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The age old adage when we come to a major crossroads:
To Quit or Not to Quit, To Survive or Not to Survive."
This brings the attention to the real question
Are you a Quitter or a Survivor?
I believe this question applies to everyone at one point or another, in scenarios which is deemed as an extreme challenge to the individual.
What is it then that separates the two? I would not say quitter or winner - reason is simple. When you are caught in a extreme challenge, with all the physical / psychological, external and internal stress factors caving in on us; the most imperative and instinctual notion for you is to:
A) To survive
B) To quit
For those who knows me personally, knows that in my younger days, I was a Naval Combat Diver, more specifically, a Underwater Demolition Diver - UDT.
Our training is modeled at about 90 - 95% of the US BUD/s course, precursor for all Navy Seals to be. Mark my words, diver training is one of the toughest courses to go through globally.
So let's use the example of SEALS. I believe we all agree that they are one of the most formidable fighting force (and successful) in our modern world.
But how do they do it, what happens even before they become SEALS? What trains them and what are the traits that makes them that special (or really, are they)?
This brings our attention to BUD/s - Basic Underwater Demolition course, during this phase, the option to quit means that you get to ring the bell - meaning YOU GIVE UP!
However you must then deal with the long-term pain of regret. In the event of a firefight, accident or disaster, the stakes are much higher.
Quitting is simply not an option there.
So...
Throughout our life or career, how do we treat any obstacle with the same level of intensity or commitment to fight through it?
During our weakest and darkest hours, how do we make decisions no matter how big or small, serious or irrelevant with the same strength as when we are strongest?
Because...
One bad decision made in a moment of weakness, can be disastrous!
Here are some things I constantly repeat to myself over the years whenever things get sh***y to stay motivated, clear-headed and in control.
- Never give up on yourself. Quitting is simply NOT an option
- Pain is temporary, quitting is forever.
Whether it is the pain of seeing a long, complex project til its end, or the pain of getting through Hell Week, simply removing the quit option is the first step to ensuring victory.
I strongly encourage enduring through your darkest moments and not making serious / important decisions at night, when things are at their most difficult in any scenarios; not forgetting the heavy eyelids after a day of rough patches.
Wait until the rays of sunlight appear!
Never giving up means that you remove "quit" from your dictionary - FOR GOOD! and do what is morally necessary to survive or accomplish a really difficult task.
- 20X Factor: you are 20X more capable than what you think.
During Hell Week when I was still a trainee as a Class 2 Naval Diver; I found this out the hard way, and sure enough, by Thursday of Hell Week - 4th Sunrise I was actually getting stronger and having fun. (Though most of the time, we were all in Zombie mode)
Our minds accepted the circumstances and adapted ourselves to what was happening, ultimately completing the week - and surviving the crazy instructors
Despite 100 + hours of no sleep, non-stop physical and mental "training" , I was astounded that we were getting stronger and motivated as we draw nearer to the last day - Friday! (though there were moments of zombi-fication as our minds struggled to deal with the lack of sleep).
I believe ultra - distance runners and those who do extreme sports experience the same cycle
a break down
then bouncing back as the body and mind adapt to the new, harsh reality of the circumstances.
Through this you learn that you are truly capable of at least 20 times more than you previously thought.
You undergo a psychological and physiological paradigm shift.
After that experience, anything less than Hell Week looked easy; which was what kept me going all these years through the ups and downs
Don't accept your self-imposed limitations.
Dare to discover what you can truly accomplish!