Sunday Thoughts (SEALS don’t panic)

The Navy SEAL program involves one of the most rigorous military training exercises ever created. And thank God it does.

Because it produces some of the most incredible warriors, ready to tackle the most dangerous missions our country has.

I’ve had a chance to spend time with SEALs over the years, including Cade Courtley, who I consider a friend at this point (It’s good to have friends like that.)

And he’s told me a little about what it takes to even become a SEAL. 

Barely 1 in 4 candidates make it through the training. And many don’t even get to the starting line, because they don’t pass the screening and testing process.

Some of the training is downright terrifying.

Imagine you’re underwater in full SCUBA gear. An instructor comes up behind you, and not only yanks the regulator from your mouth…

He ties your air hose in a knot.

You can’t breathe. But you can’t hold your breath either. Because it can lead to decompression sickness or injured lungs.

And you can’t panic.

Because gasping and flailing is no way to get out of the fix you’re in.

You get 4 attempts to get your gear back together. Only 1 in 5 guys get it right the first time. Because the panic can be overwhelming.

But you must think positively to keep calm, to have any chance at passing the test.

How do SEALS stay calm? One method is called positive “self-talk.”

It’s estimated that you say 300 to 1,000 words to yourself every minute. If you want to avoid panicking yourself into a foamy lather underwater, those words better be positive.

But you don’t have to be a SEAL to learn something here. We all have a voice inside ourselves.

Is that voice telling you can, or you can’t? 

Is that voice giving you a chance at redemption if you fail? Or beating you up?

You control that voice. But it’s not just the Navy that works on this. The Army knows this too.

They teach that mental toughness comes from thinking like an optimist.

Not some sunny daydreamer. But someone with a positive perspective.

People who don’t quit see setbacks as temporary. Something they can change.

Soldiers are taught that when they encounter a problem, to think “This will go away quickly. It’s just this one situation – and I can do something about it.”

Good lessons to remember on a Sunday, with a fresh week facing us ahead.

What’s in store for you this week? Are you ready to tackle it?

And what will you say to yourself when something goes wrong?

You may not become a SEAL. 

But whatever problem you’re facing, you probably have what it takes to get past it.

If you just don’t panic.