William. H. Mcraven
EPISODE 87
We take inspiration from Admiral William H. McRaven and his best selling book, Make Your Bed: Little things that can change your life (Buy on Amazon).
In 2014 he addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas, in a video which immediately went viral. He shared 10 life lessons he had learned during his Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges not only in his long Naval career, but also throughout his life.
In Make Your Bed, he builds on these principles by sharing inspiring tales from his own life and those around him in the military, explaining how anyone can use these basic lessons to change themselves for the better.
SHOW OUTLINE
INTRO
What’s the first thing to do, no matter how mundane
Make your bed to start the day (1m30)
GO TOWARDS THE DISCOMFORT
The pain you experience now will build you up in the future
Don’t be afraid of the Circuses (1m24)
You will always encounter difficulty, so choose how you’ll respond
Don't back down from the sharks (1m10)
Be calmest when it’s darkest
Be your best in the darkest moments (1m35)
RESILIENCE IS YOUR CHOICE
The Power of One can change everything
Start singing when you're up to your neck in mud (2m12)
Expect pain, expect it to be HARD, life will be full of challenges
Don't ever ring the bell (41s)
OUTRO
Closing statement from his 2014 speech; what to do now
How to change the world for the better (49s)
TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Hello and welcome to dementia podcast. It is a very military style, Navy style specific, accurate, and very sharp and presentable episode 87. I’m your cohost Mike Parsons and as always the one man who's truly buttoned up. He is my special. Regular co-hosting guest. Mr. Mark. Yes. In Freeland morning. Good morning, mr.
Paulson's, uh, standing to attention. I am in front of the mic and I'm getting ready for a rip roaring, but very regimented episode. How are you feeling about today's episode? I couldn't agree more and what a perfect way to end our three part series on habit design habit formation. The very essence of being the very [00:01:00] best we can be.
Where should we go today? Who shall we study Mark to get more inspiration on having the very best. Habits today, like he say, we are closing off the current trilogy on habit and who better to salute us as we, as we March off into the distance, then Admiral William H McRaven (buy his book on Amazon), former head of the U S special operations command from the U S.
In the Navy, he did some unbelievable accomplishments. He was in the Navy for over 36 years and he was, it's pretty well known for, for a particular closing speech, which we're definitely going to be the into today, but his book, which is a best seller is called make your bed little things that can change your life.
And for us, this has been what we've been delving into over the past week. Isn't it, Mike? It is and what a perfect companion to an author, to [00:02:00] an academic that we go to, uh, one group of individuals who put it on the line. I mean, it is never so become white then as it is for those who are Navy seals, special operations, uh, we get to hear from a man who is a four star admirable.
He's had 36 years. Uh, in the military and the lessons he has to share in this very famous speech are so Chris there's, so on-point and they come from a different place. Don't they? Mark? Um, there's something, uh, Visceral about the lessons he has to teach us. He didn't do a big study. He's not been at a professor at a university.
Um, he comes with a wealth of practical hands on experience in the highest stakes game in the [00:03:00] world that is being in the military. It is truly. I great episode coming up. What are you looking forward to Mike? When we get into somebody who by the way, has a seriously cool name. I mean, William H McRaven, I mean, that is a four star name and that is amazing.
Amazing. Hey, it really is Admiral McRaven. I, uh, I'm really, really looking forward to getting into his unique approach. You know, like you say, um, we've had a number of different innovators, uh, over the past. Uh, 86 episodes. And particularly in the habit formation series that we're just closing off. Now we've had James clear, who's this academic who's come along with a lot of data and research.
You've had Charles Duhigg, who's a journalist and again comes at it with his own unique take. And then you've got, when you mentioned McRaven, who, as you point out, it feels a little bit. Dare. I say more practical, uh, possibly even more relatable, I suppose, [00:04:00] because it's been removed from that data and the science and instead it's, you know, it's like a bucket of cold water.
It's so true, man. It's so true. And it's so powerful because you can feel the intensity of. You know, defending his country for 36 years, that you can just feel it in his voice. So I'm going to suggest that we get straight to the voice of William H Craven because he has the power to take those 36 years to bring all of those lessons.
All of the valleys he's been through the mountains, he's kind through all of the hardship and the rough seas, his wisdom. Starts with this one single idea, and this idea is make your bed to start every day, every morning in seal training, my [00:05:00] instructors who at the time were all Vietnam veterans would show up in my bearish room.
And the first thing they do is inspect my bed. If you did it right, the corners would be square. The covers would be pulled tight. The pillow centered just under the headboard and the extra blanket folded neatly at the foot of the rack. It was a simple task mundane at best, but every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection.
That seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle, hardened seals. But the wisdom of the simple act has been proven to me many times over. If you make your bed every morning, you will have accomplished the first task of the day.
They will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. And by the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed making your bed will also reinforce [00:06:00] the fact that the little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things, right.
You'll never be able to do the big things, right? And if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that has made you made and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better. So if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. There we go straight out of the Australia for the races.
This is a relatable story. Yeah, we can all relate to and imagine, I mean, it's taken a, it's obviously inspired the name of his book, make your bed little things that can change your life. And the book itself has been, uh, you know, celebrated over the years is as life lessons and ways to change the world from his own experiences.
And for me, when I hear. All of the clips, but particularly this opener, I'm thinking, Hey, I could totally do that. I can do that. It's [00:07:00] such a small thing that takes me no time. It's one in the morning. And I know that when I come home and I see the bed and it's already made, I just think, huh? I don't know, there is a relaxation to it.
There is. Yeah. But he made such a good point. If you can't get the small things, right. How are you going to get the big things? Right. I mean, to me, that's really powerful. I think in its most pragmatic sense, the fact that the first thing you said about in the day, you get it done. I w as he was talking, like, I really relate to that sense of momentum.
Like I have this every morning, I have a certain urgency to start getting things done because I I'm always conscious that it's all about getting, going quick, uh, getting things off to a racing start and nothing. Frustrates me more when I feel on a day that I want to get a lot done and you kind of get 10 30 and you're [00:08:00] like, Oh my gosh.
I just feel like I haven't got anything done. I hate that feeling. So I just love that he's challenging us and just. First thing, make your bed, get it done. I mean, it's almost like the days after cracking stars, as soon as you do that. Yeah. There's, there's a pleasure that comes with ticking things off your, to do list.
Isn't that right? I mean, we've, it's, it's a really productive way to, I think begin your day when you go through those, those, um, those moments. I mean, I think it was due here who was telling us that 40 to 45% of our day is habitual. And the behaviors you do each day are actually part of a habit that you've created.
Um, and what better way to begin your day as, as Admiral McRaven is telling us then to stick to that habit of just making a bet. Yeah, create really the essential advice. And I think it does, you know, [00:09:00] get out of the blocks early, get things going is just the first of many pieces of wisdom that we've taken from this one speech from William H.
McRaven and you can find it on a YouTube or you can grab the book as well on Amazon. If you're liking some of this advice so far, then you better get ready because we've got two big clusters of advice. One is really the power that William H McRaven gives us to go into the moment where it's a choice between continuing or quitting.
And he's got a lot. To give a lot of advice, a lot of wisdom for us, so we can learn from him so we can do things just that bit better. And secondly, this is a long game, um, and you've got to stay the course and he's got a lot of great advice for us as we entertain the idea of doing something that is meaningful for feeling [00:10:00] maybe having an impact on the world.
Willie major McRaven has got so much advice and it's all coming up in this show, but I think we've got one ask of all of you, our listeners. Uh, we have been so fortunate that you've all been so generous in jumping into your app stores, um, and you know, rating the show, reviewing the show. Our big ass. The view today is don't stop.
Um, when you give us a rating or, um, this is really essential to new listeners discovering the show. And all that we ask is that you, if you're on a train on a plane, on a car, if you're just sitting at home, if you could please jump into your podcast, listening app of choice, be at Spotify a bit Stitcher, be it iTunes.
Please jump in there, give us a rating. And a [00:11:00] review is so helpful in new people. Discovering the show and boy Mark people all around the world are discovering our little show that learns out loud. Who do we welcome to the family today? Uh, this week, we welcomed in the fantastic locations of Canada, as well as Nepal.
Hello everybody around the world. Thank you so much for listening. It's amazing when we not only see us appearing in the charts around the world, but it inspires us to too. You know, get up in the morning, make our beds. Doesn't it mind knowing that we've got listeners in Canada and Nepal as well as many, many other countries around the world, you know, that's that inspires me, um, to, to get up and go.
Fantastic. And we love it. When you reach out to us and, and share feedback what's in the official move shorts mailbox. We had a couple of great contacts this week. I want to give a [00:12:00] special shout out to two individuals, Leanne con from the USA. Thank you very much for getting in touch. And, uh, sending us a quick email to say thanks.
And I'm pleased that your, uh, one of our listeners, as well as Richie Creighton from the UK, nearly a, a, a good handle. I think Creighton is probably a good, um, Not quite as well as beef on, but creating Presto pretty strong I'd stay right mind. I think so. I think so it's easily a dragon on wheels. So, um, once again, the moonshots members have the, the most outrageous, uh, usernames and use it, the handles so well done.
And thank you to all of you for reaching out to us. And just a reminder, jump in that app store. Hit the stars. Leave us a message in the review. We love your feedback and it's really important for. The show, but I'll tell you what else is important, Mark. And now not to be afraid of surgery [00:13:00] and you might be thinking, what on earth does that have to do with a four star Navy Admiral?
While if you just listen, we can. Enjoy this wisdom from none other than William H McRaven. Every day during training, you were challenged with multiple physical events, long runs, long swims, obstacle courses, hours of calisthenics, something designed to test your metal. Every event had standards times you had to meet.
If you fail to meet those times, those standards, your name was posted on a list. And at the end of the day, those on the list. We're invited to a circus. A circus was two hours of additional calisthenics designed to wear you down to break your spirit, to force you to quit. No one wanted a circus. A circus meant that for that day, you didn't measure up a circus man, more fatigue and more fatigue meant that the following day would be more difficult and more surfaces were likely.
But at some time during seal training, [00:14:00] everyone, everyone made the circus list. But an interesting, an interesting thing happened to those who were constantly on the list over time. Those students who did two hours of extra calisthenics got stronger and stronger, the pain of the circuses built inner strength and physical resiliency life is filled with circuses.
You will fail. You will likely fail. Often. There will be painful. It will be discouraging at times. It will test you to your very core. But if you don't, if you want to change the world, don't be afraid of the circuses. Oh, so good. So much, so much strength coming from that. Isn't it, you know, it's, it's a great example of the way that we imagined McRaven can bring to life.
These lessons that, you know, we've discussed in the past, Mike, but applying it into this very. Strenuous [00:15:00] difficult physical activity that, you know, McRaven as well as those around him in the Navy have obviously experienced. I mean, for me, it will be painful. You will fail. Is, you know, that, that it's kind of like a positive mantra, but the other way around, you know, it reminds the Mark of what Joe Rogan said, which is embrace the discomfort factly.
Like you've gotta, it feels good when you earn it. When things don't happen this way, they don't feel good. But I think where McRaven go is these things. Actually make you stronger and I'll tell you, my big secret Mart is whenever I'm in the face of adversity. I try to remember that when I'm facing a challenge, you know, and often for me, it comes in the form of just workload, right?
[00:16:00] And there were times where you. Get these peaks of work and I'm sure everyone listening knows they've had that moment. There's a big presentation, a big report going alive with a new product, whatever it is. And there are moments where you're just like, Oh, this is killing this work. The things that I'm sacrificing and do, you know, I find it so powerful, this advice to not be afraid of those moments because.
What I've learned doing this show is all of these great people have found a way, not only to survive in adversity and challenge, but to thrive. And what he is pointing out here is McRaven is saying those that went to the circus routine. I, I was extra calisthenics in the Navy seals. They got stronger, they got [00:17:00] fitter.
And if we can all say to hours. So, so, and it's such a great mindset moment. If we can say to us, I was it's hurting, but it's making me stronger. This, this really brings to life. The adage. If it doesn't kill you, it only makes you stronger. But this is for me, this is the power of this advice. Embrace this discomfort it's making you stronger.
You don't need to be afraid of the circus. I mean, what comes to your mind? Well, what comes to my mind and just to build on what you're saying, Mike. Is is how I believe. William H McRaven is a worthy addition to the, the habits series that we've, that we're closing for me. It's it is this mindset. So. All of us will struggle or find our challenge in our day to day life, whether it's working out or whether it's a workload or whether it's, um, you [00:18:00] know, face to face interactions with, I dunno, patients or whatever it might be.
All of our listeners I'm sure are in huge varied, um, sectors and businesses, but all of us. You know, at one point in our days, we'll come into that challenge. And I think where we much McRaven really, really builds on some of the work that we've seen already in this series is it is this mindset. And if you can train your mind to embrace those challenges, you know, similar to where Joe Rogan was taking us, as you say.
If we can almost change our habit instead of reacting. Now it's typically towards challenges and pain. And instead we think, okay, I'm going to run towards this. I'm going to use it as an opportunity for growth. That's an amazing handle to cultivate, right? Yeah. And it it's, it's not easy. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of practice, but I will tell you what I truly believe McRaven is pointing out for us here is that if [00:19:00] we.
Remove that fear of the circus. If we do what Joe Rogan says is embrace the discomfort. Cause we know, and this was also great in the Zaha did show that we did right back in the early days, she was literally all the challenges she faced as an immigrant female architect in the sixties and seventies in London, she just said every obstacle.
And then she jumped over, made her stronger and better. If we can do it, just like all of them, those people, we then have a very powerful moment because we're not afraid. And then the power that we have is to choose how we want to respond in those moments. And this is the unlocking of McRaven right here.
Don't be afraid of the moment. And when you're there, he talks about it. Don't. Back down from the sharks. So let's listen to William H [00:20:00] McRaven right now telling us, inspiring us on how we should think and how we should respond. When we come face to face with the sharks. During the land warfare phase of training, the students were flown out to San Clemente Island, which lies off the coast of San Diego.
The waters off San Clemente are a breeding ground for the great white sharks. To pass seal training. There are a series of long swims that must be completed. One is the night swim before the swim, the instructors joyfully brief the students on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters off San Clemente.
They assure you however that no student has ever been eaten by a shark. At least not that they can remember, but you are also taught that if a shark begins to circle your position, Stand your ground do not swim away, do not act afraid. And if a shark hungry for a midnight snack darts towards [00:21:00] you, then summons up all your strength and punch him in the snout and he will turn and swim away.
There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim, you will have to deal with them. So if you want to change the world, don't back down from the sharks. Expect challenges along the way, expect sharks when you swim, you know, this is if we look back at all of the innovators, so, you know, as our hose you've already mentioned.
They've all encountered these sharks or difficulties in one form or another, you know, again, McRaven bring it to life in a really vivid visual, which I love here. You know, again, it's, it's totally relatable in a funny story because this ownership of knowing and expecting those challenges and taking ownership of how you're going to [00:22:00] react to those challenges.
Is is exactly what we've discussed with a number of our other innovators, isn't it? Mm mm. The, the, uh, there's this whole thing. And what's what I hope we're starting to reveal as we work through this is that there is a powerful mindset, which is embrace the discomfort. Don't be afraid of the circuses.
When the sharks come. Stare him in the eyes and that's something, you know, we've talked about a lot, like attack the uncertainty attack. What causes you concern? Fear, anxiety. Don't pretend it's not there because that doesn't. That doesn't solve anything, address it. And I think that, um, there's another dimension to this, which is if you're doing something that's really in line with your purpose, we've talked a lot about this, uh, of recent times, not only in this series, but of course, Simon Sinek, you know, aligning your actions with your purpose.
[00:23:00] I think that. When you have done the hard work and this was something, um, this idea of calmness, of being ready, it was something that Michael Jordan was the best at because he had put in the work because he was ready. I mean, he literally said he, he, he rarely played a game. As hard as he trained. So the games felt easy because nobody trained as hard as he did offer as long, first to training last to leave.
So what happens is, as this mindset grows, what McRaven is teaching us is that once you get over the fear and you embrace the discomfort, you don't need to back down or run away from your sharks, if you will, but you can be present. And the key behavior. The key positive behavior in order to be the best version of yourself is [00:24:00] when the, you know, what hits the fan don't freak out.
In fact, the story that McRaven has for us. Is what you should do when the darkness comes. So let's have a listen now to William H McRaven as Navy seals. One of our jobs is to conduct underwater attacks against enemy shipping. We practice this technique extensively during training the ship attack mission is where a pair of seal divers is dropped off, outside an enemy Harbor and then swims well over two miles underwater using nothing but a depth gauge and a compass to get to the target during the entire swim even well below the surface, there is some light that comes through it is comforting to know that there is open water above you.
But as you approach the ship, which is tied to appear, the light begins to fade the steel structure of the ship blocks, the Moonlight, [00:25:00] it blocks the surrounding street lamps. It blocks all ambient light to be successful in your mission. You have to swim under the ship and find the keel, the center line, the deepest part of the ship.
This is your objective, but the keel is also the darkest part of the ship. Where you cannot see your hand in front of your face or the noise from the ships machinery is deafening and where it gets to be easily disoriented and you can fail. Every seal knows that under the keel at that darkest moment of the mission is a time when you need to be calm.
When you must be calm, when you must be composed, when all your tactical skills, physical power and your inner strength must be brought to bear. If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moments when those comforts start disappearing. I mean, even the comfort of [00:26:00] seeing street lights or lamps, whatever it might be that are illuminating through that water, you know, in that moment, that's a comfort.
We've all got comforts around us in our work home life. But you know, when things get really difficult, And I'm sure my you'll agree when things get really difficult, you feel like those comforts do sort of slip past you don't, they, you, you forget about them and you feel like you're out there alone.
You're under the water, you've swum two miles, and now you're looking for that keel in order to be successful in your project product, whatever it might be. And this concept of remaining calm, you know, I, I, it brings back Wim Hoff. To me, you know? Yes, he was, he was training us and telling us that when you're in these moments of, you know, being pushed to your limit, that's an opportunity to grow.
So similar in our previous clip, we were talking about how you can grow through discomfort and so on, [00:27:00] but this idea of remaining calm, no matter how cold the water is, no matter how stressful that situation is, that for me is. It's a wonderful idea. And I think similar to what you were saying, the previous clip being present and focusing on getting through that moment, I think is, is one of them ways to get through it.
Isn't it. So in a difficult project, Remembering what's around you remembering to be present and address it as it happens to you. Yeah. So, so when you want to be calm in the eye of the storm or in the darkness, what do you do? Like have you got any, uh, triggers that you try to, um, look for and then, uh, you know, Try and change your behaviors in order to deal with any given situation.
Yeah, I, I think I'm still working on it, but I think the things that work best for me currently [00:28:00] are two twofold. One is quite physical and the other one's quite mental. So a little bit more of a mindset, I suppose, the first one to try and. Level out any anxiety or stress that I'm feeling in a, in a situation.
I mean, I'm literally, I can't say that I've swum underneath a, a Navy ship in the absolute pitch black before, but if I was in that situation, you know, breathing, you know, taking that deep breath, we've heard a lot about this through some of our, our innovators already, but that idea of a breathing, it really does.
Help me out personally, I couldn't agree more breadth. Like it is like such a healing force. Isn't it? EV healing of course is exactly what it feels like actually. And when you do take that breath in and a slow release, you suddenly feel a little bit more present a little bit more like you can, [00:29:00] you know, Allow your body to go towards that discomfort go towards that challenge.
And then the other side for me is, is mental. So I'm working on, uh, on this right now, but what I'm trying to do is, uh, compartmentalize things a little bit better and think if I'm very, very stressed right now, I'll try and think of something a little bit more positive. I'll try and think of something that maybe I'm thankful for or something that I appreciate, whether it's something somebody else has done for me or whether it's something I've seen or heard, whatever it might be.
Um, those for me are what I'm working on at the moment to deal with the sort of challenges and so on. Well, what am I you Mike? What comes to mind when you hear what you mentioned, McRaven telling us, you know, how to be your best self. Well, definitely calmness comes through breath. Like that's a, that's a default, I would say as a club, second [00:30:00] is lots and lots of exercise.
Um, and you, you are in a moment where you're searching for calm, combined breath with walking outside. That's a pretty, pretty great start to the, to the reduction of, of anxiety and stress. I think that. A little tactic I like is writing down the things that are causing me and then write down what the core problem is then.
Identify what it is. That's causing me the stress and write a list of next steps or solutions, and then start ticking off the pursuit of those and do it in a very focused way. And where I like, I, I try to get to, uh, is a place where I can say, I know what it is. That is causing me stress. Here are the things, [00:31:00] here's the core problem.
Here are the potential solutions I've followed up on those. And I try and get to a place where I can say the affirmation. I've done everything within my power for now to address this problem. And that last bit is quite interesting. I love the idea of writing it down and creating context, you know, knowing what it is is such a good step.
In order to break it down. Yeah. Like name the enemy, like pull the enemy out, right. Attack it. Like, that'd be like, Oh, I'm really freaked out about this thing. Write it down explicitly and look it in the eyes and say, okay, what am I going to do? It reminds me again of, uh, You know, Michael Jordan, he would practice practice, practice.
So [00:32:00] then when he gets into the game or he's got everything covered and you know, he was calling out practice being the key to removing anxiety. I believe anxiety comes from the fear of the unknown. What am I going to wake up to? What how's this project going to get? And what are customers going to think of what we're creating?
And only when you start breaking it down. And, you know, in that last case, when you break it down and actually show a customer, get their feedback, it removes that anxiety. And it gives you that absolute validation that you know, what you're doing is right. You know, that your approach to this problem is correct because you've written it down, you've broken it down.
And like you say, you've written out potential solutions and how you're going to action them. Those next steps. And then when it happens or when you wake up the next day, you've made your bed, obviously that's first pass, number one, you can go after it and you've taken that ownership to go and address it yourself.
You've done that [00:33:00] practice as MJ would say, and you're ready. You're ready for the game. I think that's such a good tip, actually writing it down. Yeah. And then acknowledging, and I think this is, um, If you've got an active mind, if you acknowledge as part of like you've, timeboxed an hour, you've done what you can in pursuing the solutions to a, given a challenge that's causing you stress, being able to resolutely and, and being really present of saying, I've done everything I can for now.
And sometimes you even need to kind of say it out loud, like to acknowledge. There is actually no, no value in thinking and worrying about this. And, and trying to create a ritual of boxing it all up. So you can say, okay, it's done. I'm going to move on to something else. Now of course, that transition will be a bit [00:34:00] like that.
But I really think being able to say, look, I've done everything I can now. I mean, I can worry and not sleep and feel restless and distracted. Or I can put it in a box. I've done everything. I can, I'll pick it up tomorrow when I hit him. Or in the meantime, I'll do something valuable with my time. I think that transition is super powerful and it's amazing.
I mean, I look at the adversity that McRaven is explaining these Navy seals go through and I'm thinking I am such a wimp compared to these guys. I don't know, adversity. These guys know adversity, but one thing is for sure, is. He is inviting us to lean in and embrace the discomfort. And when we're there, look at straight in the eyes and remain calm, and this is such a great launch pad for us.
If we want to go out and achieve things in life, we want to go out and [00:35:00] build things. This is really, really important. But we've got a ton more coming because you've got to stay in the game. And William H McRaven author of the outstanding book, make your bed, the little things that can change your life and maybe the world.
We've got so much more to come, but Mark, before we storm off into a story of resilience of longevity and staying the course, there's probably a lot of people that are very interested in this habit series. Where should they go for more information? Yes. If you want to hear more about Mike and I talking about habit formation, recognizing.
Things that you might want to change. You can go and listen to our episodes on James Cook only as well as Charles Duhigg over@moonshots.io, as well as your podcasting app of choice, Spotify, overcast, and so on. If you navigate to [00:36:00] moonshots.io, though, you're going to find transcriptions. You're going to find show notes.
We've got a number of interesting additional links in a lot of our episode pages. Uh, key moments, such as a culture deck with Reed Hastings, which was one of the innovators in the media innovation series. We did a couple of months ago. You can go and listen to all 86 of our episodes at moonshots. Dot IO and I thoroughly recommend you go and check it out.
Indeed. And, uh, if you are enjoying this show or the habits series or all 87 episodes of the moonshots podcasts, we do encourage you to leave a rating or review. In your app, uh, your podcasting app of choice, because this helps new listeners come along on this adventure of learning from innovators and [00:37:00] sharing it.
And what I love is just getting all of this feedback from all of you, our listeners, um, and it helps us chart a course to pick the people, the men and women who inspire us and who we can learn so much from, but talking about learning a lot. William H McRaven has learned a lot in his 36 years in the Navy, and we've still got a bunch more to come.
Mark. Where do we turn to now? What is next on the list from William H McRaven? Well, we've heard, well, you mentioned McRaven. Tell us about the discomfort is talked about how we. Can't be afraid of things that are challenging real hardships. We shouldn't back down from the sharks who might circle us in those dark moments.
When it gets really, really dark, we've got to stay calm, but all of this direction towards discomfort all starts with the mind. And what will you mention the grave and is telling us is [00:38:00] resilience is up to us. Resilience is your choice and what's. Fantastic about this next lesson story that we mentioned McRaven is going to tell us is no matter how dark it can be staying positive is a guiding light.
So now we're going to hear from William graven, tell us to start singing. No matter what you're up to your neck in each week of training is referred to as hell week. It is six days of no sleep, constant physical and mental harassment. And one special day at the mud flats, the mud flats are an area between San Diego and Tijuana, where the water runs off and creates the Tijuana slews, a swampy patch of terrain, where the mud will engulf you.
It is on Wednesday of hell week, but you paddle down to the mud flats and spend the next 15 hours trying to survive this freezing cold, the howling wind, and the incessant pressure to quit from the instructors. As the sun began to [00:39:00] set that Wednesday evening, my training class, having committed egregious infraction of the rules was ordered into the mud.
The mud consumed each man til there was nothing visible, but our heads. The instructors told us we could leave the mud. If only five men would quit only five men, just five men. And we could get out of the oppressive cold looking around the mud flat. It was apparent that some students were about to give up.
It was still over eight hours till the sun came up. Eight more hours of bone showing cold. The chattering teeth and shivering moans of the trainees were so loud. It was hard to hear anything. And then one voice began to echo through the night. One voice raised in song. The song was terribly out of tune.
But sung with great enthusiasm. One voice became two and two became three. And before long, everyone in the class was singing. [00:40:00] The instructors threatened us with more time in the mud if we kept up the singing, but the singing persisted and somehow the mud seemed a little warmer and the wind, a little Tamer and the Dawn, not so far away.
If I have learned anything in my time, traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person, a wash, Jenna Lincoln, King Mandela, and even a young girl from Pakistan Malala. One person can change the world by giving people hope. So if you want to change the world, Start singing when you're up to your neck and mud?
No, just the thought of being buried in that. It is just, Oh, you just think to yourself? Oh my gosh. But I think isn't it fascinating. What we can take from, from that clip is you can be stuck in the mud with your head down, or you can choose to sing like those Navy sales States [00:41:00] and the mud. Is that, you know, physically it's still the same mud, but it feels a little different, right?
Because you made it choice. And I think so much of what McRaven is, uh, sharing and teaching us is. That it is a choice, but you really need to work on it so that when you're in the mud, you have the courage and the resilience to make that choice. What do you think Marquis, when you're in the mod, that choice choice to, to sing, even though you're up to your neck in it, it's not always easy, is it?
No. No. And I actually, I quite liked to, I quite like to build on just what you said, actually, because when I hear that clip from. I'm a graven, I'm thinking, wow. What a, what a spontaneous thing to do, what an amazing reaction to being literally up to your neck in mud, freezing cold [00:42:00] in something that all of us, it's probably a bit of a nightmare.
If you think about it, you know, that claustrophobia that's struggling to breathe when your body is being pressed. Um, I can imagine that being one of the most unpleasant things, uh, any Navy seal has probably gone through, but actually, interestingly, what, what you said was. It takes, maybe practice. It takes the courage to not only make the decision in the moment, but actually you almost have to work towards it.
And when you step back for a second over Sima grievance team who around him, they're going through training together. They're going through this practice. And what I like about giving the clip of that lens is we. We don't necessarily need to sit on our hands until a challenge. Like this occurs, you can practice this mindset, this approach to hardship, to challenges.
Um, every day, whenever you struggle [00:43:00] with, uh, with a potential problem or challenge, you know, you don't have to literally be up to your neck in order to practice that mindset. And I think you're totally right. We can practice that positivity that hope day to day. So a question for you, Mike, how do you, how do you practice staying positive?
Um, Driving. This is power of hope is power of one that Emma Craven's doing. What's your, what's your secret day to day around positivity. There's so much in this isn't there. Well, let, let, let me just throw some, some different thoughts out. The first thing that comes to mind is, um, knowing. That hardship is part of the course.
Like, do you remember VIM? Hoff was saying, um, we, we live to cozy alive. Um, he's saying here we are in our air condition houses and at the tap of a button, we can all, but. Order Uber eats, right? [00:44:00] There's no hunting and gathering happening anymore. And actually we are designed, uh, to have these peaks and these valleys, why is intermittent fasting taken off?
Because genetically our bodies have been built for hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of years to have times of feast and famine. So hardship. Is actually a natural occurrence. And if you are prepared to acknowledge and to recognize this in its fullest form, then you can say, well, it's just like working out well today.
I'm going to try and run a personal best or. Today, I'm going to do more pushups than I did yesterday, whatever it is. I think it is knowing that hardship is a natural part of life. I think this is at the very heart of it and building on everything that McRaven has shared with us. Up until now when you're in the mud, you know, it's making you stronger, you [00:45:00] just have to, you know, stare down the shark, be calm.
And I think it's those moments when you know, you're in this moment of great effort, maybe great challenge. Maybe even there is a healthy level of anxiety and uncertainty. If you can just smile and know. That you can choose as those cadets did, you can choose to sing or you can be doing and gloom. It is literally a choice that every time you push yourself, You learn to smile.
So one of the things is I have this Hill that I run up and I try and smile every time I go up the Hill and breathing and just know that I'm running, we're running a whole bunch, lots and lots of times during the week. And that is making me stronger, fitter and healthier. Yeah. And ready to go out and do something in the world.
I mean, These are the thoughts that come to mind when I'm stuck in the mud, [00:46:00] when I'm, you know, got heaps and heaps of work. And I have to work really long days, day after day after day after day across all lots of different things. I know that is making me better. I know, I know that this is what I choose to do.
So just smile, just embrace it and remind yourself that it's something that really matters. I totally, totally concur that. Pushing yourself to smile. I think that's so that's wonderful. I can imagine you running around summer Hill, climbing the mountain, smiling away. I think that's fantastic. I love that.
And you're right. There's there's also a, I think a gleefulness. That comes when you have overcome that, that Hill or that challenge, isn't there, you know, if you and I are doing a particular project and then we get over a certain [00:47:00] deliverable, or maybe we actually finished the project who knows whatever it might be.
There's a habit that I think we're starting to do, which is take a moment to celebrate. And I think that's, you know, equally as important, I think there's. A, an element of that you can sort of embrace the hardship in small while you're doing it. And then take a moment once you get there to think back and say, Oh, you know, that's how we reacted.
We dug in deep, we put off our shoulders to the ground stone and we got it done. We can look back with pride that we didn't freak out while we were in the sand in the mud. Instead we reacted in a, in a positive way. And we got through it. How much stronger can we be? And I think that's a really nice reminder for all of us, you know, in not only can we, you know, celebrate once you've got through it on the weekend or whatever it might be, but also [00:48:00] when you're in that moment too.
You know, almost small, at least internally, if not externally, I think, Hey, this is a good opportunity. This is my body, or my being, being pushed. This is something I am celebrate. Yeah. And it's a muscle that needs regular exercise. Um, you know, singing when you're stuck in the mud, smiling when you're running up the Hill.
Um, and, um, I think this is a reminder that. This idea that they can be a healthy stretch in life. Don't get too comfy, always be pushing yourself and you will become the very best you can be, but this is not for everyone. And, uh, sometimes there is a huge temptation to pull the rip cord to hit the ejector seat.
Or as William H McRaven is about to tell us sometimes it's tempting. To ring [00:49:00] the bell. Finally, a seal training. There was a bell, a brass bell that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see all you have to do a quit. All you have to do to quit is ring the bell, ring the bell, and you no longer have to wake up at five o'clock ring the bell and you no longer have to be in 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. All you have to do is ring the bell to get out. If you want to change the world don't ever, ever ring the bell, don't give up. Don't ring the bell for me. Um, this is building a little bit on what we were saying in the previous clip.
And I think this concept of resilience is, is totally coming through in that clip too, to expect and accept [00:50:00] challenges, expect the sharks, expect the moments of darkness expect, uh, anxieties and stress, but then accept that it's your choice in how you respond to it. Accept that. Your ability to be aware to things that are coming down the line and to accept that have healthy level of anxiety as you ESA on both in your control.
And I think that's very much coming through in that clip for me. Yes. And they're within your control. And I think the conditioner he's put on this is look, if you're really trying to get something, I think what this makes me look for is like, what's my bell. Right. Um, and don't ring it. So it's almost like this inverting.
I mean, a lot of what he says is very inspirational, but it's also what I take from this as like maybe the exercise here is like, There might be a temptation for me to [00:51:00] ring a bell. Let's say it's a quick this project. Stop going to this training, whatever it is, maybe it's, if there's a power in this to name what that bell is.
So did you go, I am never going to ring that bill when I say I'm not giving up. That means I am always going to training on a Tuesday night. You know, whatever that bill is, I find that quite powerful as well, to like to call out the enemy of success here and say, I am new going there. Uh, that you've got me.
That's great. What, what an amazing build on Raven's thing? I mean, again, it goes back to your comment around writing down. Um, the challenges that you identify, you know, once you've written down your anxiety, whatever it is, the challenge that you've got on the table, you can create, break it down. You can think about next steps, but actually again, thinking about what it is, that's your bell.
That's, [00:52:00] what's going to be tempting to quit touring and, and, you know, get rid of it and, and remove it from your life. And once you've identified it. Yeah, you're right. Suddenly, you can see it coming and you know how to expect, you've practiced this already because you've written it down. Ah, I love that.
It's like almost dry January. You know, you name your enemy. I'm not going to have a drink, generate, just remove it. And you know, that, that, you know, going to ring that bell, right. Oh, that's a that's that's a good bit of homework. Okay. Yeah, I know. I know. It just opens up a world of like, Oh, what am I, what are those bells that I don't want to ruin?
You know? Okay. So listen, we were being on a rip roaring to, to a, through William H McRaven. Um, but, uh, we've left his most, uh, Emphatic thoughts until the end. Um, I [00:53:00] hope by now that you're sensing that we need to embrace the discomfort and we need to stay the course, but if we haven't quite convinced you yet, we're going to leave that job to the man himself, the four star Admiral, the 36 year military service.
Hero of capturing a summer bin Ladin. I mean, this guy has done it all and he gave one speech that has inspired the world. It inspired the book. It's had millions and millions of views on YouTube, and I think it would only be appropriate for the man himself. William H McRaven to close out the show with this very last clip.
Let's have a listen now to his final words of wisdom. So the class of 2014, you are moments away from graduating moments away from beginning your journey through life moments away from starting to change the world for the better, [00:54:00] it will not be easy, but you are the class of 2014. The class that can affect the lives of 800 million people in the next century.
Start each day with a task completed, find someone to help you through life respect. Everyone know the life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risks, step up when the times are the toughest face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden and never ever give up if you do these things, but next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today.
And what started here will indeed have changed the world for the better, Oh, Oh, what a way to end the show. Admiral McRaven telling us and inspiring us that we can all make a change and make the world better. No matter what your world is, whether it's family career, uh, maybe Elon Musk is listening and he's, you know, thinking genuinely [00:55:00] about the world itself.
I mean, who knows, but for me, it's such great. Culmination of a lot of the lessons that we've learned today, but also a lot of the other ones that we didn't get to in the show, you know, the ideas of being together and so on. And for me, this concept of never giving up. It just keeps on coming up with our innovators.
Doesn't it, Mike? It does. And, and, you know, even Gaga, she said way back in one of our first shows be relentless. You know, I love this idea of being a relentless in the face of challenge because, you know, For me personally, I look at where my best is when I don't give up. And if I reflect on the times, Where I have not been my best in life.
I go back to school. I go back to all [00:56:00] sorts of moments in my life. When have I let myself down? It's when I gave up. So this story for me personally, is so powerful and hopefully, uh, You Mark. And all of our listeners can find some inner power from this idea. Dear is fortitude that McRaven gives us because if we can just stay the course.
We can truly achieve great things. And it really does come down to this mindset. Are you going to keep going or are you going to ring the bell as McRaven would say it's pretty turbo charged stuff, isn't it? Yep. Totally turbocharged that a fantastic, uh, trilogy. Of of habit formations, identifications, and next steps.
I think James, Claire, Charles Duhigg. And will you match my graven? [00:57:00] I mean, what a lot of lessons
combination and look, man, let's be honest. We haven't stopped here. We've got a ton, a ton more coming down the pipe and I think what it is so great is that we've got these. Um, habits, um, that we can in embody, but the next series is going to be on the very famous author, Nicholas Taleb. And you probably know him mostly for either the black Swan or anti-fragile.
And these. Uh, mental models are look there. It's a different change of pace to the habit. Uh, the gentlemen, uh, protests are habits, but we will compliment the habit series with. Just some of the most powerful mental models that you can see the world through. So as your resilience, as you're staying the course, you'll be able to see the world from [00:58:00] these different perspectives.
Thanks to Nicholas. Wow. There's a lot. Yeah. To come over the coming months on the moonshots podcast. And I can't wait to get started. So once again, if you want to hear some of our previous six episodes pop along to moonshots.io for transcriptions show knows all sorts of mantras and inspiration, and also.
Leave us a review, help us be discovered in some amazing more countries around the world. And don't hesitate to get in touch with us. Hello, at moonshots.io or via one of our social channels. We are always listening. Um, and we thank you, our listeners for listening to us. So there you have it. We have completed the habits series.
We have done James clear, mr. Charles Duhigg and now William H McRaven, what a series worth listening to time and time [00:59:00] again, because deep inside of that, that was the power of what we think to effect. What we do. So I hope you Mark. And all of our audience has really enjoyed the challenge of facing up to discomfort, to embracing the discomfort and to showing and mustering and finding deep inside of us, the resilience it takes to be on a mission.
That's going to not only prove the best of yourself, but to have a positive effect on all of those around you. So thank you. Once again, this has been a wonderful journey into the world of resilience, a world of positive habits. I hope you've enjoyed it. And that's a wrap of the moonshots podcast.