MRT Slideshow

COMPREHENSIVE
SOLDIER & FAMILY FITNESS

BUILDING RESILIENCE ENHANCING PERFORMANCE
MRT Skills
Copyright © 2014 The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved. 1
MRT Skills
2
Our Model
Crawl Walk Run
Photo © Oksun70, Dreamstime.com.

Used with permission.
Photo © Andres Rodriguez, Dreamstime.com. Photo © Martinmark, Dreamstime.com.

Used with permission. Used with permission.
Skill mastery requires
that you know…
 What is the skill?

 When do I use it?
 How do I use it?
Building Mental Toughness Skills
 You will learn a set of skills that will enhance your

effectiveness and well-being by building your
mental toughness. These skills will also develop
your ability to understand your own thoughts,
emotions, and behaviors, and the thoughts,
emotions, and behaviors of others.
Goal Setting
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MRT Skills
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Goal Setting: B.L.U.F.
 Goal Setting helps to build Self-regulation.
 Goal Setting can be an effective means to grow

and thrive, especially following adversity.
 Goal Setting is an effective strategy to facilitate
the achievement of dream goals as well as
enhanced performance.
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Goal Setting
 Goal Setting is a process to deliberately energize,

direct, and sustain behavior to ensure progress.
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Motivation Isn’t Easy
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What Motivates You and Others?
Participant Guide page 19
Sources of Motivation
Based on Richard Ryan & Ed Deci
IN
TA
TE
EN
R
M
N
U
A
TR
L
Intrinsic
S
IN
Motivation
Rewards / Self -
Punishment Identity
12
Benefits of Internal Motivation
 Decreases anxiety
 Enhances concentration
 Increases positive emotion
 Feeling of being in “flow”
 Increases effort and
persistence
 Provides satisfaction
 Fulfills need for autonomy
14
Your Bucket List
15
Benefits of Goal Setting
“Where to?” “Turn in 2.5 miles”
Goals Goals
activate direct
behavior behavior
Goals Goals
sustain adjust
behavior behavior
“Arrive at 1840” “Recalculating”
16
7-Step Process
Participant Guide pages 26-30
Step 1
Define your goal
Step 7 Step 2
Continually
Know where you
monitor
are right now
your progress
Step 6 Step 3
Commit yourself Decide what you
completely need to develop
Step 5 Step 4
Make a plan for
Pursue regular
steady
action
improvement
17
7-Step Process
Step
END 1
STATE
Define your goal
Step 7 Step 2
IPR
Continually ENERGIZE
Know where you
monitor
are right now
your progress
PLAN
ACT
Step 6 Step 3 (1-4)
(5-7) MAINTAIN
MOTIVATION
Commit yourself PRIORITIES
Decide what you
Step 5 Step 4
SMART
WIN
Pursue regular
Make a plan for
action
STEPS
steady
improvement
18
Breakouts:
Rules of the Road
 Confidentiality
– “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
 Respect each others’ contributions.
 Offer unique contributions only (i.e., don’t repeat
what someone else said).
 Adult learners
– You can stand, use the restroom, or get coffee as
needed.
 Privacy
– Facilitators will pop into the dyads, but it’s ok to
ask for privacy.
Breakouts:
Goal Setting Key Principles
 Goals enhance performance: Goal Setting can

produce motivation, direct attention, increase
effort and persistence, and promote new
strategies.
 Motivation matters: You are more likely to
achieve goals when the motivation comes from
within you and is tied to your personal values.
 Self-regulation: Self-regulation is a primary
target of Goal Setting.
21
Breakouts:
Goal Setting Steps
Step 1
Define your goal
Step 7 Step 2
Continually
Know where you
monitor
are right now
your progress
Step 6 Step 3
Commit yourself Decide what you
Step 5 Step 4
Make a plan for
Pursue regular
steady
action
improvement
33
Goal Setting:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Goal

HavingSetting is a process
the courage to deliberately
to develop a vision,
energize,
the direct,
creativity and sustain
to establish yourand
a plan, ownthe
behavior
guts totocommit
ensureto
progress.
the journey.
When do I use it? Use Goal Setting when you want to

establish a plan to achieve success.
How do I use it? Execute the seven steps in the Goal Setting
goal. Know
Process: Define your dream. where
Know you
where are
you areright now.
right now.
Decide what you need to develop. Make a plan for steady
Pursue
improvement. Set andregular
pursue action. Commit
short-term yourself
goals. Commit
completely.
yourself Continually
completely. monitor your
Continually progress.
monitor your progress
38
Goal Setting:
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Self- Self- Strengths of
Optimism Mental Agility Connection
awareness regulation Character
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Avoid Thinking Traps
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Put It In Perspective
Mental Games
Real-Time Resilience
Character Strengths
Assertive Communication
Praise and Active

Constructive Responding
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Homework
 Day 1 Check on Learning (Participant Guide

pages 129-130)
 Hunt the Good Stuff: Record three good things
each day. Next to each positive event that you
list, write a reflection (at least one sentence)
about one or more of the following topics:
– Why this good thing happened
– What this good thing means to you
– What you can do tomorrow to enable more of this
good thing
– What ways you or others contribute to this good
thing
Hunt the Good Stuff
MRT Skills
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Hunt the Good Stuff:
B.L.U.F.
 Hunt the Good Stuff helps to build Optimism.
 Hunt the Good Stuff builds positive emotions,

such as gratitude.
Hunt the Good Stuff
Based on work by Martin Seligman and colleagues
 Builds positive emotion, optimism, gratitude

(studied by Robert Emmons)
 Counteracts the Negativity Bias
 Leads to:
– Better health, better sleep, feeling calm
– Lower depression and greater life satisfaction
– More optimal performance
– Better relationships
Hunt the Good Stuff Journal
 Record three good things each day. Next to each

positive event that you list, write a reflection (at
least one sentence) about one or more of the
following topics:
– Why this good thing happened
– What this good thing means to you
– What you can do tomorrow to enable more of this
good thing
– What ways you or others contribute to this good
thing
Hunt the Good Stuff:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Hunt

Hunt the
the Good
Good Stuff
Stuff is
is used
used to
to notice
notice
positive experiences to enhance optimism, gratitude, and
other positive emotions.
When do I use it? Hunt the Good Stuff on a regular basis in

order to counteract the Negativity Bias.
How do I use it? Write down three positive experiences from

the day and write a reflection about why the good thing
happened, what the good thing means to you, what you can
do to enable more of the good thing, or whatwhat
and/or waysways
you or
you or
others contributed to the good thing.
ATC
MRT Skills
51
ATC: B.L.U.F.
 ATC helps to build Self-awareness.
 Identify your Heat-of-the-Moment Thoughts

about an Activating Event and the Consequences
of those Thoughts so you can have greater
control over your Emotions and Reactions.
ATC Model
Based on work by Albert Ellis
Thoughts
Activating Event
Your interpretations
The trigger: a
of the Activating
challenge, adversity,
Event; what you
or positive event
say to yourself in
the heat of the
moment
Consequences: ER
E: Emotions
R: Reactions
Thoughts drive Consequences…
Fight with
someone you She never
care about listens to what I
have to say.
E: frustrated,
irritated, angry
R:
Photo © Maksym Bondarchuk, Dreamstime.com.
Activating Events
 We all have situations that we handle effectively

and other situations that we don’t handle as
effectively as we need to.
 Identify your effectiveness in a variety of
situations.
 Generate recent, meaningful, and specific
examples of situations you did not handle as
effectively as you needed to.
Emotions
 Emotions are feelings and are usually

accompanied by physiological and behavioral
changes in the body.
 Examples include anger, happiness, fear, love,
etc.
Identifying Emotions
 Break into teams of five.

 On a flip chart, list as many emotions as possible.
 Write positive emotions (e.g., happiness) on the
left-hand side and negative emotions (e.g.,
anger) on the right-hand side.
 Synonyms are okay.
 You have three minutes.
 Go!
Benefits of Positive Emotions
Based on the work of Barb Fredrickson
 Positive Emotions…
– increase creative thinking
– undo the physiological effects of negative emotion
– are contagious
– help build resilience
Thought-Consequence Connections
Thought Themes Emotions/Reactions

Loss: I have lost something that I value or Sadness/Withdrawal
care about.
Danger: Something bad might Anxiety/Agitation
happen; there is a threat.
Trespass: I have been harmed. Anger/Aggression
Inflicting harm: I have caused inappropriate, Guilt/Apologizing

unnecessary, or unintentional harm.
Negative comparison: I don’t measure up to Embarrassment/Hiding
others or standards.
Positive contribution: I have contributed in a Pride/Sharing, planning future
positive way. achievements
Appreciating what you have received: I Gratitude/Giving back, paying
have received something that I value; I have forward
been helped by others.
Positive future: Things can change for the Hope/Energizing, taking action
better.
Example
AE: First Deployment
Thought Themes: Thought Emotions/Reactions
Loss: Feel down/Spend a long time alone in my
I’m not going to be able to spend time with my family. I will miss them. room
Danger: Scared/Pacing
I am going to die
Trespass: Ticked off/Throw my cell phone
They didn’t train me enough for this. I shouldn’t have to go yet.
Inflicting harm: Guilty/Apologize to son

I’m leaving my family all alone. I will miss my son’s graduation and
other important events in his life.
Negative comparison: Embarrassment/Don’t interact much with
I’m not going to do as well as the other Soldiers. They are all more other guys in my unit
prepared.
Positive contribution: Proud/Discuss with chain of command where
I will be there for my battle buddies. to start to get ready to go
Appreciating what you have received: Thankful/Helping other Soldiers get ready for
I have received the best training to prepare for deployment. deployment
Positive future: Hopeful/Training to the best of my ability

When I get home I will reconnect with my family and will enjoy making
up for lost time.
 Some people find that there is a pattern in their

Thoughts - that they relate to a certain theme.
 Noticing patterns in your Thoughts can help you
understand why you react in a set way across a
range of events.
Photo © Glo5, Dreamstime.com. Used with permission.
ATC is Complex
Fight with
someone you She’s always
care about getting on my
case.
E:
R:
ATC: What’s the goal?
 To separate the Activating Event, our Thoughts

about it, and the Consequences
 To identify patterns in our thinking that make us
weaker or decrease performance
 “Anyone can get angry–that is easy–but to get

angry with the right person, to the right extent,
at the right time, for the right reason, and in the
right way is no longer something easy that
anyone can do.”
–Aristotle
ATC Father/Son Practice
ATC Father/Son Practice
Dad AE (who, what, when, where):

I asked my son to play basketball after returning from deployment.
He said no.
Thoughts: Consequences:
What you said to yourself in the heat of the moment ER: Emotions, Reactions
Heat-of-the-Moment Thought: E: Bummed

My son doesn’t want to be with me. R: Shook head, left room, and
Thought Theme: Loss started drinking
Heat-of-the Moment Thought: E: Ticked off

He’s an ungrateful brat. R: Yelled at son
Thought Theme: Trespass
Are my emotions and reactions helping or harming?
My emotions and reactions are harming me in this situation. I’m not
effectively dealing with my anger or sadness by yelling at my son and
leaving the room. And, my emotions and reactions are getting in my way of
having time with my son, which is exactly what I want!
Breakouts for ATC Practice
 ATC Key Principles

 ATC Demonstration
 Practical Exercise:
– ATC two recent Activating Events in Practice 1 and
Practice 2.
– Refer to the Activating Events Practical Exercise on
pages 34-35 in the Participant Guide for ideas
about Activating Events you need to handle more
effectively. You can also refer to the Identifying
Activating Events Practical Exercise on page 36 in
the Participant Guide for some ideas about
generating Activating Events.
 Debrief and Applications
Breakouts: ATC Key Principles
 Separate A, T, C: Separate the A from the T

from the C.
– A: Just the facts–who, what, when, where
– T: Your interpretation, what you say to yourself in
the heat of the moment
– C: Your Consequences (E/R)
 Detect patterns: Identify any patterns in your

Ts that undercut your performance and mental
toughness.
 Self-awareness: Self-awareness is a primary
target of ATC.
Breakouts: ATC: Partner Check
AE: Check for the who, what, when, where

Check that it is an uncensored, Check that there is an

Heat-of-the-Moment Thought. Emotion: what did he feel?
Check that they labeled the Check that there is a
theme of the Thought. Reaction: what did he do?
(what were his physiological
reactions)
Same as above Same as above
Check that they have asked themselves if their Emotions and

Reactions are helping or harming.
Breakouts: ATC Debrief
 What did you learn?

 What patterns, if any, did you notice in your
Thoughts and/or Consequences?
 In what ways was your reaction helping or
harming you?
Breakouts: ATC Applications
 How is ATC related to your leadership style?

 How can you use ATC to improve performance
and build stronger relationships?
ATC:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? ATC

ATC is
is aa method
method to
to identify
identify your
your Thoughts
Thoughts
about an Activating Event and the Consequences of those
Thoughts. Our Thoughts are under our control.
When do I use it?Use UseATC

ATCanytime
anytimeyou’re
you’recurious
curiousabout
about your
Emotions or Reactions,
your Emotions whenwhen
or Reactions, you don’t like your
you don’t like Emotions
your or
Reactions,
Emotions ororReactions,
when you’re stuck you’re
or when in a pattern
stuck and
in a wearing one
pattern and
set of glasses.
wearing one set of glasses.
How do I use it? Describe

Describethe
theActivating
ActivatingEvent
Eventobjectively,
objectively,
identify your Thoughts, and identify your Consequences (ER:
Emotions, Reactions).
ATC:
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active

Energy Management
77
MRT Skills
78
Energy Management: B.L.U.F.
 Energy Management helps to build Self-

regulation.
 Energy levels impact your ability to perform in

your professional and personal life.
 Energy Management allows you to be in control of

your physical state, thoughts, and emotions in
stressful situations.
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Control Your Heart Rate
80
Understanding Energy Activation
Fight or Flight Rest and Digest

A physical state that occurs A physical state that occurs
in response to any stressor, when the body is at rest and
real or imagined, and results in:
results in:
 Decreased digestion  Increased digestion
 Faster breathing and
 Slower breathing and
circulation
circulation
 Increased energy
activation  Conservation of energy
 Increased perspiration
 Faster communication
between brain and body
81
How You Perform
82
How Much Energy Does the
Performance Require?
LOWER HIGHER
levels of energy levels of energy
83
How Much Energy Do You Need?
Based on work by Yuri L. Hanin
PERFORMANCE
ENERGY ACTIVATION
84
Individual Zone of
Optimal Functioning
PERFORMANCE Participant Guide page 47
TOO JUST TOO

LITTLE RIGHT MUCH
ENERGY ACTIVATION
85
Individual Zone of
Optimal Functioning
PERFORMANCE Participant Guide page 47
ENERGY ACTIVATION
86
IZOF: Emotion Impacts
Performance
High
PERFORMANCE
Low
Out of Zone In Zone
87
Example of IZOF for
APFT Performance
Anticipate
Who: Soldiers
68
MOS: Mechanics Average
Stat: APFT push-ups
61
Push-ups Push-ups
not in IZOF in IZOF
88
Skill One: Proactive ATC
to Get In Your IZOF
Anticipated
situation I have trained
over and over for
this moment.
E: Confident
R: Calm, centered
89
IZOF
TOO TOO
LITTLE MUCH
JUST
RIGHT
90
Thoughts Drive
Physical Reactions
I’m about to
go in front of
My career
a promotion
depends on this.
board
E: Worried
R: Heart pounding,
feel sick
91
Interpreting Physical Reactions:
Less Effective
Heart
pounding, I feel this way
feel sick because I’m
not prepared.
E: Panicked
R: Pacing, sweating
92
Skill Two: Interpreting Physical
Reactions: More Effective
Heart
pounding,
feel sick
E: Excited
R: Loose, energized
93
Skill Three: Deliberate Breathing
BREATHE SLOW, LOW, & DEEP  Breathe

diaphragmatically
 Breathe rhythmically
 ATC control for IZOF
EXPAND CORE W/ INHALE
94
Performance Benefits
Based on work by Rollin McCraty and colleagues
 Precision, accuracy, and

motor control
 Memory and recall
 Composure, poise, and

self-control
 Concentration and
mental agility
 Reaction time
95
Recovery Benefits
Based on work by Herbert Benson
 Increases energy
efficiency
 Speeds healing
 Helps manage pain
 Reduces insomnia
96
Energy Management:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Effectively

Effectively utilizing,
utilizing, sustaining,
sustaining, and
and
restoring energy to thrive under extreme stress.
When do I use it? On a daily basis, and before,

basis and before and after
during, and
performance situations.
after performance situations.
How do I use it? Breathe slowly and deeply, direct your

focus to one mental target, and incorporate feelings of
gratitude and appreciation.
105
Energy Management:
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active

106
Homework
 Day 2 Check on Learning (Participant Guide

pages 131-132)
 Print out and bring VIA results on Friday
 Hunt the Good Stuff
 Practice Deliberate Breathing
MRT Skills
109
Avoid Thinking Traps: B.L.U.F.
 Avoid Thinking Traps helps to build Mental Agility.
 Identify the Thinking Traps you tend to fall into so

you can correct your thinking in the moment and
avoid the traps in the future.
 Effective leadership requires you to Avoid

Thinking Traps.
 Optimal performance requires you to Avoid

Thinking Traps.
Thinking Traps
Based on work by Aaron Beck and Martin Seligman
 Thinking Traps are overly rigid patterns in

thinking that can cause us to miss critical
information about a situation or individual.
ATC Model
and Thinking Traps
Activating Event Thoughts

The trigger: a Your interpretations of the Activating
challenge, Event; what you say to yourself
adversity, or  Jumping to Conclusions
positive event  Mind Reading
 Me, Me, Me
 Them, Them, Them
 Always, Always, Always
 Everything, Everything,
Everything
Consequences: ER
E: Emotions
R: Reactions
What was Amanda thinking?
Common Thinking Traps
You’ve called home several times during

deployment and haven’t been able to reach your
spouse. You think to yourself, “She’s (my wife is)
out running around on me!”
Jumping to Conclusions:
Believing one is certain about a situation despite
having little or no evidence to support it
You call home to talk to your young son and he is

distracted by the cartoons on the TV. You think,
“He’s mad at me for being away.”
Mind Reading:
Assuming that you know what another person is
thinking or expecting another person to know what
you are thinking
There are two seconds left in regulation. Your team

is down by two and you’re on the foul line. You
make one of two free throws, and your team loses
the game. You think to yourself, “It’s all my fault.
This was a big game and I lost it for us.”
Me, Me, Me:

Believing that you are the sole cause of every
problem you encounter
You notice your Soldiers are screwing up a training

exercise. You think to yourself, “I got a bunch of
weak Soldiers. They can’t even follow a simple
order.”
Them, Them, Them:

Believing that other people or circumstances are
the sole cause of every problem you encounter
You receive a Summarized Article 15 from your

Company Commander. You think to yourself, “I’ll
never become an NCO. My career is over.”
Always, Always, Always:

Believing that negative events are unchangeable
and that you have little or no control over them
You are a newly promoted SGT who is about to deploy.

Your wife calls you at work to remind you that it was
your day to pick up your 3 year old son at daycare and
you are 15 minutes late. You think, “I’m a terrible
husband and father. I can’t even pick up my child on
time!” You also think, “If I can’t even do that, how can I
be accountable for Soldiers downrange? There’s no way
I’ll make it as an NCO!”
Everything, Everything, Everything:

Believing that you can judge one’s worth/character
based on a single event or believing that what
caused the problem is going to negatively affect
many areas of one's life
 Jumping to Conclusions
 Mind Reading
 Me, Me, Me
 Them, Them, Them
 Always, Always, Always
 Everything, Everything, Everything
A day in the life of…
 Them, Them, Them
Don’t fall into the Trap.
 You can avoid Thinking Traps by:

– Identifying the pattern you fall into
– Stating the Mental Cue
– Asking the Critical Question to identify important
information you missed
Avoid Thinking Traps:
Mental Cues and Critical Questions
 Jumping to Conclusions:
Slow down: What is the evidence for and
against my thoughts?
 Mind Reading:
Speak up: Did I express myself? Did I ask
for information?
 Me, Me, Me:

Look outward: How did others and/or
circumstances contribute?
Mental Cues and Critical Questions
 Them, Them, Them:

Look inward: How did I contribute?
 Always, Always, Always:

Grab control: What’s changeable? What can
I control?
 Everything, Everything, Everything:

Get specific: What is the specific behavior
that explains the situation? What specific area
of my life will be affected?
Jumping to Conclusions Example
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Thinking

Thinking Traps
Traps are(TTs) are common
common patterns
patterns in
in thinking
thinking that
that prevent
prevent a person
a person fromfrom seeing
seeing a situation
a situation
TTs is a skill
accurately. Avoid Thinking Trapsforisidentifying and correcting
a skill for identifying and
counterproductive
correcting patterns inpatterns
counterproductive thinkingin through
thinkingthe use of the
through
Critical
use Questions
of Mental Cues(CQs).
and Critical Questions.
When do I use it? Avoid TTs whenTraps

Thinking your perspective
when your on a
situation is biased
perspective by TTs. is biased by Thinking Traps.
on a situation
How do I use it? Check for Thinking

TTs and use theand
Traps appropriate
use the CQs
to help you identify
appropriate important
Mental Cues information.
and Critical Questions to help you
identify important information.
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active

Detect Icebergs
MRT Skills
139
Detect Icebergs: B.L.U.F.
 Detect Icebergs helps to build Self-awareness.
 Identifying Icebergs allows us to reinforce or

change them.
 Knowing that an Iceberg has been activated can

give us control over our Emotions and Reactions.
 Leaders need to know what pushes their buttons

so they can stay in control.
 Great leaders stay in control under tough

circumstances.
Heat-of-the-Moment
Thoughts vs. Icebergs
 Heat-of-the-Moment Thoughts are on the

surface of our awareness. We can easily “tune in”
to them.
 Icebergs are core values (what you aspire to)
and core beliefs (what you believe to be true of
yourself, others, and the world).
Photo © James Steidl, Dreamstime.com.

Examples of Icebergs
 I am strong.
 People can’t be trusted.
 You should respect your elders.
 The world is a dangerous place.
 People should be treated with dignity and
respect.
 Family comes first.
 People should finish what they start.
 Going to a counselor means you’re not a real
Soldier.
 ??
What are your Icebergs?
 Come up with as many of your Icebergs as you

can.
When do you need to
Detect your Icebergs?
 Your emotions or reactions are out of proportion

to what you’re thinking in the heat of the
moment.
 Your emotion or reaction surprises or confuses
you (there is a T-C disconnect).
 You notice strong Thinking Trap patterns.
I need to Detect my Iceberg
To Detect Icebergs
 Use “What” not “Why” questions.

– What is the most upsetting part of that for me?
– What does that mean to me?
– What is the worst part of that for me?
– Assuming that is true, what about that is so upsetting
to me?
 Ask the questions in any order.
 Repeat back the belief that came before.
 Stop when the Iceberg explains the Consequences
or you’re close enough.
Once you’ve identified your
Iceberg, think about:
 Think about if you still believe/value this Iceberg.

Consider whether or not the Iceberg is overly
rigid in some situations.
 Think about whether your Iceberg is getting in
your way in some situations and what specific
actions you would take if you want to change
your Iceberg.
 Think about what you can do to change your
emotions or reactions to make these types of
situations go better for yourself and others.
 Think about whether there is a more direct
conversation you need to have with someone and
what the conversation is about.
Breakouts:
Detect Icebergs Key Principles
 The “Aha” moment: Stop when your beliefs help to

explain your Consequences (Emotions and Reactions).
 Icebergs can create Thinking Traps: Sometimes

Icebergs push us into one or more Thinking Traps.
 What not Why: “What” questions lead to depth;

“Why” questions lead to defensiveness.
 Self-awareness: Self-awareness is a primary target

of Detect Icebergs.
Breakouts:
When is Detect Icebergs needed?
AE (who, what, when, where): Bob’s brother moves

his grill to a new location.
Heat-of-the-Moment Thought: E: Intense sadness.

It would have been nice for him to R: Becomes withdrawn from
ask me first. family for several hours.
Do I need to Detect an Iceberg?  Yes

  No
Breakouts:
When is Detect Icebergs needed?
AE (who, what, when, where): Someone cuts you off

on the highway.
Heat-of-the-Moment Thought: E: Pissed off.

He could have killed me! R: Your body tenses up and you
honk your horn.
Do I need to Detect an Iceberg?  Yes  No


Detect Icebergs:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Detect Icebergs is used to identify and

evaluate deep beliefs or
core beliefs or values
values that
that are
are driving
driving our
our Emotions
Emotions
and Reactions.
When do I use it? Use Detect Icebergs when your Reaction Emotion
seems out ofseems
or Reaction proportion
out ofand is undermining
proportion your performance
and is undermining your
or effectiveness.
performance Use it with others
or effectiveness. Use itonly
withwhen anonly
others appropriate
when an
relationship exists.
appropriate relationship exists.
How do I use it? Ask yourself the series of “What” questions

to identify the Iceberg. Once the Iceberg is identified, ask think
yourself questions
through issues regarding
such the usefulness,
as the flexibility accuracy, and
of your value/belief,
flexibility
whether you of the belief.
need to have a conversation with someone, and
how you can change your value/belief, if so desired.
Detect Icebergs:
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active

Problem Solving
MRT Skills
162
Problem Solving: B.L.U.F.
 Problem Solving helps to build Mental Agility.
 You first have to understand a problem before

you can effectively solve it.
 Being a successful Soldier, Family member, or DA

Civilian requires the ability to solve problems
effectively without getting bogged down in old
habits of thinking.
 The goal is to include any critical information you

missed so that you can understand the problem
and focus on solution strategies.
Effective Problem Solving
 Focus on thoughts about WHY the problem

happened.
 Identify the contributing factors that caused the
problem through Critical Questions and evidence.
 Evaluate which factors are controllable.
 Develop solution strategies that will bring about
positive change.
Awareness Test
Confirmation Bias
 Our mind sees what it is looking for

 It is hard to change our minds
What is the Confirmation Bias?
The Confirmation Bias causes us to:
Notice NOT Notice

Remember NOT Remember
Weigh NOT Weigh
Evidence that supports our Evidence that does NOT support

thoughts and beliefs our thoughts and beliefs
VELCRO EFFECT TEFLON EFFECT

It sticks It slides off
How the Confirmation Bias works
 We are likely to interpret ambiguous information

as supportive of our thoughts and beliefs.
 We don’t actively seek evidence that counters our
thoughts and beliefs.
 We weigh evidence for and against our thoughts
and beliefs differently.
 Once we find evidence that supports our thoughts
and beliefs, we tend to stop gathering evidence.
It is important to remember
 The Confirmation Bias is

– not intentional
– not in our awareness
 The stronger our belief, the stronger the
Confirmation Bias
 We can have a Confirmation Bias for positive or
negative thoughts, e.g.,
– “I am a good leader.”
– “I am not a good leader.”
“I’m a loser.”
Photo © Stokkete, Dreamstime.com. Used with permission.
“I’m a loser.”
(continued)
Velcro Teflon
Everyone got up when I sat Three other girls invited her to
down for lunch. sit with them.
Two girls were laughing in the The two girls were laughing at
hallway. a joke a third girl just told
them.
I auditioned for the lead in She always starts on the
the play and didn’t get it. volleyball team.
A classmate didn’t invite me Only four other people in the
to her party. class of twenty were invited to
the party.
Fight the Confirmation Bias
or Velcro/Teflon Effect
 Tips to fight against the Confirmation Bias or

Velcro/Teflon Effect:
– Distance yourself from your thought. Write it down.
– Ask fair questions to gather the evidence for and
against your thought.
– Consult with others.
Problem Solving Steps
Step Key Word

Step 1: What’s the problem you’re trying Objective
to solve?
Step 2: What caused the problem? Why
Step 3: What did you miss? Flexibility
Step 4: What’s the evidence that each Accuracy

factor contributed to the problem?
Step 5: What really caused the problem? Clarity and
Control
Step 6: What can you do about it? Positive Change
Homework
 Day 3 Check on Learning (Participant Guide page

133)
 Come prepared with a problem you want to solve
for Problem Solving.
 Print out and bring VIA results on Friday
 Hunt the Good Stuff
 Practice Deliberate Breathing
Problem Solving:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Use Problem Solving to increase flexibility

and accuracy in thinking about the causes of problems and to
develop effective solution strategies.
When do I use it? Use Problem Solving when you are

confronted with a situation that requires a thorough
understanding of its causes in order to most effectively solve
the problem.
Critical Questions
How do I use it? Use the Thinking from
Trap Critical Avoid
Questions to
Thinkingthe
identify Traps to identify
factors the factors
that caused that caused
the problem. problem.
Use the tips for
Use the tips
avoiding the for avoiding the
Confirmation Confirmation
Bias Bias or
or Velcro/Teflon Effect to
Velcro/Teflon
gather Effect
evidence to gather evidence
to determine to determine
the accuracy the
of your thinking.
accuracy
Create of your
a pie chartthinking. Create
and develop a pie chart
solution and develop
strategies to target
ActionisStatements
what controllable.to target what is controllable.
Problem Solving:
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active

MRT Skills
190
Put It In Perspective: B.L.U.F.
 Put It In Perspective (PIIP) helps to build

Optimism.
 The goal of PIIP is to lower anxiety so that you

can accurately assess the situation and deal with
it.
Catastrophizing
 Catastrophizing is when you waste critical energy

ruminating about the irrational worst case
outcomes of a situation, which prevents you from
taking purposeful action.
Styles and effects of
Catastrophizing
 Catastrophizing can be:

– Downward spiral
– Scattershot
– Circling
 Catastrophizing:
– creates high levels of anxiety
– decreases focus
– increases helplessness Photos © 2014 Univ. of Penn.
All rights reserved.
 It prevents you from taking purposeful action.
Catastrophizing is not
contingency planning
 Catastrophizing is NOT the same as identifying

potential negative outcomes and contingency
planning.
 Contingency planning is productive.
Catastrophizing is counterproductive.
Triggers of Catastrophic Thinking
 The situation is ambiguous

 Something you value highly is at stake
 You’re run down or depleted
 You already fear the situation
 It is your first time doing something
Put It In Perspective (PIIP):
What’s the goal?
 The goal of PIIP is to lower anxiety so that you

can accurately assess the situation and deal with
it.
 The goal is NOT to pretend “all is well,” to deny
real problems, or to take away anxiety
completely.
PIIP Steps
 Step 1: Describe the Activating Event.

 Step 2: Capture Worst Case thoughts.
 Step 3: Generate Best Case thoughts.
 Step 4: Identify Most Likely outcomes.
 Step 5: Develop a plan for dealing with Most
Likely outcomes.
PIIP:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? PIIP is a method to stop catastrophic

thinking and deal with the most likely implications.
Most Likely outcomes.
When do I use it? Use PIIP when you are “making a

mountain out of a molehill
molehill”or
ormaking
“makingaa
Himalaya out
Himalaya ofof
out aa
mountain.”
How do I use it? List the Worst

Describe Case, Best
the Activating Case,Capture
Event, and then the
identify the Most
Worst Case, Likelythe
Generate outcomes andand
Best Case, develop
then aIdentify
plan forthe
dealing withoutcomes
Most Likely them. and Develop a plan for dealing with
them.
PIIP:
Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active

Dealing with Counterproductive
Thoughts in Real-time
 Mental Games: Changes the focus from, or

compartmentalizes, counterproductive thinking to
enable greater concentration and focus on the
task at hand.
 Real-Time Resilience: Shuts down
counterproductive thinking to enable greater
concentration and focus on the task at hand.
Mental Games
MRT Skills
208
Mental Games: B.L.U.F.
 Mental Games help to build Self-regulation.
 Mental Games compartmentalize or distract you

from counterproductive thinking by engaging
your attention in fun and challenging games or
techniques.
 Mental Games are a useful and quick solution

when your thoughts are circling, like in Put It In
Perspective.
Mental Games
 Principles for designing Mental Games:

– Must require your full attention
– Must be hard and fun
– Must be games or techniques you can do within a
few minutes
Mental Games
 Math games: Count back from 1,000 by 7s.

 Alphabet games: Work your way through the
alphabet, naming someone for each pair of
initials.
 Categories games: Name all the sports figures,
war heroes, etc. you can in two minutes.
 Army alphabet: Repeat it backwards.
 Lyrics: Recite upbeat song lyrics.
 Positive Imagery: Create a detailed positive
image of a situation or memory that helps you to
feel calm, positive, or confident. Include as many
details in the image as possible so that the image
is vivid.
MRT Skills
213
Real-Time Resilience:
B.L.U.F.
 Real-Time Resilience helps to build Optimism.
 Real-Time Resilience involves proving your

thoughts false with evidence, thinking
optimistically, and putting the situation in
perspective.
 Real-Time Resilience is the skill of fighting back

against counterproductive thoughts as soon as
they occur so you remain task-focused and
motivated.
 Shut down counterproductive thoughts as they

occur.
 Use it to get back to the task at hand.
 Use it to prepare for an anticipated Activating
Event.
 This is an internal skill.
 This is not a tool for insubordination.
Real-Time Advanced Level
 Used when what you are saying to yourself is

counterproductive
 Advanced level is accurate and fast.
 Advanced level uses:
– Evidence
– Optimism
– Put It In Perspective
 Advanced level requires practice, practice,
practice!
Real-Time Advanced Level:
Demonstration
Counter-
productive
T h o u g h ts
Real-Time Resilience Advanced
Level Demonstration
 Write down three words that capture what you

just saw.
Common Mistakes Made Using RTR
 Pitfall Responses
– Dismissing the grain of truth
– Minimizing the situation
– Rationalizing or excusing one’s contribution to a
problem
 Weak Responses
When would you use
Real-Time Resilience?
 You are new to combatives and you have some

self-doubt. It’s your turn.
 You’ve just read an upsetting e-mail from home,
and you have to get ready for First Formation.
 You’re about to go in front of the Promotion
Board.
 You need to get to sleep.
 You’ve got road rage.
Mental Games:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Mental Games is a skill that takes your

mind off of, and compartmentalizes
compartmentalizes counterproductive
or takes your mind off of
thoughts so you can
counterproductive be moresoproductive
thoughts you can beand focus
more on the task
productive
at
andhand.
focus on the task at hand.
When do I use it? Use Mental Games as a temporary fix

when your thoughts are distracting you from an immediate
goal or task.
How do I use it? Change your thoughts by playing games or

that
usingare fun, challenging,
techniques that are and
fun, that you can and
challenging, do inthat
justyou
a few
can
minutes.
do in just a few minutes.
Real-Time Resilience:
Check on Learning
What is the skill? Real-Time Resilience (RTR) is an internal

skill to shut
used to down counterproductive
shut down thinking
counterproductive and build
thinking, build
motivation
motivation,andandfocus
focuson
onthe
thetask
taskat
athand.
hand.
When do I use it? Use RTR when your thoughts are

distracting you from an immediate goal or task.
How do I use it? Respond to your negative thoughts in the

counterproductive
heat of the
thoughts in moment
the heat by providing
of the moment evidence againstevidence
by providing the
thought,
against theby thought,
generating
by agenerating
more optimistic
a moreway of seeing
optimistic it, of
way or
by Putting
seeing the the thought
thought, In Perspective.
or by Watch out
Putting the thought for common
In Perspective.
pitfalls.
Watch out for common Pitfalls and weak responses.
Mental Games and Real-Time
Resilience: Check on Learning
MRT Competencies
Goal Setting
Hunt the Good Stuff
ATC
Energy Management
Detect Icebergs
Problem Solving
Mental Games
Character Strengths
Praise and Active


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COMPREHENSIVE

SOLDIER & FAMILY FITNESS

Crawl Walk Run

Photo © Oksun70, Dreamstime.com.

Photo © Andres Rodriguez, Dreamstime.com. Photo © Martinmark, Dreamstime.com.

 What is the skill?

 You will learn a set of skills that will enhance your

 Goal Setting helps to build Self-regulation.

 Goal Setting can be an effective means to grow

 Goal Setting is a process to deliberately energize,

“Where to?” “Turn in 2.5 miles”

“Arrive at 1840” “Recalculating”

 Goals enhance performance: Goal Setting can

What is the skill? Goal

When do I use it? Use Goal Setting when you want to

Hunt the Good Stuff

Avoid Thinking Traps

Praise and Active

 Day 1 Check on Learning (Participant Guide

 Hunt the Good Stuff helps to build Optimism.

 Hunt the Good Stuff builds positive emotions,

 Builds positive emotion, optimism, gratitude

 Record three good things each day. Next to each

What is the skill? Hunt

When do I use it? Hunt the Good Stuff on a regular basis in

How do I use it? Write down three positive experiences from

 ATC helps to build Self-awareness.

 Identify your Heat-of-the-Moment Thoughts

 We all have situations that we handle effectively

 Emotions are feelings and are usually

 Break into teams of five.

Thought Themes Emotions/Reactions

Inflicting harm: I have caused inappropriate, Guilt/Apologizing

Inflicting harm: Guilty/Apologize to son

Positive future: Hopeful/Training to the best of my ability

 Some people find that there is a pattern in their

Photo © Glo5, Dreamstime.com. Used with permission.

 To separate the Activating Event, our Thoughts

 “Anyone can get angry–that is easy–but to get

Dad AE (who, what, when, where):

Heat-of-the-Moment Thought: E: Bummed

Heat-of-the Moment Thought: E: Ticked off

 ATC Key Principles

 Separate A, T, C: Separate the A from the T

 Detect patterns: Identify any patterns in your

AE: Check for the who, what, when, where

Check that it is an uncensored, Check that there is an

Check that they have asked themselves if their Emotions and

 What did you learn?

 How is ATC related to your leadership style?

What is the skill? ATC

When do I use it?Use UseATC

How do I use it? Describe

Hunt the Good Stuff

Avoid Thinking Traps

Praise and Active

 Energy Management helps to build Self-

 Energy levels impact your ability to perform in

 Energy Management allows you to be in control of