survives first contact with the enemy.”
As is often said by US Navy SEALs, “No plan survives first contact
with the enemy.” The meaning behind this is that your initial plan is
destined to play out differently than you expected. Have a backup plan
ready and execute as soon as you go down. If you want to reach your
objectives – whether you are a SEAL or an ‘average joe’ – you need to
have the discipline and preparation to make it happen, and you need to
have the creativity to adapt to the world around you. Learning from the
way SEALs approach day to day life is a great way to make your life
everything that it can be.
Chapter One - Develop a Deep Sense of Self Awareness
“The first and best victory is to conquer self.” – Greek Philosopher
Plato
This quote from Plato strikes at the heart of the matter when it
comes to self-discipline. There is no bigger battle you will fight in all your
life than the war against yourself. It is only you that can hold you back
from accomplishing great things, so you need to learn how to enable both
your mind and body to work together in the same direction. Plenty of
people have the capability to reach their goals, but few are able to get out
of their own way in order to make it happen.
When Navy SEALs go out into the field, they face many enemies
and obstacles – some of which are known, and some of which are
unknown. While they can’t necessarily control everything that will come
their way, it is a foregone conclusion that they will not beat themselves.
With the right combination of training and discipline, SEALs know
exactly what they are going to do before they do it. That means they aren’t
getting in their own way, and they are positioned for success prior to each
mission.
You should approach your life in much the same way. Chances are,
you are currently getting in your own way as you work toward your goals.
Sometimes this is referred to as ‘self-sabotage’. Working toward a goal is
going to be a frustrating and fruitless endeavor until you are able to see
how you are getting in your own way. Once those hurdles have been
identified, you can then make an effort to remove them so you can soar to
your goals and beyond.
Know Where You Are Going
It is impossible to reach a goal that has never been set. Before you
can use the mindset and discipline of a US Navy SEAL to help you reach
your life goals, you first need to figure out exactly what those are. Think
of this part of the process like drawing a map. You know where you are
today, but you can’t draw the map unless you have a specific destination in
mind. With that destination clearly identified, you can then chart a course
that will lead you to where you want to be.
Depending on your current position in life and your future aspirations,
the exact list of your goals could take on many different forms. However,
the following are two of the more common goals that people set for
themselves. Both of these goals will require self-discipline and hard work
in order to achieve success.

Making more money . Almost everyone wants to make more

money, but just ‘wanting’ it is not enough. You need to have a
specific amount of money in mind so that you can take steps
which will lead to that outcome. If you don’t set a specific goal
for your annual income, you may go down a career path that
doesn’t afford you the opportunity to ever make that kind of
salary. So, for instance, if you decide that $100,000 per year is
your magic number, you can base all future career decisions
around that ultimate goal. Do not be afraid to throw a couple
more zeros on the end of it.
Losing weight . Getting in shape and losing extra pounds is a
common source of frustration for most people – and a common
area where self-discipline is required. SEALs need to be in top
physical condition in order to complete their tasks, but that
conditioning comes easier to them simply because of the
approach they take to everything in life. Leading a disciplined
life all the way around means that SEALs will be more inclined
to make smart decisions like getting daily exercise, eating right,
and more. For you personally, it is important to set a specific
goal weight and date. Just as with the previous example, having
a numerical goal established will then allow you to chart the
course that you are going to follow. For example, losing 50
pounds in ten months might sound like an intimidating task, but
it is just five pounds per month. With the plan of losing five
pounds per month established, you can then learn what habits it
will take on a daily basis to make that happen.
The two goals mentioned above are just a couple of examples as to
what can be possible when you commit to and act relentlessly until
completion. It is the SEAL mindset that can help you get from where you
are today to where you want to be in the future. SEALs don’t give up on
goals when adversity strikes – instead, they anticipate the change in game
plan and adapt where required. Have a plan B ready as soon as you go
down.
It’s All About Motivation
Motivation, or purpose, is a critical part of being self-disciplined. If
you don’t know why you are doing something, you aren’t going to do it.
It’s as simple as that. This is an area where the SEALs are always crystal
clear. When the SEALs depart for a mission, there is a specific objective
that is to be completed. They believe in that mission because they are fully
committed to the protection of their country. Without that dedication, it
wouldn’t be possible to serve as they do in such difficult situations. Navy
SEALs are motivated by pride and respect for the United States of
America. In your own life, you will need to identify what it is that keeps
you motivated and gives you purpose each day. “A man without purpose
is just spending time.”
Again, this is where goals are so very important. In the examples
above, goals like losing weight and making more money were highlighted.
These aren’t just popular goals because they affect so many people, but
also because their benefits are so obvious. If you lose weight you can
expect to be healthier, enjoy more physical activities, be more attractive to
the opposite sex, and so forth. The purpose for making more money is just
as clear – providing a better life for your family, being able to put away
money for retirement, taking more vacations, and on and on. Motivation
abounds when it comes to losing weight or making more money, because
the benefits are so valuable.
Before you go any further in trying to improve on your self-
discipline on a day to day basis, you first need to become very clear on
your ‘why’. Your ‘why’ is your reason for doing what you intend to do.
Why are you searching for change in your life? Perhaps you’ve just had
enough. Maybe you want a better life for you children. Perhaps your own
life is at risk if you are not able to change. Self-discipline is always going
to be an unreachable target until you tackle the question of ‘why’. Once
your purpose is clear and in the front of you, you can begin the journey to
making all of your dreams turn into realities.
Hell Week is the defining event of BUD/S training. It is held early
on – in the 3rd week of First Phase – before the Navy makes an expensive
investment in SEAL operational training. Hell Week consists of 5 1/2
days of cold, wet, brutally difficult operational training on fewer than four
hours of sleep. This may be the toughest, most grueling training in the
U.S. Military. It’s an extreme test of physical endurance, mental fortitude,
intense pain, frigid temperatures, attitude, teamwork and an individual’s
capacity to perform under high physical and emotional stress in the midst
of sleep deprivation. Imagine being bitterly cold, constantly wet, learning
insanely difficult operational training for 5 1/2 days straight… all with
only four hours of sleep . On average, a candidate will consume 7,000
calories a day… and still lose weight.
Never Ring the Bell
The process of becoming a Navy SEAL might seem extremely
difficult, but it can actually be boiled down to one very simple moment –
ringing the bell. So what is the bell? The bell is the indication of giving up
– it is how you quit. When you just can’t take anymore, you simply ring
the bell and it is all over. You are dismissed from training and you no
longer have to go through the hell that is the SEAL training process. There
are no more 500 yard swims, 4 mile runs or hundreds of pushups to be
done. With that said, ringing the bell means that you are not going to reach
the goal of becoming a Navy SEAL. Giving up means relief from the pain,
but it also means falling short of success.
If you don’t ring the bell, you will have survived another day. You
will be closer to your final goal and will have defeated your inner quit.
The Navy SEAL mindset is derived from defeating your quit over and over
again. 80% of SEAL candidates never make it through BUD/S training.
You are likely not going to encounter any brutal physical training in
your life like that which the SEALs are subjected to during BUD/S.
However, you can still learn a great lesson from the concept of ringing the
bell. Are you going to ring the bell in your day to day life? Are you going
to give up on yourself short of the goals that you have laid out? Are you
going to take shortcuts while trying to build your career instead of doing
everything the right way?
One of the challenges that you face is that you will only be
accountable to yourself in most situations. Prospective SEALs have
superiors to keep them to their schedule, and to demand the best of them
from start to finish. Most likely, you will not have that kind of leadership
in front of you. Rather, you will need to motivate yourself to provide the
best of what you have to offer each day. As former US Navy Admiral and
Special Operations Command William McRaven said, “If you want to
change the world, don’t ever ring the bell.”
Chapter Two – Mental Models that SEALs Live By
“It’s all mind over matter. If I don’t mind it doesn’t matter.”
The way you think directly impacts the way you act. That probably
isn’t news to you at this point in your life, but it is important nonetheless.
By controlling the thoughts that run through your mind, you can in large
part control what you do on a day to day basis. If you have negative, self-
defeating thoughts, your actions aren’t going to take you in a positive
direction. However, if you think positively and encourage yourself along
the way, anything is possible.
SEALs must learn to follow orders that seem to be contradictory to
what makes sense. For example, if they are already hypothermic, will they
follow their trainer when he tells them to get back in the water? They must
learn to use critical thinking in extreme situations and not be distracted by
the cries of the uncomfortable body.
They learn to focus their minds to concentrate on a particular object
or the task at hand. The undisciplined mind will unravel you, causing
chaos which will lead to failure.
The SEALs are great at many things, but controlling the way they
think is right at the very top of the list. By using mental models, SEALs
can train themselves and their teams to work together consistently toward
a common goal – even in the face of tremendous adversity.
Physical training is great, but it is really the mental training that
makes the SEALs the premier tactical unit in the world.
Below are some of the mental models used by the SEALs in order to
find the perfect frame of mind to remain focused over the long run.
The Battle is Already Wo n
For SEALs, it’s never a matter of if they will complete a mission
successfully, it is only a matter of when they will complete it with success.
They visualize victory before ever starting the mission. In some ways, you
could say that the outcome is predetermined thanks to tremendous
preparation and focus. SEALs walk thru the entire process mentally over
and over with their eye on the prize. They go in knowing that the outcome
has already been decided.
 Fear will become doubt and doubt kills the warrior. Doubt will ruin
self-discipline, which is why there is no room for doubt in the mind of a
SEAL. If there is even the smallest expectation of potential failure, it will
be impossible to remain completely dedicated to the mission. There is a
great lesson to be learned from that kind of confidence. When you set a
goal for yourself, do you expect success or simply hope for the best? Do
you really believe in your heart that you are going to reach your goal, or
are you just hoping that things will work out in the long run? Those goals
that you set, whatever they are, are never going to be realized unless you
enter the process with absolute conviction that victory is going to be
achieved.
Powerful Words Drive SEALs Forward
Having a set of go-to mantras and sayings in the back of your mind
is a great way to push through tough times. Even the most dedicated and
motivated individuals struggle with adversity and feelings of self-doubt. It
is human to have those emotions, and to pretend that they aren’t present
would be a mistake. Instead of running from the feelings of self-doubt
when they do emerge, the better response is to confront them head on and
turn them away.
Two great examples of SEAL mantras are ‘leave no man behind’
and ‘failure is not an option’. The first refers to combat situations out in
the field. If a SEAL is down, the team will not leave that man behind – no
matter what. This mantra is a great demonstration of the commitment that
the SEALs have to one another. The second saying relates to the previous
section on winning the battle before it has even been fought. By repeating
the line ‘failure is not an option’ over and over again to themselves, the
SEALs can convince their own mind that they are guaranteed a victory. No
matter how difficult the task may be, Navy SEALs fully expect success in
large part due to these types of mantras.
Obviously, the mantra of ‘leave no man behind’ probably doesn’t
apply very accurately to your day to day life. Whether you are trying to
lose weight, earn a promotion, or reach any other kind of goal, you should
have a specific set of sayings that you can turn to when times get tough.
Rather than using canned sayings that have been offered to you by others,
you should take some time to develop your own motivational mantras.
They will be far more meaningful and impactful when they are your own,
and they will relate perfectly to what you are doing. Think about the goals
that you have set, and the challenges that you are likely to face as you
work toward those goals. Address those specific challenges with the
mantras that you create, and be sure to write them down in places where
you will see them over and over again.
Growth Comes from Challenge
A smooth sea never made a skillful SEAL. Growth in life comes
from meeting, and dealing with challenges. If you never allow yourself to
deal with a challenge, you will never know what you are capable of
accomplishing.
A true self-disciplined mindset recognizes the value of challenge.
US Navy SEALs forge this kind of mindset and way of thinking by
pushing themselves through limiting beliefs during training. Remember, if
it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.
SEAL Affirmations
The Navy Seals are no joke. With so many individuals volunteering
to be a part of the selection process, it takes more than just hard work to
make it. Each and every day is more than just a challenge, the participants
are pushed further, tested to their limits, to the point where they go as far
as possible as mental annihilation is concerned. The trainers purposely
push the applicants to quit in order to separate the strong from the weak.
There can be no weak SEALs. The bell in the center of all the barracks is
always ready for the next fallen individual to give it a ring and all the
discomfort and stress is over .
The selection process alone sees most of the candidates dropping
out. However, let’s focus on the smaller number of warriors who do
graduate. What makes them different? What separates them from those
who have given in?
Here are some ‘hard as nails’ Navy SEAL quotes to push you past
your quit:

“There are two ways of doing something…The right way, and Again !” -
If something is worth all your time and energy, it certainly is worth doing
over and over until you get it right.
 “It’s all mind over matter, If I don’t mind, then it doesn’t matter ” –
Once you’ve put in the work and developed your mental toughness, big
challenges become little challenges.

“On your backs, on your bellies, on your backs, on your bellies…..feet !”

– Change happens when you least expect it, but you have to respond
appropriately

“You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it” – There are situations in
life where you will simply need to grit your teeth and hit the ground
running.
Navy SEAL Ethos
“In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to
answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to
succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special
operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect
their way of life. I am that man.
My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the
heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to
protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen
profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day. My
loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a
guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are
unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor
seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards
of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my
own. I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my
emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from
other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and
honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.
We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge,
lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all
situations. I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation
expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies.
If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every
remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish
our mission. I am never out of the fight.
We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates
and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical
proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete. We
train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of
combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals
established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and
violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to
defend. Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and
feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the
legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every
deed. I will not fail.”
Chapter Three - Set Goals Like an Elite Warrior
“Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people
always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can
become great.” – Mark Twain
According to Neuroscientists, they found that SEAL trainees who
were able to pass the grueling tests of BUD/S were the ones who set many
goals in the process. Not just any goals but very short term and specific
goals. For example, during a “grinding” session (an endless workout of
flutter kicks, push-ups, and pull-ups) neuroscientists discovered that those
who didn’t give up actually set a short term goal to not give up at least
until breakfast. And through this short term goal, these navy seal trainees
were able to stay focused on the current task instead of worrying what
might come after breakfast. It’s like switching off the part of your brain
that tells you to give up. With this desire turned off they just kept grinding
on without the distraction of quitting.
For ordinary folks, you can apply this technique as well. Instead of
getting distracted and thinking about how much work has to be done by the
end of the day, just focus on one task at a time. And don’t bother yourself
with other possible outcomes. Just turn off the part of your brain that is
telling you to quit, remain calm and carry on .
Already in this book we have touched on the importance of setting
specific goals, but that topic deserves even more attention in this chapter.
When you think about it, becoming a Navy SEAL is one of the most
intimidating goals that a person could set. Simply getting into the SEAL
program is difficult enough, and that doesn't even begin to mention seeing
it all the way through to the end. Trying to take on a goal like that all at
once could easily be overwhelming without using some intelligent goal
setting strategies. Therefore, when learning how to set better goals in your
own life, there is no better group of people to look at than the Navy
SEALs.
If you would like to become a master of goal setting just like the
SEALs, try using the three tips highlighted in the rest of this chapter.
Honing In
It is essential that you hone in on the detailed specifics that are
required in order to reach the goals you have established for yourself. For
a SEAL in training, this could mean focusing on specific material that
needs to be learned or physical condition tests that need to be passed. For
you, it could mean picking out areas within your overall goal that you need
to master in order to be successful in the long run.
We can use the weight loss example from earlier in order to
highlight the importance of honing in on specific areas of your overall
goal. It is a great start to establish a goal of losing 50 pounds within ten
months, but that really isn’t an actionable plan. You probably know that
you are going to need to diet and exercise in order to hit that goal, but how
do you go about those things? How much should you exercise, and how
much should you eat?
There are more questions than answers at this point, which is why
most goals such as this never get off the ground. You start with the best of
intentions, but you are quickly derailed by all of the details that get in the
way of your aspirations. Without answers to the questions that you are
being asked, you give up instead of digging in for battle.
This is where it is so important to hone in on the details that are
going to get you to your goal. For instance, instead of saying that you need
to exercise more, hone in on a detailed plan that will result in more
physical activity on a regular basis. Perhaps you decide that you will run
for twenty minutes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week while
spending time on Tuesday and Thursday doing some stretching and weight
training. This is far better than just saying you are going to ‘exercise’, this
is an actionable plan that you can put into place right away. Now you
aren’t just hoping to lose weight – you are actually taking measureable
steps in that direction.
As you might have guessed, you will need to hone in on each
specific area of work that comprises your overall goal. So, in this example,
you will need to work on detailed plans for your diet just as you did with
your exercise. SEALs take no shortcuts and take nothing for granted when
it comes to honing in on their goals, and your approach should be exactly
the same. Nailing down your exact plans for each step of the process is the
best way to guarantee success in the end.
Visualize Success
 Many people overlook visualization as a powerful and effective tool
for improving self-discipline. Countless athletes use visualization in order
to calm their nerves in high pressure situations, and you can be sure that
the SEALs use it in much the same way. By visualizing a difficult scenario
before it actually presents itself, the SEALs can be sure that they will
respond in a decisive manner as quickly as possible. When you get good at
visualizing future events, you will feel like they are actually happening to
you during the visualization process. This is not a half-hearted exercise
that can be entered into with skepticism - you need to believe in the power
of visualization or it will not bring you the benefits that it is capable of
offering.
Visualization is a skill that applies clearly to the two examples we
have used throughout this book. If you are trying to lose weight, it is a
great technique to visualize yourself as a fitter, healthier person. Picture
the clothes you would wear, the activities you would enjoy, the places you
would go, and more.
As an exercise, try sitting in a dark and quiet place for five minutes
while you visualize what your future could be like after losing the weight.
In just five minutes, you will be able to picture an amazing number of
different scenarios in your head - all of which could come true if you stick
to your goals and dedicate yourself to the process until the job is done.
In the same manner, you can even use visualization to picture
yourself making more money and the lifestyle that would afford you to
lead. What kind of car would you drive? Where would you go on vacation?
What kind of home would you live in? The more detail you can add to
your imagery as you picture these scenarios, the more power the exercise
will have in the end. Again, this is something that you can do for five
minutes in a quiet place.
The practice of visualization is something that you can lean on when
times get tough in your day to day life. When you have a day where you
really don't want to exercise, or you really don't want to stay late at the
office to get a project done, use your visualization to find the motivation
to push through. You can be sure that the SEALs have plenty of tough
times during their training as well as out in the field, and visualization is
one of the many techniques that they use to overcome adversity and
maintain the discipline to get the job done.
Tiny Goals Are Powerful Goals
The leading cause of failing to meet an objective has to be in our
approach. We often attempt to take on the entire goal all at once. One of
the things that SEALs are great at is breaking down the objective. This is
‘How you eat an elephant’ and it is a skill that they learn right from the
start when they are in training. The reason this method is so effective is
that it can provide you with positive feedback on a regular basis so that
your brain feels like you are making progress and hitting your milestones.
One success breeds another, and pretty soon you are on the doorstep
of your ultimate goal. A one and a half mile run under 12 minutes is best
broken down minute by minute. Focus on the step by step process and not
on the considerable task at hand. Cumbersome projects can become
daunting and even take us out. We lose focus and become lost in the
numerous decisions that need to be made.
It takes effort to find a direction to go in and then it takes
commitment to stay the path while challenges unfold. Commit yourself to
the process of setting and meeting goals on a regular basis. Most likely,
you will quickly become obsessed with the feeling of achievement, and
you will find yourself compelled to set more and more.
Chapter Four – Create Valuable Habits by Applying Self-
Discipline
“The individual who wants to reach the top in business must
appreciate the might and force of habit. He must be quick to break
those habits that can break him – and hasten to adopt those practices
that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he
desires.” – J. Paul Getty
Positive habits are invaluable in the world of self-discipline. When
you picture the lifestyle of a Navy SEAL, you are picturing a life of
consistent performance and regimentation. The SEALs have set specific
goals for themselves, and they then use controlled habits to meet those
goals over and over again. Failure is not an option because they have
created a culture that breeds nothing but success.
Many people make the mistake of thinking that forming habits
means you are doing the same thing every day. That is simply not true.
Think of habits more as character traits, and less as actual actions. For
example, you can make it a habit to try to improve yourself each day at
work in one specific area. Instead of just assuming you are doing a good
job, you can take it upon yourself to look for weaknesses in your
performance that can be targeted for improvement. Rather than a specific
task or action, the habit in this case is working toward becoming a better
employee. Being habitual is a powerful trait, as long as the habits you
form are pushing you to be better than you were yesterday.
Adapt or Di e
Dinosaurs are an apt and widely used metaphor today. Sixty million
years ago, dinosaurs suddenly disappeared after more than 100 million
years on the planet. Paleontologists hotly debate the cause of the
dinosaur’s extinction, but high on the list of hypotheses is their failure to
adapt to rapidly changing climatic - particularly temperature - conditions.
Staying the same in any walk of life is a recipe for failure. Even if
you are good at something, you must adapt your techniques or you will
eventually fall behind. The world is constantly changing and it is your
responsibility to change right along with it. Do you think the SEALs use
the same training techniques today as they did when they were formed? Of
course not. As science and training techniques have advanced, the SEALs
have taken advantage of new innovations to make their teams the best they
can be. That doesn’t mean the old way of doing it was wrong – it just
means that the new way is better.
This is one of the most important lessons that you can take and
apply in your own life. Let’s say, for example, that you are a terrific
salesperson. You connect well with people, you have a great product, and
you work hard to close deals day after day. Over the years, you have built a
lucrative career on your ability sell to just about anyone. However, as time
goes by, you refuse to change. If it worked once, it will work again – at
least, that’s what you tell yourself .
Of course, as time goes by, your traditional sales methods are less
successful. Fewer and fewer people want to buy things in person, as most
shopping is now done online. Since you have refused to change, others
have taken advantage of the online market and your business soon dries
up. Is your failure to blame on the world around you for changing? No –
it’s on you for not adapting in time.
One of the great quotes of all time comes from Thomas Edison –
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing time after time and
expecting different results”. Those who don’t adapt, will die, in other
words. For the SEALs, the stakes are very much life and death. For you,
the stakes may be your business, your relationships, or your health. You
need to be willing to make changes when necessary, even if that means
going outside of your comfort zone. SEALs are constantly forced to take
risks and complete tasks that force them to push their limits – which is a
big part of what forges them into the men that they become.
The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday
US Navy SEALs use this saying because it perfectly describes what
it is to be a SEAL. Yesterday was tough, sure, but today is going to be
tougher. That’s why yesterday is framed as ‘easy’. Was yesterday actually
easy for the SEALs. No – it wasn’t. But today is going to be harder, and
tomorrow is going to be even harder still. When you approach life with
this mindset, you stop searching for easy and you begin to accept and
embrace the difficult .
On the road to self-discipline, you can’t be looking for easy days.
Those who are successful in this world – no matter what they happen to be
successful in – don’t look for easy days. Instead, while others are taking
their easy days to rest and recover, the successful are pushing on, finding a
way to improve themselves one step at a time. Is it easy? Of course not. Is
it rewarding? Absolutely.
Think about it this way – how could you possibly expect to
continually get better if today was easier than yesterday? You can’t. The
only way to improve is if you consistently challenge yourself to complete
more and more difficult tasks on an ongoing basis. You need to be waking
up in the morning hungry to find the challenge that each day has in store.
If you wake up hoping to find an easier day than the one you encountered
yesterday, you will crumble in the face of adversity. Nothing in life ever
stays the same for long – you are always either headed on an uphill or
downhill trajectory. Quite simply, if today is easier than yesterday, you are
headed on a downhill trajectory by definition. If you wish to continue
climbing until you reach your current goals and set new ones, you need to
live by the motto of yesterday being your last easy day.
Your Hurdles Are Mostly Mental
There is a physical component to anything that you try to
accomplish, even if it doesn’t have to do with losing weight. For a simple
example, even the idea of getting up early in the morning is a physical
battle. Your body might be telling you that it wants to keep sleeping, even
while your alarm is going off and you know that you should be walking up
to get your day started right. However, even while you are waging physical
battles against what your body wants to do, it is the battle with your mind
that will always determine your fate.
SEAL training is notoriously difficult from a physical perspective,
but almost any SEAL will tell you that when they look back, the most
challenging part of basic training and even ‘Hell Week’ was the mental
aspect. Your body is capable of things far beyond what your mind wants to
believe. If you are able to convince your mind that you can accomplish a
given feat, there is a good chance that your body will rise to the occasion
and get it done.
When you think about it, the real purpose behind the rigorous
training that the SEALs are put through is to test their mental toughness
above all else. It is relatively easy to test physical strength, and it certainly
doesn’t take 26 weeks to do so. If the Navy SEALs were only interested in
finding the most physically-fit people available for the job, they wouldn’t
need to go through the elaborate process that is currently in place to
identify those capable of being a SEAL. Instead, they would simply test
recruits on things like weight lifting, running, jumping, etc. With the
results of a variety of physical tests available, it would be easy to select
the most physically-fit men among the group. However, those results
would do almost nothing to determine who is actually cut out for the
incredibly difficult task of being a Navy SEAL.
Instead, the Navy needs to know who is up to the mental challenge
of becoming a SEAL. When everything seems stacked against you, and the
job seems impossible, how will you respond? How will you deal with
adversity when you are faced with a physical task that you don’t know if
you can complete? Are you going to rise to the occasion or are you going
to run away and look for a way out?
These are the questions that the Navy needs to answer when putting
potential SEALs through training. They have to be completely sure that
each person who earns the designation of a SEAL is going to be up to the
challenge of everything that the position requires – both physically and
mentally. If a candidate breaks mentally during training, there is no way
they will hold up out in the field when the bullets start flying.
There is No Going Back
For SEALs, training is a life-changing experience. That isn’t just
hyperbole either – once an individual successfully makes it through
everything that training throws at them, there is simply no way they can go
back to being the person they were before the experience. The SEAL way
of life will have been instilled deep into their mind, and that way of
thinking and behaving will carry them forward throughout the rest of their
lives. Even if you are not ever going to experience the rigors of SEAL
training, it is that kind of transformation that you are looking for in your
own life. You don’t want to go back, because your new mindset is going to
lead you to so many great places.
Many people who are searching for an increased level of self-
discipline make the mistake of thinking they only need to make short term
changes to their lifestyle in order to experience success. Again in this case,
weight loss is a great example. People who wish to lose 50 pounds, for
instance, think they need to alter their habits in the way of diet and
exercise until they reach that goal. While it is great to reach the goal, the
losing of the weight alone really doesn’t solve the problem. Why did that
person get 50 pounds overweight to begin with? What kind of habits were
in place to create that problem, and what is going to prevent it from
coming back again? While it can take a year or more to lose 50 pounds,
those same pounds can easily be added back on in just a few months.
Rather than short term fix to a long term problem, you should be looking
for a permanent change to the way you live your life.
It is easy to continue living the way you do today because it is
comfortable and familiar. Change is difficult, and it can even be scary.
Leaving a lifestyle that you’re familiar with for the unknown is a
disheartening task for most people. However, the rewards for stepping out
on the ledge and taking that chance are more than worth the effort. When
SEALs look back on the people they were prior to training and Hell Week,
they can’t even recognize the old version of themselves. No longer will
they be happy with just doing enough to get by when so much more can be
done. In short, good enough is no longer good enough.
When you walk away from this book, the hope is that you are no
longer satisfied with just getting by and doing what you need to do to keep
your head above water. Instead, your goals should be far more ambitious.
You don’t want to go back to your old way of life, because there is a better
one out there waiting for you. It doesn’t matter what your specific,
personal goals happen to be – what matters is that you take the positive
steps toward making them a reality. In time, with dedication and plenty of
self-discipline, you will be able to look back and not recognize the person
you used to be.
Narrow your focus
Narrow your focus to one major thing, define it well and then focus
with intensity until you make it happen. Ask yourself, “Do tasks I have
planned get me closer to achieving my main objective?” The important
thing about focus is that you eliminate all other possibilities and the risk
of creating errors.
SEALs manage their focus by expending their mental energy wisely.
When the bullets start flying our bodies secrete hefty amounts of cortisol
and adrenaline. These hormones will send our brains into hyper drive
which then hinders good decision making. SEALs practice 4 x 4 breathing
techniques by inhaling deeply for 4 seconds and follow with four seconds
of steady exhaling. They will do this for at least one minute to control
stress and arousal. Calm down and focus.
Never Be Late
“If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. ”
Being late is a difficult habit for most to break. Being chronically
late creates a self-sustaining negative loop that amplifies anxiety and
frustration. This behavior can be changed. Most of us have the intention of
arriving on time. The problem with this is that life always gets in the way.
There are too many variables that can throw this kind of timing out the
window in a single moment. The only way to truly be on time is to arrive
early. Give yourself some buffer time to absorb any of life’s curveballs.
Pressure Reveals Preparation
“When you’re under pressure, you don’t rise to the occasion, you sink
to the level of your training”.
Our best strategies and best intentions can quickly go out the
window when the bullets start to fly. Don’t expect that you or your team
will simply rise to the occasion when chaos takes place. Instead, you
should have put in enough preparation ahead of time that your worst
performance is enough to meet the call of duty. Uncertainty is certain.
Surprises are inevitable, and it is your level of discipline and preparation
that will determine success or failure. A well prepared individual can meet
challenges head-on even when they are caught off balance.
When fighting a 5 round fight you want to have prepared like it was
going to be a 10 round war. The preparation needs to have been done in
advance so that there is nothing holding you back when the time comes to
perform. While your path to success might not require a certain level of
physical fitness, it is certainly going to demand preparation in some form.
The separation is in the preparation. Be prepared.
Chapter Five – Eat and Train Like an Elite Warrior
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a
habit.” – Aristotle
Diet and exercise play an integral role in the lives of each and every
person on the planet. It doesn’t matter if you are athletic or not, or if you
enjoy exercise or not – being human means that you need physical activity
in order to remain healthy. Without physical activity, your muscles will
quickly begin to atrophy and your physical condition will deteriorate
sooner rather than later. In terms of health, exercise is not option – it is
mandatory.
With that said, you don’t have to be training for a marathon in order
to consider yourself physically active. In fact, just a simple walk each day
may be enough to keep your body functioning properly over the long run.
Even light exercise, combined with a healthy diet, can go a long way
toward warding off disease and obesity. The importance of these points go
far beyond simply losing weight or looking good in your favorite jeans.
Rather, the ability to keep yourself in good physical condition through diet
and exercise will have a profound effect on every part of your life.
If you take one look at any member of the Navy SEALs, it will
become clear rather quickly that they are some of the best-conditioned
individuals in the world. US NAVY SEALs don’t work out, they train.
SEALs take their conditioning very seriously, for many reasons. First, they
need to be fit in order to take on the challenges that will await them out in
the field. A variety of physical tasks such as running, jumping, lifting, and
more could be required during a mission at any given time. Failure is not
an option when the SEALs take on a mission, so each member of the team
must be ready to perform when called upon.
However, the desire for the SEALs to maintain a high level of
physical fitness extends well past the rigors of combat. Indeed, one of the
most important reasons for them to train so consistently is the effect that
the training has on the mind of each individual SEAL. Being accountable
to the diet and exercise routine of a Navy SEAL is one of the building
blocks of world-class self-discipline. Maintaining a high level of fitness is
a form of physical proof that an individual has the mental fortitude to
stand up to all of the challenges that are awaiting in the battlefield and
beyond.
 You can apply the same way of thinking to your own life. You aren’t
going to be called into SEAL duty anytime soon, but you can use your
physical conditioning as something of a barometer for the status of your
self-discipline. If you are overweight and out of shape, there is a good
chance that you are running low on self-discipline. However, if you are
maintaining a healthy weight and an active lifestyle, you should feel good
about the fact that your self-discipline is on the right track. Confidence is
an important part of success, and nothing will give you confidence quite
like knowing that you are doing a great job of taking care of your body.
Following are a few points that can help you eat and train like an elite
warrior.

Wake up early. There is nothing quite like getting an early and

productive start to the day. For the SEALs, that means the alarm
clock goes off at 4 a.m. each morning. While that might seem a
bit excessive, it allows them to get going on the numerous goals
that they need to meet before the sun goes down on another day.
To accomplish the impressive feats that are regularly achieved
by the SEALs, getting started before the sun comes up is a
requirement. So, do you need to wake up at 4 a.m. every single
day in order to have self-discipline? No, but you should avoid
sleeping in unnecessarily. Getting enough sleep is an important
component to your overall health, but lying in bed for no reason
in the morning is just a waste of time. Pick a wake-up time that
you can use on a daily basis based on the typical time you go to
sleep each night. The important thing is to get into a habit of
waking up at the same time each morning, and that time should
be one which allows you to be as productive as you need to be
each day.
Be active each day. The level of physical activity that you wish
to take part in is up to you – but shoot for at least some form of
physical activity each and every day. Your body will thank you
for this activity by providing you with a clearer head and a
better overall mood after you exercise. Whether this activity is
a simple walk through the park or a long run or bike ride, do
something to get your muscles moving each day. The benefits of
 this routine of physical exercise will be as much mental as they
are physical.
Eat for fuel, not for fun. When a Navy SEAL sits down for an
average meal, that meal has been designed around providing
him with the fuel he needs to get through his day. Is this how
you plan your meals, or do you simply eat for enjoyment? There
is nothing wrong with an indulgent meal from time to time, but
most of your food consumption should be planned with
performance in mind. Just like putting gas in the tank of a car,
you want to put the right fuel into your body to allow it to
perform up to the standards you have set for yourself. Healthy
foods that are packed full of energy are going to allow you to
accomplish far more than heavy, high-calorie options which will
only weigh you down. Having the discipline to eat like an elite
warrior is not going to be easy at first, but it is a big part of the
overall equation.
Plan carefully. The diet and exercise of a Navy SEAL is no
accident. The SEALs don’t just roll out of bed in the morning
and decide if they are going to work out or not on that particular
day. Their schedule is regimented, and each and every day is
accounted for in terms of food and exercise. You should live
your life in a similar fashion. Plan carefully in regard to the
exercise that you will do and the food you will consume.
Without a plan, chaos will reign not only in your diet and
exercise, but throughout your life.
You don’t have to be an elite warrior to behave like one. Specifically,
following the lead of the Navy SEALs when it comes to diet and exercise
is a great start to holding yourself accountable for the choices you make
each day. Having self-discipline is more than just something you talk
about – it is a way of life that permeates all of your decisions. Commit
yourself to eating and training like an elite warrior and a large piece of the
puzzle that is your life will be moved into place.
Chapter Six – Why Self-Control is Like a Muscle
“It is not enough to have great qualities; we should also have the
management of them.” – La Rochefoucauld
One of the great challenges with physical fitness is maintaining
your level of conditioning over time. Your muscles don’t remain in place
once you build them – if they fall out of use, they will quickly begin to
atrophy and disappear over time. Even if you once had an impressive
amount of muscle mass all over your body, you could eventually be weak
and frail if you fail to continue a conditioning program. In simple terms, if
you want to keep your muscles, you have to use them.
In much the same way, you have to use your self-control on a
regular basis if you want to maintain it over time. Just like your muscles
will start to disappear if you fail to use them, so too will your self-control.
This is a common spiral for many people to fall into, and the results can be
quite dramatic. Not only is it important to improve your self-discipline if
you want to reach your goals in life, it is also important to practice that
discipline on a regular basis.
The best way to highlight this point is through the use of a couple of
examples. The first example ties back in once again to weight loss.
Imagine that you are on a journey to lose 50 pounds, and you are doing
extremely well. Your self-control is working nicely, and you are exercising
on a daily basis while also eating right. You have pickup up ‘ momentum’
moving in the right direction, and the pounds are starting to disappear
from the scale. Things are going well.
At some point, you decide to go out with your friends on a Saturday
night for a burger and some fries. No big deal. You have a great time, and
on Sunday you get right back on the horse. However, when the next
weekend rolls around, you decide to go out for a nice dinner on both
Friday and Saturday night. This time, when you wake up on Sunday
morning, you aren’t quite as excited to get back into your new habits.
After all, it has now been a day and a half where you have been neglecting
your self-control, and the feelings of laziness and indulgence are starting
to take hold. Over the course of the coming weeks, you make more and
more poor decisions, and soon your newfound self-discipline is gone
entirely. The weight comes back, and you find yourself back where you
started months ago. This kind of an outcome is frustrating to say the least.
 So how did it go wrong so quickly? You allowed yourself to get out
of the habit of self-control, if only briefly. The reason this is a problem for
so many people is that it is so easy to do. It seems innocent enough to just
have one ‘cheat’ meal, but one turns into another when you start to neglect
your self-control. While it can take weeks or months to create good new
habits, it can only take days to tear them back down again.
Another example can be seen in terms of your profession. Imagine
that you have decided to go into work an hour early each day of the week
in order to get more accomplished and impress those who will be in charge
of your potential promotion. You are exercising great discipline in getting
out of bed early each morning, and the productivity shows in the office.
You are getting more work done, and people are starting to notice. Your
career is suddenly on the fast track to success.
When next Monday comes around, however, you decide to sleep in
after a busy weekend and simply go in on time. Not a big deal – after all,
how can you get in trouble for going into work on time? Not surprisingly,
you decide that you like the extra sleep, and soon the habit of going into
work early has disappeared. As a result, you start getting less work done at
the office, and others in the company pass you up when the next round of
promotions take place. By slacking on your discipline and allowing your
old habits to creep back in at the wrong time, you could suddenly miss out
on the big step in your career that you have been working hard to achieve.
SEALs don’t cut corners, and they exercise their ‘muscles’ on a
regular basis. By being true to themselves and avoiding lazy days or
impulse decisions to take a shortcut, SEALs build up their self-control to a
nearly mythical level. After years of behaving this way, the self-discipline
demonstrated by the average SEAL is simply a habit. They don’t have to
think about making the right decision because that decision has been
engrained through repetition. The thought to cut a corner or take a day off
doesn’t even occur to the SEALs because slacking is not an option. If you
can use your self-control muscle on a regular basis, you will be able to
stop worrying about a relapse into your old way of life as the new way will
have fully taken over your mind and body.
Habituation
Habituation describes a form of learning where we gradually
increase or decrease our response to something after repeated
presentations. The result is that we stop reacting or react less to a stimulus
because it does not seem as important anymore. Habituation is a means in
which you are repeatedly presented with whatever it is that you’re afraid
of. If you’re afraid of snakes, for example, then the psychologist doing the
habituation might first present pictures of snakes until your heart rate no
longer shoots through the roof, your palms stop sweating and your
breathing remains calm. Next, they might place a snake in a glass cage on
the other side of the room. Again, once your bodily reactions calm down
over time, the ante is upped; you move closer to the snake, the top is taken
off the cage, you watch someone else handling the snake, you touch the
snake and finally you handle the snake. By the end of the process, you’re
handling the snake like you work at the city zoo. You’re calm and you
have overcome your fear of snakes.
This process is a way to manage and suppress fear. SEALs use this
technique to build an unstoppable mindset and to do unimaginable things.
Take Responsibility
Be accountable for your actions and admit when you are wrong.
SEALs take full responsibility for themselves and their teams. They don’t
whine and they do not blame others. They win or fail all under their own
merit.
Be a Team Player
Don’t make it about you. Leave your personal agenda and your
personal comfort out of it. Team work is engrained in SEALs right from
the get go. They learn that taking care of their team is priority one. They
constantly ask themselves how they can make the situation easier or better
for each other.
Keep Learning
The devil is in the details. You never know when one little-known
fact or detail might make all the difference in the world. There is no end to
the education of a US Navy SEAL. Learning is eternal, whether it be in
training or simply learning from your mistakes. Having the right mindset
around continual learning is paramount for everyone.
Chapter Seven – Develop a Productive Morning Routine
“Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s
plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forward,
backwards, or sideways.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
If you ask a variety of Navy SEALs to identify the most important
part of the day, you are likely to hear one answer over and over – the
morning. Of course, this probably isn’t news. Most parents tell their kids
from a young age that the morning is the most important part of the day.
So what is so special about the morning? Why can’t things simply be done
later in the day? It all comes down to setting a tone for the rest of your
day.
Each night when you go to sleep, you are setting a reset button on
your life. After 6-8 hours of quality sleep, you wake up a new person in
many ways. Often the frustrations or stresses of the previous day have
been washed away, and you are ready to move on with new challenges.
However, if the morning doesn’t go well, that refreshed perspective can
quickly give way to laziness and falling behind on your goals. Getting
your day started in the right direction is among the single most important
things you can do to improve your self-discipline.
To ensure that each day starts off moving in the right direction, it is
a great idea to use a productive morning routine. This routine should be
consistent, repeatable, and demanding. You don’t want to start your day
off easy because your body will then expect everything to be easy for the
rest of the day until you go to sleep. Start your day off with challenging
tasks that demand a lot of both your body and mind. Expecting greatness
first thing in the morning is a smart way to achieve great things
throughout the entire day.
As you are designing a morning routine of your own, consider the
following tips –

Get up early and get started. This point was touched on earlier,
but it is important to note that you need to actually do
something with your time when you wake up early. It doesn’t do
any good to set your alarm for 5 a.m., for example, if you are
simply going to sit around sipping coffee and reading the news
for an hour. When you are building a morning routine, set your
 wake up time based on the specific tasks that you wish to
accomplish.
Plan your food ahead of time. One of the quickest ways to get
your day off to a bad start is to either eat a bad breakfast, or eat
no breakfast at all. Since you need to eat shortly after getting
out of bed, plan your breakfast the night before prior to letting
your head hit the pillow. When you get up, you will be able to
simply retrieve your breakfast and eat it before getting started
on your day.
Build a busy morning, but not a stressful one. It is a delicate
balance that you have to find when planning your morning
activities. You want to accomplish a lot in the morning hours of
the day, but you also don’t want to overload your plate to the
point that you feel stressed or overwhelmed. If you try to pack
six hours’ worth of activities into a four-hour window, you will
be setting yourself up for failure. You want to avoid the feeling
of failure at any point in the day, but especially in the morning
when you are setting the tone for the rest of your day’s work. Be
realistic yet aggressive with what you want to get done in the
early part of the day.
Exercise if at all possible. Adding your daily exercise routine to
the morning hours of the day is a great way to put your body
and mind on track for a successful day. Exercising early has
physical benefits in terms of the activity of your metabolism,
and it also have mental benefits from the chemicals that are
released in your body during strenuous exercise. Think about
your daily routine and see if you can fit your exercise into the
early stages of the day for maximum results.
With a comfortable mattress and a warm blanket, it is easy to be drawn
into sleeping the morning away – but that is a great way to ruin your
productivity and remain stuck in your old habits. If the new you is going to
be committed to self-discipline and hard work, it all starts when that
dreaded alarm clock sounds each morning. Instead of reaching for the
snooze, hop out of bed and attack your day with confidence and energy.
You might have to ‘fake’ it at first, but you will soon grow to love the
feeling of getting so much work done before the clock even reaches noon.
Chapter Eight – 12 Traits of a Navy SEAL
“A man without decision of character can never be said to belong to
himself…He belongs to whatever can make captive of him.” – John
Foster
In many ways, your journey toward improved self-discipline is a
journey toward becoming a whole new person. That doesn’t mean that you
have to leave everything about your current self in the past – there is
certainly a lot of great things about the person you are today. However, if
you wish to add in a strong dose of self-control in order to strive toward
your ultimate goals, making changes is going to be a necessary step.
Every person who successfully becomes a Navy SEAL comes out of
the experience a completely changed person as compared to when they
started. Specifically, they have acquired a list of twelve traits that will
carry them through everything they do as a SEAL and beyond. These ten
traits are listed below – as you work toward a new sense of self-discipline,
monitor your progress against the presence of each of these traits. When
you feel like you represent each of these twelve points in your day to day
life, you will know that you have made great strides toward living like a
SEAL.
#1 - Confident
Confidence is essential to success in any walk of life. You can be sure that
SEALs have confidence when they undertake a mission, and you should be
looking to find the confidence within yourself. Everyone has confidence
inside of them, and it will only come out when the right daily habits are in
place. When SEALs are confident they instill confidence in their team
members. It’s important for them to be 100% sure of themselves and to
never be cocky. Overconfidence can come off as arrogance and when this
happens the entire team can be set up for failure.
#2 - Decisive
If you don’t act quickly, someone else will. SEALs are problem solvers
who thrive in a setting called VUCA. This stands for Volatility,
Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity and is also referred to as the “fog
of war.” Sometimes you just need to trust your gut and rely on your
preparation to make the call. Wrong decisions are going to be made. This
is a fact of life. SEALs come prepared and make quick, calm and
calculated choices. They will correct an error and move on to the
objective. Hesitation and indecision can get a SEAL or his team killed.
Decision making is another trait which can define you as a self-disciplined
person. There is no time for hesitancy in the life of a person with big goals
to meet.
#3 - Assertive
Being assertive has a lot to do with being confident. You don't have to be
rude to be assertive - you just have to be sure enough in yourself to stand
up for what is right. The best SEALs are aggressive but not overbearing.
Ask for what you need and the universe will respond.
#4 - Stron g
SEALs are selected on 4 must have strength traits. These are moral
courage, problem solving, teamablity and of course physical strength.
Moral courage is what you do when no one is watching. It relies heavily
on trust and doing what is right no matter who is around. During the SEAL
selection process someone is always watching.
Problem solving is also paramount to being a SEAL. Survival when the
bullets start flying is 100% dependent on your ability to think accurately
and create sound judgment.
Teamability is defined by how well an individual works in the team
environment. It requires that all members put the mission and team before
themselves. SEALs are taught to prioritize team issues before individual
issues. The message here is Mission before me.
Strength in life is important – SEALs maintain an extreme level of
physical and mental strength to consistently find success.
#5 - Skillful
Developing elite performers means ruthless competition, and most
aspirants do not make the grade. The word Skillful is almost an
understatement when you have become a US Navy SEAL. The skills
needed by the SEALs are specific to the military actions that they are
going to undertake. For you, it may be skills in business or sales that are
required to move through your career with success. There are certain skills
that you need to acquire in order to reach your goals, and those skills will
be specific to whatever it is in life that you want to accomplish. Whatever
those skills are, you must pursue them aggressively until they are able to
support your mission.
#6 - Leadership
Sound leadership is a staple of what the US Navy SEALs stand for. Great
leaders have an open mind and can follow as well as lead. Their
commitment to the team must come before their ego. SEALs learn that
great leaders must have a competitive spirit but also be gracious when
losing. SEALs are taught that the leaders are ultimately responsible for
success and failure of the team. Even if the leader is not directly
responsible for the outcome, it was there method of instruction and
direction that led to the result. They call this extreme ownership.
#7 - Calm
During the second phase of BUD/S, students are required to perform
underwater activities and execute a variety of emergency procedures while
wearing scuba gear. During the exercise, the instructors attack the students
and disconnect the gear, leaving them deep underwater without any
equipment. The students that remain calm and do not panic are the only
ones to pass the test. They are able to function longer underwater by
staying calm. To prepare for this, they perform concentrated breathing
exercises and actually visualize the attack happening to them before
entering the water. Mental visualization is important because when done
repeatedly, it teaches and rewires your brain at a very primal level.
#8 - Disciplined
There might not be a more disciplined group of people anywhere on the
planet than the Navy SEALs. Above all else, they are dedicated to their
process and dedicated to their brothers with whom they serve. If you are
going to get anywhere in life, it is going to be discipline that is going to
take you there. For SEALs, discipline starts every morning at 5am when
the alarm clock goes off. This is like a daily measurement tool that points
out how you’re operating. If you push snooze a few times you are
demonstrating weakness and this will show up in multiple areas during the
day and in your life. If you get up on the first alarm you are more likely to
have that momentum push during the day as well as having a little more
time to work with. A small act of daily discipline can ripple outward and
affect many areas of your life.
#9 - Adaptable
You probably think about SEALs as being regimented and carefully
planned - which they are - but they are highly adaptable as well. It is
important to understand that situations will change which will require you
to change on the fly, even if that means adjusting your carefully laid plans.
SEALs are taught to forget about motivation and rely on discipline. When
put into a chaotic overwhelming situation they will simply prioritize tasks
and execute. A dozen problems cannot be dealt with all at once so they
will need to be handled one at a time. Choose the highest priority and
handle it. When the battlefield changes, the course of action must change.
Prioritize and execute.
#10 - Vigilant
A big part of the reason that SEALs are so successful out in the field is
that they are never caught off guard. Vigilance as a trait means that you
always have your 'eyes on the prize', and you are always ready to jump
into action when needed. If you want to take advantage of opportunities as
they emerge, even if they are unexpected, you will need to be vigilant on a
day to day basis. SEALs make the unknown familiar. They do this by
exposing their bodies to extremely cold temperatures and by using mental
visualization to conceptualize themselves in a nasty firefight.
#11 - Patient
There is nothing more important to a Navy Seal than understanding the
virtue of patience. Self-Discipline like a SEAL requires immense patience.
A SEAL sniper can wait on a target for days if necessary. Calm yourself
down and wait out the traffic jam you are in. No one can trust someone
who indulges in their emotions. Staying calm will give you the ability to
read and understand the situation before you make your move. This is a
very good way of preventing wrong decisions that we often regret later.
SEALs are patient with frustration from being fatigued and they are
patient during duress.
#12 - Prepare d
The devil is in the details. The first step to tactical problem solving is
being detail-oriented and creating a robust plan. SEALs will spend
countless hours preparing for combat. They will analyze the mission and
get clear on what the specific objective is. Then they will identify
personnel, assets, resources and time. Create a plan of action. Prepare for
likely contingencies through each phase of operation. They will then
delegate portions of the plans to key junior leaders. Then finally, they will
brief the plan. This involves asking questions and engaging in discussion.
Life and the battlefield will never goes as planned. Long term success is a
thinking man’s game. Being prepared is essential if you are going to reach
your goals, so remember to rely on your level of discipline and not your
level of motivation.
10 Interesting US Navy SEAL Facts

1. The Navy SEAL dog of choice is the Belgian Malinois. These

dogs will accompany SEALs on missions and are trained for
special operations. They can operate parachutes and will often
jump with their handlers or even solo. The dogs can sniff out
concealed humans and explosives. They are also extremely fast
runners, reaching speeds double what a fit human can run. The
Malinois are trained to enter danger zones before troops,
alerting them to what is ahead.

2. SEALs used to be water boarded as part of their counter-

interrogation training. This method of torture simulates
drowning and is extremely terrifying for anyone to undergo.
They stopped it because most of the trainees could not survive it
without breaking and this would be bad for morale. In fact,
those in the CIA who have had to endure water boarding for
training have only lasted around 14 seconds.

3. After 9/11, the unit count of SEAL Team 6 was raised to almost
300 men but was only about 90-strong beforehand. In total,
there are somewhere around 2,450 active-duty Navy SEALs
now. This amounts to only 1 percent of the personnel in the
Navy.

4. There are 8 SEAL teams in the NSW (Naval Special Warfare)

and they are split into 2 groups. Group ONE is made up of all
the odd-numbered teams while Group TWO contains all the
even numbers. The teams range from 1 to 10, but teams 6 and 9
are not acknowledged by the government.

5. The brain of a Navy SEAL is trained to alter the way the

amygdala processes fear.

6. During the Vietnam War, Navy SEAL teams One and Two
amassed a combined kill/death ratio of 200 to 1.
7. The US Navy SEAL arsenal includes the Russian AK-47 due to
its extreme reliability in all situations. This weapon makes for a
great choice when having to swim a weapon over the beach.

8. The original Navy SEAL Team 6 was formed after a failed Delta
Force mission and was given its team number in order to
confuse Soviet Intelligence as to how many teams there actually
were (there were only 2 at that time).

9. The navy seals who killed Osama Bin Laden were the same
team that rescued the American Ship Captain Richard Phillips
who was held hostage by Somalian pirates in 2009. SEAL
snipers fired 3 precision shots in the dark from the rocking stern
of the Norfolk destroyer Bainbridge, Killing all 3 targets
instantly.

10. Navy SEALs must undergo one of the longest, most physically
and mentally exhaustive training programs in the U.S. military.
According to some reports, SEALs may train for more than two
and a half years before being deployed.
Conclusion
The path to excellent self-discipline is a long and winding journey.
You shouldn’t expect to wake up tomorrow with perfect habits of hard
work and self-control. Instead, you should expect to get up tomorrow and
do your best to improve on the previous version of yourself. Young men
who wish to become Navy SEALs don’t simply show up one day and have
that honor bestowed upon them. They have to work incredibly hard for that
title, and it is only given when they have proven beyond a shadow of a
doubt that they have what it takes – both physically and mentally – to get
the job done.
As you pursue your own goals and dreams, remember to keep the
model of the SEALs in mind. This book has created an outline for you to
follow in terms of the processes and traits required to become the self-
disciplined person that you desire to be. No longer will you be someone
who sits on the sidelines only dreaming of achieving your goals. Now, you
will be the person who works hard to realize them, and is then able to
enjoy the satisfaction of having taken yourself to a new place in life.
SEALs are so respected not because of their physical capabilities, but
rather because of the mental strength that they demonstrate under some of
the most difficult conditions imaginable.
You are capable of great things in life. As long as you believe that to
be true, the sky is the limit. Remember, no one is born a Navy SEAL. Men
turn themselves into Navy SEALs through extremely hard work,
dedication, and a focus on the ultimate goal that they have set for
themselves and their teammates. In just the same way, you can turn
yourself into whatever it is that you want to be. Believe in yourself, value
the importance of unwavering self-discipline, and make it happen!
The SEAL Code
Loyalty to Country, Team and Teammate
Serve with Honor and Integrity On and Off the Battlefield
Ready to Lead, Ready to Follow, Never Quit
Take responsibility for your actions and the actions of your
teammates
Excel as Warriors through Discipline and Innovation
Train for War, Fight to Win, Defeat our Nation’s Enemies
Earn your Trident everyday
Bonus – 30 Day Challenge
What the 30 Day Challenge Is

It is a way to implement a daily discipline into our lives that

enhances who we are
It is a way to implement a buddy system that holds us
accountable to what we have committed to do
It is a Win or Learn environment

What the 30 Day Challenge Is Not

It is not a scheme to make money

It is not for those who want to remain stuck
It is not easy

Requirements

A facilitator must lead the challenge

Minimum number of people required is 4. Maximum number of
people for a challenge is 20.
Everyone takes on a 20 minute daily discipline that
benefits/improves their life and challenges them. Examples:
exercise, reading, learning a language, meditation, charity work
The discipline is carried out consecutively for 30 days.
Participants create a buddy system in teams of 2.
The participant must communicate via text message or email
to their buddy when they have completed their daily discipline.
Completion communication must be sent before midnight every
day.

2 Strikes and You’re Out

If you miss a day or forget to communicate to your buddy before midnight

it is considered a strike. If this happens you can ‘rebuy’ back in for an
additional $20. This money will go to the pool of money that has already
been collected. This can happen twice at the most. After 2 strikes and 2
‘rebuys’ you are no longer eligible to collect any of the money but you can
still complete the challenge.

Steps

1. Establish the group of participants who want to take on the

challenge.
2. Explain rules and make sure that they are understood by all.
3. Determine start and end dates.
4. Determine who will be buddied up with who. Maximum of 2
people per group.
5. Collect buy in money from each participant. ($20)
6. Complete the challenge and divide the money between the
successful participants who make it to completion.
Thank you and good luck !