Master Your Mind Like A Navy SEAL

TheBroCode Rule #2: Never Leave A Bro Behind. Don’t Ditch A Bro For A Chick or Leave Him Somewhere When He’s All Fucked Up.

Ever wonder how Navy SEALS keep their calm, build mental resilience, and combat fear? If not, don’t worry, I have while I was on my journey to unfuck myself and I learned some tips along the way. Lets go! 👇🏽

Most of these models above and below are all pretty straightforward, so I’ll give you some context and things I think you should consider.

The 3 Foot Rule works really well for anxiety. Navy SEALs use it to for Close Quarter Battle (CQB) to control the space around them in a 3-ft direction. This is a tactic they use to stay focused on what they can affect.

For us normal guys, the same can be applied to life. When you’re in room working, or your in office, or your in bed, focus on the 3-ft around you. Create your 3-ft world and focus on what you can control. This helps alleviate some of the anxiety (for the guys that are struggling with that) This is what climbers do, athletes, soldiers, gardeners, tradesmen, focus on what you can control, let the rest be.

In this world full of distractions, focus has become a luxury.  

The 40% Rule is something you’ve probably experienced at the gym, but is taken to a whole new level by the SEALs. Fighters, Climbers, Top Athletes, Runners, they all do use it. Find the inner strength to push yourself harder than you ever thought was possible. Your mind is playing games. Mental resilience is built by pushing through pain. These type of men have figured out how to control their mind in a way that overcomes mental barriers. The great thing, even if you don’t know how yet, you know that it’s possible. It CAN be done. We are all capable of SO MUCH MORE than our mind limits us to believe.

A motto they use to re-train their problem to do shit they don’t like, goes like this: “If it doesn’t suck, I don’t do it.”

See if can re-train your brain by repeating this 25 times a day. I’m sure it’ll change your life. I’ve tried it but my mind rejects it, so I’m not re-trained yet, but at least we have a plan to get there. Just follow the Navy SEALs.

These are the psychological traits that all SEALs possess making them tough enough to endure extreme pain and fatigue. I’ll put it like this bro, if you can learn these 4 pillars, and learn them well, it’ll elevate you to a new level of mental toughness and resilience that you should be able to battle your demons with ease and accelerate everything you do.

Goal setting sounds straight forward right? It’s not for a SEAL. They don’t make any random, unclear, general goals. That shit doesn’t fly. They make 6 months goals, then break down those goals in weekly goals, daily goals, hourly goals, and even minute goals during their ‘grinder sessions’.

When’s the last time you set hourly or minute goals? Put that into perspective. Most men sit around with no goals, or unclear bullshit goals, even if you can get from 6 month goals to weekly goals, you’re gonna crush it!

Mental Visualization and imagery is used by the SEALs but also by almost every man you’ve ever looked up to or aspired to be like. Fighters, Athletes, Musicians, Dancers, Billionaires, they all use this to achieve greatness. Sports psychologist would argue that it’s just as equally important and physical practice. You need to be able to see yourself in detail, like a play-by-play doing something in your mind to be able to achieve it in real life.

For example, if you’re struggling with depression and can’t get outta bed, visualize the little things, putting on socks, going downstairs, etc. and then do it, you’ll feel a worldly difference. (it’s worked for me).

The Navy SEALs are take this shit to another level, when it comes to training. Can you guess what they do? 

There’s a training exercise that requires students to wear scuba gear to perform underwater actions. During the test the instructor will strip the scuba equipment off the student leaving them deep underwater with no equipment. If the student starts tripping out, acts too anxious, or isn’t relaxed enough they fail. Those who passed, used mental imagery to prep for the exercise. They imagined being attacked underwater, and went through the motions of what they would do, so when it happened, they were calm, and prepared

Positive Self- Talk is pretty straightforward. Pump yourself up. SEALs do this in a way to avoid any negative self talk or self doubt as there is no room to question yourself or your abilities. Positive self-talk is a motivator and can be combined with mental visualization as well.

GSP, one of the greatest UFC fighters uses self talk before every fight. He says he look himself in the washroom mirror, pictures himself like he’s a kid again, and tells himself he’s the best, he’s the strongest, he’s unstoppable, and then goes to fight. Every man should be deploying positive self talk on a daily basis, if you’re not doing this already. I pump myself up in the car rearview mirror, in the washroom, in my room, when I get off zoom calls, all day every day. You need to be your own biggest fan!

The last one is the arousal technique which I explain in the diagram, the 4×4 SEAL technique. 

4 second inhale, 4 second slow exhale, duration 1 minute. 

If you can these 4 pillars down, No doubt you’ll be better off than you are today. We’re all SEALs in training, LFG!!

I learned this first on a podcast with Jay Shetty and Becky G and thought it was a great concept and way to look at life. I mean, I was memorable enough that I remembered it, so I think it’s worth sharing with the bros.

It’s pretty straight forward, but when you visualize the stool, the concept tends to be stickier.

The stool represents you. The legs represent: Your spiritual self, your physical self, and your mental self.

Each leg needs to be taken care of equally over time. A stool doesn’t function on 2 legs. It loses its purpose.

This is what happens to many of us men in real life. We focus too much on one thing or we completely neglect one thing, and we end up feeling broken and lost with no purpose. Much like a stool without 3 legs.

I’m guilty of focusing only 2 at a time most of my life, and I was always slacking on the spiritual stuff. Recently, that’s all changed. Having gone through some the darkest times in my life this past year, I haven’t been as spiritual as I am today in at least a good 20 years.

The same attention many men give hitting the gym to get fit, spend some time on meditation, visualization, and gratitude, and you’ll see what a difference it makes for the chemical balance in your brain.

When I first heard about meditation I thought it was some hocus-pocus stuff that only monks did. When I realized guys I idolized like Kobe, Lebron, Jobs, Gates, all meditated, I found out why.

Meditation is the most effective way to control your mind and release calming hormones. 

I’ll break down some meditation tactics next week, (shit that actually works and not the woo-ha-ha stuff). Things I’ve learned from athletes like Kobe and Hindu Priests at the temples. .

Remember, You are the 3 legged stool. Stay balanced.

The 7 Keystones of Support

Save this table and make it later. This is a great exercise that I try to do at least once a month that gives you a high level overview of your social fitness, where you’re lacking and where you' can cut down down to keep your social support balanced.

The goal here is have a sheet that is spread out and collectively checks all the boxes. This is literally one of the greatest hacks to quantify your support system in real life, especially when you’re feelin’ down and not up to par.

Each of us is different in what we want out of social support so make it work for you. Definitely a great tool to put a framework around things us men don’t really tend to think about.