Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Dig Deep for the Long Haul



Consider failure. Think about it. Look into its face and eyes. Scary, huh? What does it look like? The causes of Failure, that is. Doubt. Distrust. Fear of the Unknown. These are most likely high on the list of your fears. What do you do about it?

Far too often we look for instant fixes. Instant gratification. I have always called it the “30 Second Microwave Brownie” state of mind. From this perspective many people, far too many, who want a moist, rich, chocolaty brownie like our grandmothers used to make; however, we want all of that now. Therein lies the problem. An instant fix that gives all of the benefits and rewards of going the long haul without the time, effort, and investment just does not exist. It does.
Trudging through all the muck is no guarantee of success. That is what scares us most deeply. That fear of failure. How do we build the confidence to overcome big or huge obstacles when we have never tackled something like “that” before? Let’s take a look at techniques the most elite warriors, the Navy SEALS, use throughout their training and their lives.

In his book The Way of the SEAL Mark Divine instructs us to list our commonly used words. Take a look at that list. Does it contain words like Maybe, Good, Defend, Try, Failed, Can’t, or Maybe? Take out your thesaurus. Find active and strong words to replace these with. Try Definitely, Great, Attack, Will, Do, Learned, or Definitely. This seemingly small detail is harder to change than you might think. As a writer I can assure you that words have meaning. Those meanings infiltrate our thoughts. Our thoughts drive our actions. The results of those actions will be described with words. Be ever aware of this cycle as it can make or break your will.

Another technique which the SEALS use is to practice positive self-talk at the end of each day. As you are lying in your bed or, perhaps, in your easy chair between everyone having gone to sleep and your going to bed. You know, that quiet piece of time when you sip your drink and reflect on the day’s business. These moments are when what we think can have the greatest impact. See your successes even in the smallest of things. Find every success. Think about the fact that it is a success. As you fall asleep, drifting in that twilight your mind is best prepared for these images and words to take root. These will grow in your mind. They will strengthen you.

This will feed your confidence. This will become the wellspring of confidence you draw upon as you face each task, old and new.

Another technique Mr. Divine instructs is the concept of Fail Forward. You see, not every task we take on is going to be a success. Accept that fact. No plan survives first contact with the enemy. Ever. Not in combat, on the mat in BJJ, not in business. Have your plans made, of course. Just be ready to adjust your plan as you keep moving forward. This is the crux of Fail Forward. It requires agility and flexibility. Perhaps these are qualities not considered much, but they will make or break you.

Free yourself from the 30 Microwave Brownie mindset. Knuckle in for the long haul so that you may create something that lasts. Fill your mind and heart with strong, positive words. This will be the wellspring you draw from when things change unexpectedly. Keep moving forward and adjust as you go. Fail Forward.

For greater detail about books from Mark Divine like Unbeatable Mind and The Way of the SEAL, please visit http://sealfit.com/wayofthesealtools/.

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