10 Life Lessons From A Navy Seal

[jon.a]

1979, I had re-enlisted in the Navy after a 2 year break, to clear my head. I had a goal to retire at a certain level. I had been given an opportunity that would put me on that track. I was going through Aircrew School in Pensacola FL. It was mostly physical, heavy on swimming. Really heavy on swimming. I was a "non-swimmer" and there were 11 intense swimming tests. I failed the first 4 and was set back to the next class starting 2 weeks later.

The Chief that ran the school called me into his office and explained that because I was a Vet and he didn't want me to just quit, he was providing me with 1 on 1 training to improve my swimming. The next morning I met my instructor. A SEAL, Chief Petty Officer. He was built like a fire plug. Nothing but muscles. Calm and soft spoken. The most intimidating person that I have ever met.

Lesson one was, "what can you do?"

"I can float and tread water some"

"Show me"

I did, it was okay.

Lesson two, he threw a 10 pound weight into the deep end.

"Go get it"

"shit, okay chief"

"don't get out of the pool"
"get back in the middle and tread water with it"

"shit, okay chief"

I struggled, floundered and dropped the weight.

"you're trying to kill me"

"I'm not authorized to kill you"
"go get your weight"
"if you die or get out of the pool, you fail"
"relax, the fear is all in your mind"
"if you don't quit on me, I won't let you fail"

8 years later, I was a Chief. Later a Senior Chief, my original goal.
I owed my career to that SEAL.

 

[Vigilante]

This graduation speech has been over posted.

The reason I say over posted about one of the best speeches I have ever read in my life is because the majority of the people who read it or watch it, even those who like it, will never internalize it.

If you can read this speech and not bookmark it, I question whether or not the Fast Lane lifestyle is for you. If you can read this speech and not want to go charge your personal battle field, I suspect you might be more comfortable with the status quo. If you can read this speech and not understand it, I suspect you might find more friends at the Cuddly Workers Forum.

This speech is all about the Fast Lane. You can read it or watch it at the link below. Personally, I got more out of reading it and absorbing the words of this brilliant Naval Admiral William H. McRaven

10 Life Lessons From A Navy Seal

http://www.lifebuzz.com/10-lessons-from-navy-seal/#!RRlou

 

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[Vigilante]

I LOVE your story more than the speech. Because I have met you. A real life hero.

Thank you (again) for your service to keep people like me free.

 

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[SteveO]

The reason I say over posted about one of the best speeches I have ever read in my life is because the majority of the people who read it or watch it, even those who like it, will never internalize it.

Fantastic post.

The number of people that succeed in the fastlane compared to those that try are a smaller percentage than those that finish the seal training. It is too easy to ring the bell in the business world as well.

I have experience in the military like some of the others here on the forum. My dad signed for me to join the Marines at the age of 17 back in '75.

I learned of a whole new world in the first 3 months of service. It would have been nice to have a role model and mentor like @jon.a found. Or to have found the teamwork and camaraderie from the article. What I found was that it was me against a world of people that wanted to intimidate me into submission. Although not an innocent teenager when the training commenced, I came out with a new found and jaded view of the world that served me well in my life.

 

[doinkdedoink]

I think most people have it deep within them.

Some of them are never in a position where they have to find it.

Most don't know what they are capable of.

Some live a lifetime never reaching deep enough.

Thanks for the link @Vigilante, great read.
It's sad that most people aren't willing to put themselves in a vulnerable position to find out what they are capable of, your post sums up for the most part why I joined the Army. I was 22, life was heading in no direction besides partying and pointless shit so one day I just drove over to the recruiters office and joined. I wanted to put myself in the worst possible situation I could think of, because I figured if I could get through that then everything else in life would be much easier.

#10 is a really good one, sadly far too many people "ring that bell". The worst part is that once someone does it, it becomes much easier for everyone else with doubts to follow along. I think that's why 99% of our society is okay for just settling to be in the slowlane, everyone else is so why not? It's a whole lot easier.

It's kind of sad to watch people "ring that bell" though, and find out they didn't have what it takes. I was 3 months out of basic training when I got sent to Iraq, for those 3 months before we deployed my squad leader was busting our a$$ all day, everyday, preaching to not give up and to have each others backs etc... Well, he was the first one to ring the bell, after going out on missions for 1 week he tried to hang himself, unsuccessfully. After that our medic tried killing himself, then his replacement tried the same, it was a vicious cycle. By the end of our 1 year deployment, our platoon of about 40 guys had 8 guys "ring the bell", they all get sent home pretty much immediately after attempting suicide, none of them that I know of had any success after that, they all went in downward spirals because they all took the easy route out.

Moral of the story is, never ring that F*cking bell. All you'll be doing is letting yourself down and usually others around you. If they had all just manned up and continued on they would have probably had successful careers and it would have transferred out into civilian life too. I'm willing to bet most of them regret there decision.

 

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[Rem]

Excellent speech. No matter what, if you want to change the world, never ever ring the bell. Beautifully said. I liked the part about sometimes you just have to be a sugar cookie. No matter how hard you try, no matter what you do, you just have to accept being a sugar cookie.

 

[FreshStart87]

@Vigilante I have made a habit to make my bed ever since I read this. Now my wife is a fan of yours

 

[Vigilante]

Most folks have no clue.

I think most people have it deep within them.

Some of them are never in a position where they have to find it.

Most don't know what they are capable of.

Some live a lifetime never reaching deep enough.

 

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[Get Right]

@jon.a that was the best post written in awhile. Thank you.

 

[Windsurfer]

Avatar Changed...

I used to drop these guys out of the back of my C-130, and party with them in Bosnia and Turkey. They are class acts.

I was also impressed that they could go out drinking with us until the sun came up and when I was going back to my bunk, they would go out for a run!

 

[jon.a]

I LOVE your story more than the speech. Because I have met you. A real life hero.

Thank you (again) for your service to keep people like me free.

Thank you Dave, don't push it. My service was a fair trade. Well, maybe.

 

[jon.a]

I have experience in the military like some of the others here on the forum. My dad signed for me to join the Marines at the age of 17 back in '75.

I learned of a whole new world in the first 3 months of service. It would have been nice to have a role model and mentor like @jon.a found. Or to have found the teamwork and camaraderie from the article. What I found was that is was me against a world of people that wanted to intimidate me into submission. Although not an innocent teenager when the training commenced, I came out with a new found and jaded view of the world that served me well in my life.

In '75, I was a poor role model.

 

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[nicotini]

To me the best part is number 10.


"Finally, in SEAL training there is a bell. A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see.

All you have to do to quit—is ring the bell. Ring the bell and you no longer have to wake up at 5 o’clock. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the freezing cold swims.

Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PT—and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training.

Just ring the bell.

#10. If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell."


Oh, the times I've been on the point of giving up! In particular Med school. But a voice always came to my mind, asking then what? So I knew I had to keep going. I regret nothing. No one could regret not giving up. Awesome post, didn't know about it, will be on of my top 3 bookmarks. Thank you.

 

[Castaway]

Excellent speech. No matter what, if you want to change the world, never ever ring the bell. Beautifully said. I liked the part about sometimes you just have to be a sugar cookie. No matter how hard you try, no matter what you do, you just have to accept being a sugar cookie.

Not only that, no matter how hard you try, how many times life screams failure in your face, you must always keep pushing forward.

Really a beautiful speech. If we all can truly internalize what he's saying, failure will no longer be seen as an option.

 

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[smartmoney]

Excellent Speech. Thanks for posting, Vigilante.

These are the most inspiring IMHO:
4. If you want to change the world get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.
5. But if you want to change the world, don’t be afraid of the circuses.
6. If you want to change the world sometimes you have to slide down the obstacle head first.
8. If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.
10. If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell.

 

[throttleforward]

I just made my bed this morning because of this

 

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[TheDamageUndone]

To me the best part is number 10.


"Finally, in SEAL training there is a bell. A brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see.

All you have to do to quit—is ring the bell. Ring the bell and you no longer have to wake up at 5 o’clock. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the freezing cold swims.

Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PT—and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training.

Just ring the bell.

#10. If you want to change the world don’t ever, ever ring the bell."


Oh, the times I've been on the point of giving up! In particular Med school. But a voice always came to my mind, asking then what? So I knew I had to keep going. I regret nothing. No one could regret not giving up. Awesome post, didn't know about it, will be on of my top 3 bookmarks. Thank you.

That is truly inspirational. I have a message that provokes a great deal of hate and anger in people. But my focus is driven by such a force that I cannot ring the bell. It would be easier to just quietly do what I had to to help my child and not to take a stand. I owe it to him to keep going because I do want to change the world. Not so much for me, but for my children. I will not ring the bell.

 

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[JustAskBenWhy]

That is truly inspirational. I have a message that provokes a great deal of hate and anger in people. But my focus is driven by such a force that I cannot ring the bell. It would be easier to just quietly do what I had to to help my child and not to take a stand. I owe it to him to keep going because I do want to change the world. Not so much for me, but for my children. I will not ring the bell.

It seems that my life is just a series of "do I or don't I ring this damn bell..?" So far so good, but we don't know what it means to be strong until we have to be strong!

 

[Vigilante]

If I might ask, what's your opinion on introversion? is it easier for such people or more difficult to find what they are capable of? after all, they are more sensitive to outside stimulus because of their high reaction temperaments and over stimulated amygdalas.

I'm not educated enough nor intellectual enough to have an opinion much deeper than my own experiences.

 

[pds]

I can't believe I've never come across this before. Just read it and it got me so fired up.

All it takes is flipping the switch in your mind to Love the Pain... Embrace the Suck. Remind yourself that the pain and shit you're going through is both expected and there to toughen you up. You're fortunate to face this because once the temporary discomfort fades, you're stronger, smarter and more experienced than ever before. More circuses, More growth.

Thanks for sharing @Vigilante

 

[Vigilante]

A bio on the author. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._McRaven

 

[FreshStart87]

Thanks for sharing. Very cool article, reminds me of plenty of times that I rang the bell to quickly, but that was then this is now. I refuse to ring the bell anymore.

 

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[Vigilante]

I refuse to ring the bell anymore.

This.

 

[DaRK9]

I come from a military family and I can attest to this. It sucked as a kid, but now the regiment of chores translates into a productive work cycle.
Tired of reading those books? So what?
Nervous about that meeting? I don't care.

@jon.a My great grand father was a nuclear submariner, thank you for your service.

 

[jon.a]

I come from a military family and I can attest to this. It sucked as a kid, but now the regiment of chores translates into a productive work cycle.
Tired of reading those books? So what?
Nervous about that meeting? I don't care.

@jon.a My great grand father was a nuclear submariner, thank you for your service.

I (we) hunted subs.

 

[hellolin]

Not only that, no matter how hard you try, how many times life screams failure in your face, you must always keep pushing forward.

Really a beautiful speech. If we all can truly internalize what he's saying, failure will no longer be seen as an option.

Because failure and other times when life screams is never an event, but part of the process. Afraid to go though failure is to never go though the process, thus the event will never happen either.

 

[jon.a]

It seems that my life is just a series of "do I or don't I ring this damn bell..?" So far so good, but we don't know what it means to be strong until we have to be strong!

Most folks have no clue.

 

[MatthewPL]

Brilliant thread @Vigilante.

It might sound like big words, but successfull people NEVER GIVE UP and it's the key to whole life.

The main factor of the puzzle is PERSEVERANCE.

That was my 2 cents.

 

[Kingmaker]

If I might ask, what's your opinion on introversion? is it easier for such people or more difficult to find what they are capable of? after all, they are more sensitive to outside stimulus because of their high reaction temperaments and over stimulated amygdalas.

Read the book "Quiet" by Susan Cain which MJ mentioned in this post: https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/co...ut-with-a-quick-test.53351/page-3#post-410877

In a nutshell, being an introvert is not an excuse for inaction, but a cue that you might have to do some things differently than extroverts to get optimal performance out of yourself, and make peace with that.

 

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[Elijah ola]

It take discipline to disciple oneself. until you discipline you'll not achieve distinctions in your career. until that day in which I started to learn the word DISCIPLINE,than the dream show up.
Men of purpose are men of principles. without workable principles,life's visions and goals set can never come to pass.
Achievement is not in what you earn but in what you make. Be a maker,be a creator by obtaining the creating skill.