Ethos Magazine is the professional publication of Naval Special Warfare.  This issue commemorates the 50th anniversary of the SEALs.  Provided for your reading pleasure!

– Mark Divine

You must start over at the basic level and develop the fine motor and focusing skills to get to the mastery level.  At the mastery level, each shot hits it’s mark, every action is purposeful, powerful and eminently effective.  There are no thrown rounds.

The same process is relevent for hitting a target in your personal and professional life.  You must master target practice for your goals.  It is a trial and error process whereby you go through the same stages as learning to shoot.  The more proficient you get, the fewer thrown rounds you have as you fire away at your goals.

How do the masters do it?  First, they know precisely why they are at the shooting range.  The “why” is compelling and grounded to a profound purpose that goes beyond themselves.  That way they never lose interest or momentum when the going gets tough.  You don’t have to ask a Navy SEAL why he does what he does.  It is displayed through his actions and confidence.

Next, masters ensure that they select the right target, a target that is…

• connected to their “why”
• appropriate for their skill set but challenging and motivating so they grow as they progress toward it
• specific enough that they can easily see it in the scope, but not so specific that creative flexibility is lost if the wind shifts and the target is no longer in focus
• achievable in a time frame and with the resources available for the circumstances

How do you ensure that you don’t throw any rounds as you progress toward your target, your goals?  There is no such thing as perfect execution, only perfect practice.  Know your “why” and check your goals to make sure they are worthy targets.  Master the basics through practice, trial and error, and using the crawl – walk principle.  Use visualization to practice and to see your rounds hitting the bulls-eye.  Develop control of your breath, so that you mind is still and clear as you pull the trigger.

In this way, you will become a master at accomplishing any target you shoot at, with no thrown rounds.

Train hard, stay safe and have fun!  – Mark Divine

 
In the movie Sherlock Holmes Robert Downey Jr. uses a keenly developed sense of visualization to see a fight unfold in his mind moments before the actual fight begins.  This appears to the movie-goer as if it was a special power that Sherlock had and us “normal” people don’t.  Rubbish!
 
As you have no doubt discovered by now, I believe the secret to happiness, success and riches lie in cultivating the full power of our minds.  The mind is truly the most creative and destructive force ever introduced to the known world.  It is routinely used to create amazing things, including the life you dream of, and also to destroy it all in a second. 
 
The secret weapon of the warrior is not the M-4, but visualization.  This is the one tool that every Navy SEAL, Astronaut, Apache Scout, Olympian, Spartan, Samurai, Ninja and Top Executive though the ages have used to super-charge their results. 
 
See it, feel it, achieve it!
 
If you are new to visualization it can seem simple and yet, daunting.  How do you know if you are doing it right?  Clearly you have embarked on flights of fantasy with wild imaginative meanderings.  As a kid I was an avid daydreamer, often getting the chalk eraser beaned into my head from the teacher who was not impressed with my visualization skills.  Imagination is a form of visualization that has many benefits.  Not everyone has the ability to see in their mind’s eye. So if you love to day dream – you have an advantage!
 
What if you see a warrior sitting quietly in the corner before a mission – do you think he is imagining what it would be like to have a successful mission?  Well, not really.  He is doing is Focused Visualization.  Focused Visualization is controlled, directed and empowered imagination grounded in a very specific purpose.
 
Let’s take a look at two distinct forms of focused visualization that you will want to learn as you develop your mental powers.
 
Performance Imagery
 
This form of focused visualization is used for mental rehearsal for a specific narrow skill set or mission.   So, for instance, if you about to test for your next belt in a particular martial art, you might visualize a particular kata, or arrest technique or series of kicks, punches, locks and throws.  You continually imagine yourself going through the motions in your mind’s eye.  You might slow things down so you ensure proper technique and/or speed them up to ensure effectiveness in a self-defense situation.  This type of technique allows you to:

• Analyze and correct errors
• Improve techniques
• Simulate various alternative responses
• Maintain skills
• Increase confidence

 
When we practice our self-defense program at SEALFIT we often will visualize the movement, and add very subtle body movements as if we were shadow boxing with our eyes closed.  This reinforces the mind-body connection, and makes the internal visualization practice even more powerful and lasting. 
 
Future Imagery
 
You have no doubt held a vision in your mind of how you see yourself.  Sometimes this differs from how others view you – either positively or negatively.  Regardless, what if you learn to hold a powerful vision of who you want to be at some time-certain future (Navy SEAL, Firefighter, Senator, Black Belt…).  If you back the mental vision with massive action, do the work to root out negative blocks, and propel your vision with desire, belief and expectation, then surely you will become that person. 
 
Why does visualization work?  I will save that for when you come to an Unbeatable Mind Academy to master this powerful skill.

	Check out this great audio call from our Unbeatable Mind program that I did with former Detroit Lion’s running back Derek Price where we discuss the role visualization played in his success.  This is part of our Unbeatable Mind Academy, which is available to the SEALFIT community for only $47 a month rather than the normal $67 rate. Listen to my interview with Derek Price, former NFL line-backer and future SEALFIT Kokoro coach. Read More and get in with the special SEALFIT community membership rate Visit Unbeatable Mind
Unbeatable Testimonial “I wanted to pass along some feedback on the program. It is outstanding. It is well worth the very modest fee you charge each month. Your resume crushes mine but I have made and lost (and made back) millions of dollars, sat across the table from everyone from Michael Jordan to UFC champions, studied various forms of personal development, visualization, hypnosis etc. and without a doubt Unbeatable Mind is the best program of its kind. It was the best 43rd birthday present that I could have given to myself.” – Peter Klamka, Unbeatable Mind Member
Notes:	The 3 week Academy is filling up fast. It is the ONLY 3 Week Academy in 2012.  The next will be July 2013.   Please  join us to master SEALFIT and Unbeatable Mind principles and practices, then test yourself with a free Combat Defense Seminar and Kokoro Camp!

Until then, train hard, stay safe and have fun!

–Mark Divine, founder SEALFIT / Unbeatable Mind

In part one of this series on Mental Toughness we introduced the “3 fights” you fight every day.  The first fight is inside you.  That battle is overcoming your fears, steeling your resolve, maintaining an offensive mind set, developing skills, knowledge and personal power, and not succumbing to mediocrity.

The second fight is the actual engagement; the one most would consider the fight.  You close with the enemy and engage in combat.  You launch the product and steel yourself for the customer response.  The Coach says 3, 2, 1 go and you launch yourself into the WOD.  This is often the easiest of the 3 fights, and often the shortest in time invested.

The third fight is between you and “the system.”  Even if ambushed, an Active Duty SEAL who beats the crap out of an assailant in California will likely be suspended, perhaps his career ruined.  The deep pocketed competitor lobby’s the Feds and you get investigated and shut down.  The coach calls “no rep” and you lose the chance to compete in the Master’s Division at the CrossFit Games.  The system can be downright cold and cruel sometimes.

However, if you focus on the fight first and seek to win that before you ever embark on the second fight, or have to deal with the consequences of the third, you will win all three, every time.  The first fight is in your mind.  You must win in the mind, before stepping foot onto the battleground.  This is true for any situation in life.  The question, then, becomes how.

You must master 4 mental toughness tactics to win in your mind before you step into the battles of life.  Whether you are a SEAL candidate or business professional, the big 4 are your toolkit to mental toughness and success.  Let’s look at the first of these tactics.

Performance Zone breathing

Control of the breath is not just useful for arousal control, leading to a lessening of the effect of the negative impact of stress, but also in the positive sense it is useful to change your state even if the stress facing you is “simply” performance anxiety.  Elite athletes and Navy SEALs utilize breath control to prepare for missions and events.  The act of psyching yourself up physically and mentally includes deep diaphragmatic breathing, forced exhalation breaths combined with powerful visualization and positive affirmations.

Deep diaphragmatic breathing

Breathing is both a conscious and unconscious process.  When unconscious we tend be do what is called “chest breathing.”  This type of breathing is inefficient and labor intensive in that it requires more effort for the same amount of oxygen intake, lowering energy stores and increasing anxiety.

Facing a stressful event, we should switch to a deep diaphragmatic breathing pattern.

We can practice a deep diaphragmatic breathing pattern through a discipline we call Box Breathing at SEALFIT Academy.  Box breathing is meant to be done in a quiet and controlled setting, not while you are in the fight.  The pattern is simply a box, whereby you inhale to a count of 5, hold for a count of 5, exhale to the same 5 count and hold again for 5.  You can start at 3 if this is difficult, or take it up a notch if easy.  You should be uncomfortable on the exhale hold, and be forced to fill the entirely of your lung capacity on the inhale hold.

The benefits of deep diaphragmatic box breathing include:

• Reduction of performance anxiety
• Control of the arousal response
• Increasing brain elasticity – flexibility through enhanced blood flow and reduced mental stimulation
• Enhancing learning and skill development
• Increasing capacity for focused attention and long term concentration

Relax, just breathe!

When you are in “the fight” you will not want to hold your breath.  So we turn to what we call a Relaxation breath instead.  In this practice you will drop the hold and just inhale to a count of 5 starting from the diaphragm then filling up the middle of your chest then finally the top as if you are gulping in a final sip of air.  Immediately you will begin to exhale in the opposite manner – starting at the top and ending with a puff to get the air out of the deep recesses of your lungs.  Then you do it again and again.

The relaxation breath is valuable to control the arousal response, calming the body and mind so you can remain in control, focused and present.  If you practice it enough it will eventually become your natural breathing state, providing enormous physical and mental benefits over the long run, such as:

• Long term anxiety reduction
• Chronic pain reduction
• Increased sense of well-being
• Improved immune functioning
• Enhanced lung capacity
• Enhanced body awareness
• Enhanced control over bodily functions
• Enhanced sense of presence
• Increased energy

You can practice the relaxation breathing exercise anytime throughout the day.  It is great to do before a meeting, while driving, or now, while you are reading this!  Continued in part 3…

Until then, train hard, stay safe and have fun!

–Mark Divine, founder SEALFIT / Unbeatable Mind

Notes:  Next 3 week Academy is July 9^th to the 29^th. Please enroll soon it is filling up fast!

Unbeatable Testimonial

This program has not only helped me physically but taught me that the mental and spiritual aspect must be part of the process. That mind-body-spirit loop. I’ve started the unbeatable mind academy also. I believe with these programs that I can reach my goal of becoming a true leader- one that I would follow. That’s how all this began for me, I was tired of piss poor leaders and decided someone had to change so it began. I started to work on me, from the inside out. I always ran and worked out but this program is different. It forces you to confront the true you. Then if you have the guts to, put the work in to improving yourself.
–Tony C

Read more recent testimonials at  UnbeatableMind.com.

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Imagine showing up at Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL training (BUD/s) on day one. Around you stand 175 swarthy SEAL candidates from all walks of life. Some are monster Adonis types who played linebacker for their college football team. Others are boxers and wrestlers. Others are underwater combat experts (code for water polo). Still others look like they just parked the tractor in the barn and hopped on a bus to Coronado.

Every one of them is about ready to fight three fights, and the 40 or so who can win all three simultaneously while maintaining a great attitude and their health, will call themselves SEALs in 11 months.
If you wonder whether you will be one of them…you won’t.

First, let’s discuss the 3 fights.   As my buddy Tony Blauer likes to point out – in a street fight you fight 3 battles.

The first is inside you. That battle is overcoming your fears, steeling your resolve, maintaining an offensive mind set, developing skills, knowledge and personal power, and not succumbing to the habit of conveying special powers upon your enemy.

The second fight is the actual engagement; the one most would consider the fight. This is often the easiest of the 3, and is certainly the shortest in terms of time invested.

The third fight is between you and the system. Even if ambushed, a SEAL who beats the crud out of an assailant in California will have to answer for why a Navy SEAL with 25 years of martial arts experience could not control the use of force.

Back to wet and cold on the BUD/s grinder. The second fight is clear to you. You must fight each and every one of these guys to earn the right to be standing tall on graduation day. That means that, out of 40 potential finishers, 39 will be your potential teammates, and the other 135 are your enemies. You are locked in a competitive battle with them to lock your position in the 40. You must do so by being crafty, every watchful, exploiting opportunity, being Machiavellian and Aristotelian at the same time. You must be intensely cooperative and forge a winning team, while also being intensely competitive – the stakes are the coveted trident, which some have literally died earning.

The third fight is against the instructors and the system. This fight is also pretty clear to you. The instructor’s sole job is to determine whether you have what it takes to be on the team. They don’t care about you personally. Whether you or the next guy makes it is completely irrelevant to them. The instructors all have PhD’s in exploiting weakness, finding your opening, crawling inside of you and tearing you apart from the inside out. You will not make it…unless…

You win the first fight first. The first fight is in your mind. You must win in the mind, before stepping foot onto the battleground. This is true for any situation in life. The question, then, becomes how.

This is where the “big 4” come in. I can write volumes about mental toughness, but when it comes to tactics, the big 4 always bubble up to the top. You must master these 4 tactics to win in your mind before you step into the combat-like arenas of life.

Whether you are a SEAL candidate or business professional, the big 4 are your toolkit to mental toughness and success. Stand by for more in the next issue.

Until then, train hard, stay safe and have fun!

–Mark Divine, founder SEALFIT / Unbeatable Mind

Check out this great audio call I did yesterday with sports hypnotherapist Gavin Kent. It offers some great insight into the amazing world of visualization practices. This is part of our Unbeatable Mind Academy, which is available to SEALFIT community for a $20 monthly discount. The program is 12 monthly lessons packed full of videos, audios, exercises and more.

Notes: Our April SEALFIT 1 Week Academy and Kokoro 22 on April 22 still have spots open if you are up for the challenge. Please contact us or visit the site for more info!

Read below about the impact Unbeatable Mind Academy has had on Michael M:

Quick note of thanks and another example of how the work you are doing is truly impacting lives.

I signed up for UM right around the the time it became clear I was getting a divorce. Being a father of three under the age of 7 and the sole income earner for my family, the prospect of an eight year marriage ending coupled with the reality that I will now only be seeing my children on a part time basis was a daunting one. I joined UM in hopes that I would be able to access another tool in my arsenal to assist with dealing what would surely be a tough run.

My expectations were exceeded. A serious dedication to UM has truly enabled me to continue to be the rock that I have always been for my family. I am very early on (Lesson 3), but the techniques have been there from the beginning to put me in a position of grace, strength, humility, empathy, class, understanding, perspective and mental toughness that will make my children proud.

The reason I’m telling you this is that I think it is critical that you understand how important the work is that you are doing. Please continue the outstanding dedication to this program, and to also learn from the incredible community that you have assembled (the fact that you are actively improving the program and soliciting feedback from the group speaks volumes that you are practicing what you preach).

Thank you for providing a resource that has been essential in getting me through what has been the toughest test of my life so far. My family (both sides), friends and colleagues have consistently commented on how remarkably and deftly I am handling my situation, which I think is a true testament to UM. There has not been one minute of Pity Party, nor will there be. Ever.

Thank you for your coaching, wisdom, and obvious sincere compassion for your students.

Keep it up Coach

 

The OODA loop helps us process and respond to information coming at us very quickly. It is used when rapid, on the fly planning and decision are necessary.

Developed by the late Air Force Colonel John Boyd to simplify the rapid-fire life and death decisions made during aerial combat. Boyd’s simple but very powerful conclusion was that any conflict was a time-based problem. Whichever side could move through their OODA loop the fastest would have the upper hand. This is tricky.

Observe our situation closely. What is our relative position to the enemy, and how is their behavior going to impact us? Observation and situational awareness are skills that the SEALs spend a lot of time developing. The “Keep in Memory” game helps individual operators and team gather a lot of information quickly and accurately. Expanding our sensory awareness field to take in more information at a subconscious level is another valuable Observation skill. The SEAL sniper team observes an enemy sniper taking a bead on a US Army convoy approaching from the West.

Orient ourselves to the reality of our observation as fast as possible without making too risky or risk-averse moves. Orientation is the processing and analyzing of the observed information. This is where it is helpful to ensure that the biases and tendencies do not drive poor analysis. The SEAL sniper team orients themselves to the new information – they are not in a good position to take an effective shot at the enemy sniper, but don’t have time to move clandestinely to a new position. They are under pressure to take some action immediately or the enemy sniper will certainly get a few shots off with obvious implications to the oncoming US force.

Decide on a course of action. This is where the rubber meets the road. Depending on the complexity and stakes involved, this can be a simple choice or a complex decision after analyzing multiple courses of action. The sniper team decides to expose themselves and run like hell to a new position. They are aware that the action is high risk to them, but after processing it through their OODA loop this decision made the most sense. Not only would it interrupt the pending shot by alerting the enemy sniper as to their presence, but it will put them in a better position to take out the sniper should he remain in his position.

Act! Nothing happens until the action takes place. The sniper team moves out. The enemy sniper is alerted and high-tails it to a new location. The oncoming convoy is spared…the cat and mouse OODA loop game continues.

The OODA loop requires time sensitive planning – planning on the fly. One reason SEALs are so effective at accomplishing complex and dangerous missions is that they use OODA loop and a time sensitive planning process. They don’t plan something to death, rather prefer to get busy and shorten their OODA cycle whilst seeking to outright sever the OODA loop of their enemies.

Note: This is one of several mental models we introduce in the Unbeatable Mind Academy. Won’t you join the other warriors on the UM team and start your journey with us today? Insiders always can get the special $47 a month pricing – even your friends if you forward this link to them. The program continues to provide amazing results…this testimonial just in from Howard Love, former Colgate alumnae friend turned entrepreneur and investor who stumbled upon the program and contacted me after a 25 year gap:

Hey Mark,

I wanted to let you know that your UMA program is AWEsome. I am about 3 weeks into the second lesson, I’ve read all the materials a few times, doing Yoga & guided visualization meditations most mornings. Working towards a Korkoro camp, hopefully this June. Did a “modified” Murph this Saturday: 2.5 mile run, 75 pullups (most were not dead-hang starts), 150 pushups, 300 squats, then another 2.5 mile run. Your stuff requires a lot more upper body than what I am used to for cycling and tri’s so working to build that up. Shooting to have the full Murph within 2 weeks, also going to check out joining a local Crossfit called TeamElite. In short, I’m “all-in.” Overall, I believe that the course has notably improved my mental toughness at work in many dimensions – and these days it seems to take a lot of toughness!

I am also excited to announce the new Unbeatable Mind Live Academy, to debut November 20 – 26, 2012. This one week live in academy covers the Unbeatable Mind philosophy and introduces you to the mental and awareness practices of the program. Each day includes a morning practice, Warrior Yoga pose clinic, mental toughness and awareness skill sessions, contemplation time, meditation and visualization practice. This is a practitioner training, NOT a teachers training and no prior yoga experience is required.

As mentioned this Academy does NOT require a high degree of physical fitness like the Kokoro Camp or SEALFIT Academy. It will, however, give you the tools to develop yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

Train hard, stay safe and have fun! –Coach Divine

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In September of 2011 I attended SEALFIT’s world-renowned Kokoro Camp as a member of Class 19. At 46 years old, I prepared months in advance for this intense 50+ hour crucible training academy that mirrors the famous U.S. Navy SEAL BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL) hellweek that has a failure rate of about 80%. The first-person account was chronicled in LA Sports & Fitness Magazine and also covered by NBC News.

Physical preparation consisted of working out for eight weeks prior to camp an ostensibly insane 22-26 times per week, and consisted of running (hills, sand, lengthy distances, short incline intervals, with weighted vest), indoor cycling, boxing (heavy bag, sparring), circuit training (sledge hammers, tire flipping, box jumps, flutter kicks, battle ropes, barbell shot puts, sand shoveling), free weights, yoga, Murphs (slick), and Navy SEAL Pyramids (slick and weighted). Very few of these sessions lasted less than 50 minutes, and all took place while I worked in my full-time career for a corporate learning company.

After completing what was a significant milestone endeavor in my life thus far, I received a tremendous outpouring of sentiments from friends and strangers alike. Many close friends knew I possessed the traits to finish (despite my age that was near or more than twice the age of a majority of my classmates), and thankfully they were correct. What surprised me most was the tremendous feedback I received from complete strangers. “I didn’t quit school because of your article.” “I’m going to run my first race because of what you wrote.” “I’m going back to college now that I read about what you did.” “For the past week I’ve added 10 minutes to the treadmill each day because each time I recall your comment that ‘capability exceeds belief’.”

Such feedback from individuals who I’d never met added a whole new level of satisfaction to the completion of an undertaking that I wrongly assumed would benefit only me. Much to my surprise, it benefitted others. With this in mind, I now present the prequel of sorts to that which I previously wrote after receiving this e-mail from a person who signed up for her stretch-goal, first-ever Ironman triathlon: “I have thought many times over the month of your Navy Seal weekend and am so motivated and impressed by you and your strategies for success.  Hearing more of what worked for you on the mental end would be helpful.”

While focused on the physical aspects of preparation, I did not realize until asked this question months after Kokoro camp that I methodically employed several “mental” techniques that proved to be at least equally important, if not more so, than the physical training I did prior to the academy. For purpose of codification, here is what I call The Seven Rs:

The Seven Rs:

Release: Broadcast to the world what you intend to do by putting out a personal press release to friends and family about what you are setting out to accomplish. I did this by announcing my SEALFIT Kokoro attendance on Facebook to hundreds of people in my network. This exposed me, put me out there, and internally drove me to not just keep up my grueling training regimen pre-camp, but to not let up during Kokoro, lest I let others down. When shivering through numerous surf torture/hypothermia sessions laying in the 56 degree Pacific numerous times between midnight and dawn, locked arm-in-arm with my teammates, thoughts of quitting infiltrated mind, body and spirit. Many instances I literally thought of who, in addition to me, that I’d be disappointing if I quit. Accountability to many is often much more impactful than accountability to few, one, or self.

Revisit: Go back in time and recapture a triumphant moment of overcoming a hardship with success. In my case, I looked at scrapbook photos to recall my final Golden Gloves training camp as a U.S. Amateur Boxer in 1997. To make the junior welterweight limit of 139 pounds, I dropped from 154 by undergoing an excruciating ten-weeks that consisted of a daily routine of 5 miles of running before work followed by a protein shake, lunch hour plyometrics followed by a protein shake plus fruit and an energy bar, two to three post-work hours of jumprope, heavy bag training, mittwork, sparring, and situps, and shadowboxing. Upon arriving home, 4 miles of running was followed by a dinner of soup, fruit, and water. In no uncertain terms this was not easy for two and half months, and calorie deprivation exacerbated the hardship. Little did I know that getting through this training camp, making weight, and reaching the finals match of the regional tournament until a (career-ending) injury forced me out, would establish a retrospective point to revisit.

Repeat: View over and over what you intend to accomplish, or something close to it, to gain an absolute familiarity. YouTube is great for this purpose, and I viewed the Discovery Channel documentary of Navy SEAL Class 234 over and over and over.  I watched all six hour-long episodes twice or three times each, becoming inculcated with everything from terminology to drills to evolutions to instructor tactics that would be inflicted upon me in Kokoro. While abstract knowledge is no substitute for tangible experience, visual preparation such as this saw to it that there were few surprises.

Recruit: Gather a team of supporters. I asked for and got dozens of friends to be my virtual crew who’d send me positive thoughts all throughout Kokoro. Knowing that everyone has different daily routines, I specifically asked them all to close their eyes, think of me and whisper “just finish” each time they ate or drank or went to sleep during the weekend. I recalled this through several difficult moments in camp, and it either worked or acted as a placebo. At one point while rucking in formation with a heavy pack on   a 20+ mile steep mountain ascent in pre-dawn hours, I actually imagined the face and heard the laugh of a friend who is a prolific late night carouser, thinking I bet she’s taking a shot right now and toasting me. One way or another, having a virtual armada surrounding me from afar with good vibes helped.

Relate: Everything is relative, so find something harder than you’re setting out to do, then read about it or watch it or think about it. Then repeat it again. I watched two infamous scenes of The Passion of the Christ over and over for nearly two hours the night before Kokoro, which illustrated much more suffering than I’d ever go through. I vividly recalled these horrific scenes while rucking up the steep mountain ascent. Dehydration, vomiting, cramps, exhaustion and doubt were all present on this brutal uphill evolution, but as bad as I felt I thought to myself that at least I wasn’t carrying a heavy cross with a thorn of crowns nailed into my head and hadn’t been whipped and beaten for hours beforehand. Regardless of how bad you have it, someone has survived worse.

Record: Memorize something that you say over and over and over that resonates, inspires and motivates you.  I studied the poem Invictus (“unconquerable” in Latin) prior to camp, and said it during surf torture as a means of distraction for my body and mind from the wet and cold ocean. It even saved me and my teammates once during a middle-of-the-night beach evolution when I volunteered and recited the poem to perfection for the instructors, thus saving the team from yet another “get wet and sandy” order that is a staple of SEAL hellweek.

Reason: Finally, find a profound and substantive reason for doing what you’re doing. Sometimes this is known in advance. A past SEALFIT Kokoro graduate told me that one thing that kept him alive during his camp was experiencing his daughter’s joy when he returned home with stories and a graduation certificate of his experience. Had he quit, he would not have been able to have this moment. And in many cases, as in mine, the reason is opaque and not yet quite crystallized. I thought that I wanted to complete Kokoro at my advanced age to test myself, to meet myself along the way, to see what I was made of, to see what I wasn’t made of, and to illustrate that capability exceeds belief. These things were all very true, but I later found out that another significant reason was to inspire others to lean into discomfort, to face uncertainty, and to aspire.

When I was interviewed during the application process by Mark Divine, former Navy SEAL Team 3 Commander, trainer/mentor to thousands of Navy SEAL and Special Ops candidates, and founder of SEALFIT’s Kokoro Camp, he described Kokoro and Navy SEAL hellweek training as that in which “most people are broken within the first 6-8 hours physically. Whether you go on from there is about your heart, mind and spirit.” I now realize that it’s not just about the youngest, fastest, strongest or most genetically-gifted individual.  Such elements matter, and I’ll certainly take them, but the intangibles…things that can’t necessarily be measured or seen…count a great deal. It’s this lesson that I learned with crystal clarity during and after Kokoro 19 at the SEALFIT Academy in Encinitas, CA.  Without the symbiotic relationship of the physical and the mental, imbalance is likely to exist.  Optimizing both gives you the best shot at marrying the physicality of training to the mindset of steadfast resolve, and this powerful combination can take anyone to absolutely any finish line.

-Patrick Barry is a corporate learning software executive from Los Angeles, CA, is unlikely to ever go on a log ride at a water-themed amusement park for the rest of his life, and can be reached at p.barry@sbcglobal.net . His adventure was also chronicled by SEALFIT in this cool trailer:    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb9SNXM6yDE .

This applies to all physical things – such as your house, car, and computer.  It also applies to your body, your mind and your spiritual life.

Darn, as if it wasn’t hard enough already, entropy is working against us to disorganize and destroy our lives!

Or is it?  The operative word in the opening statement above is “left alone.”

What if we didn’t act like the 99% and just “leave it alone?”  What if we learned to use creative, positive energy to re-charge our system daily?

In Unbeatable Mind we are developing a daily practice to do just this.  30 minutes to one hour a day of creative, positive, rejuvenating and re-charging to stem the tide of entropy.  All while developing greater sensitivity, awareness, mental toughness, clarity of thought, and vitality.

Practices such as the Tibetan 5, Qi Gong, Warrior Yoga, Breath Control, Still Water Runs Deep Visualization, Body Scan and Mindful Meditation are tools we use to ensure that our most precious asset – us – is not “left alone.”

Physical Training alone is not enough.  PT must be complimented with Mental Training (MT) and Spirit Training (ST).  Perhaps you would like to join us?

–Coach Mark Divine

www.unbeatablemind.com

The Unbeatable Mind Academy hosts monthly interviews with Subject Matter Experts as one of the many features of UMA. This was such an incredible interview I have decided to share it with the entire SEALFIT community. Enjoy….

COURAGE, PART 3

General Douglas MacArthur said “If bravery is a quality which knows no fear, then I have never seen a brave man.”

Truer words are hard to find. We’d like to equate courage with fearlessness. Certainly those big tough Navy SEALs don’t experience fear in combat or on a night jump do they? Yes, they do.

But what separates the courageous from the cowering is a deep understanding of human nature, coupled with disciplined practice of skills that mitigates the fear response. When the fear response is mitigated, focus and composure can be maintained in the face of extreme stress. In essence, we can turn stress into success!

In our Unbeatable Mind and SEALFIT programs we seek to do just that. Through a disciplined practice of breath control, visualization, short term goal setting, positive self-talk, and training like we “fight”, the students cultivate what appears as courage to the observer. Inside it is simply fear management and performance under extreme stress.

In the first two parts of this BLOG series we took a look at author Jeff Wise and his book Extreme Fear. Jeff is a writer for Popular Science and his blog is www.jeffwise.net. Let’s finish our discussion of courage now…

Principle 6 – Think Small

One of our powerful mental toughness tools is to collapse our goals to the near term. I call these micro-goals. Focusing on getting to the next meal at BUD/s is a micro-goal. It works, trust me.

Jeff says to “think small” and take bite size chunks in crisis. This is great advice!

“If you’re bogged down in a massive project at work, then, don’t let yourself despair at the hugeness of the task. Break it down into pieces small enough that you can do each one in an hour or less, and focus all your attention exclusively on that”, says Mr. Wise.

When we set our sights on micro-goals, we achieve micro wins, which quickly stack up and develop a sense of momentum and “can-do” instead of “can’t – won’t.” Micro goals support the cultivation of courage. Macro goals can lead to fear and failure.

Principle 7 – Get Mad

Transmuting the emotion of fear into anger can be a powerful tool in a crisis situation. Anger can be very motivating and really get your psychic energy amped up. Then you direct it at the problem and voila – looks a lot like courage.

This principle certainly works but I caution you to use this sparingly. I think we can easily go too far with this one. Be careful to not let it get out of control and negatively influence your decision making.

However, I am certainly not recommending a passive response. A non-violent response to a serious injustice, such as a Buddhist monk may have, could lead to serious issues, even death. That is not the warrior’s path. I would prefer that we explore developing strong but positive emotional states that are even more powerful than anger.

In a pinch, anger is a powerful emotion that can trample fear.

Principle 8 – Enjoy the Ride

This is one of my favorite. Jeff hit the nail on the head here. I believe that regardless of the situation we are in, we can find beauty in the sublime nature of it. By letting go, collapsing our focus to the present and releasing the need to control the outcome, we can transcend into a flow state and enjoy the ride.

Jeff states that “fear isn’t all bad. Intense fear causes our brain to release chemicals that mimic the effects of marijuana and amphetamines. Time seems to slow down and pain vanishes; we can run faster and lift heavier weights. There really have been cases of panicked people lifting cars with their bare hand.”

Let’s take Kokoro camp as an example. Many graduates have expressed having a spiritual peak moment at 5am, after being up for countless hours of brutal training – watching the sun rise. They experience a sense of sublime wonder at the beauty around them, in spite of their exhaustion, cold and dire circumstances. Smile if you have been there!

Thank you Mr. Wise for your insights – we hope to see you at SEALFIT in the near future!

Notes:

• Reminder that Kokoro graduates receive a 50% discount on Warrior Yoga, Combat Defense, and if you are courageous, a second round of Kokoro! We want you to come back and continue your training. Contact membership@sealfit.com if you are interested.
• Unbeatable Mind Academy continues to grow and spin out amazing testimonials. Consider joining us on this journey if you are not able to come to HQ this year. Platinum members receive direct coaching and free attendance at the UM Warrior Summit.
• Announcing the Unbeatable Mind Warrior Summit! This is a two day summit to be held in San Diego on November 10th and 11th, followed by our first weeklong Warrior Yoga Academy. Save the date and await further information.
• Next SEALFIT 1 Week Academy is April 16th followed by Kokoro 22 on April 22. Please enroll soon as space in the Academy is running out.

It is sensible that if you have emotional control, situational and self-awareness then you will be able to think clearly and process your emotional states efficiently.  As a result you will deal more effectively in a high challenge situation than someone who does not possess these skills.  This is the difference between good leaders and poor leaders, or those who survive and those who die in a survival situation.

Jeff Wise, in his book Extreme Fear, has some good insight on fear and courage.  He is a writer for Popular Science and his blog is a great read www.jeffwise.net.

His findings mirror many of our teachings at SEALFIT / Unbeatable Mind.  In Part 1 of this article we looked at his first principle, the importance of fitness to mental toughness.  Additionally we discussed his second principle – that of surrounding yourself with a good team to lean on, in the context of the Kokoro camp experience.  Now let’s review his next few principles:

Principle 3 – Expose Yourself to More
Jeff is preaching to the choir on this one also.  Pushing the envelope of experience.  Train harder than you expected.  Fall down 7 times, and get up 8.  Benchmark your life experiences by going farther, faster, harder…it builds confidence and provides a ladder of success for the next level.  This is how the 20X factor is revealed through hard physical and mental training…one evolution at a time.
Jeff reminds us to “be sure to reward yourself when you’re successful. The goal is to train the emotional centers of your brain to anticipate a positive outcome when pushing boundaries.” Thank you Jeff – I need to remember that one more often!

Principle 4 – Think Positive
More than just thinking positive thoughts, and positive self-talk, we must maintain a positive state of energy and “show up” in the world with this energy.  Jeff cites a research report from a guy named Mark Taylor.  Olympic athletes were surveyed by Taylor about whether they practiced positive mental skills such as silently voicing affirming thoughts.  Taylor found that those who did were significantly more likely to survive the intense pressure of elite competition and reach the medal stand. This principle cannot be stressed enough.  As stated, I believe the impact of positive thinking goes well being the mental and into the spiritual realm.  Have you ever seen a negative martial arts master?  Or a negative Navy SEAL for that matter?  No.  In fact it can’t happen because negativity would attract failure and dis-ease, torpedoing any attempts at self-mastery and developing courage.

Principle 5 – Change the Frame
This is a good one.   Mr. Wise asks us to re-frame by consider the larger context and the good things that might come along with the bad. When a crisis seems overwhelming “write out best case and worst case scenarios, and how likely they are to come about,” recommends Rick Harvey, Assistant Professor of Health Education and Holistic Health at San Francisco State University. “When you can say to yourself, ‘You know what, the worse-case scenario isn’t very likely,’ then you can stop worrying.”
At SEALFIT we propose the use of mental models to help us clarify and re-frame a situation.  The Integral AQAL model is an excellent example.  Learning integral “perspective taking” brings awareness to what is going on from a teammate’s point of view.  This will help you change your frame, and in the process make decisions that are in your interests as well as those of the team.

Continued in part 3…we will finish our discussion of courage soon by looking at principles 6, 7 and 8.  Until then, train hard, stay safe and have fun!  –Mark Divine

Notes:  Kokoro Camp 21 is next week!  Last call for action – contact us asap if you still want in.  Also, the Unbeatable Mind Academy continues to explode with interest.

Please visit www.unbeatablemind.com for more information about this powerful 12 month program.

Until next time, train hard, stay safe and have fun!