Mental Toughness part 1-of-2

My inspiration for this topic: Have you ever felt inexplicably drawn to something? Over the past months I’ve noticed an innovative fitness gym near the beach in North County San Diego. I felt drawn to it. I even pointed it out to my wife once as we drove by (she really wasn’t interested.) Last week I went inside and discovered that this attractive, versatile, simple and unconventional gym is owned by a U.S. Navy SEAL I worked with in my active duty days. CDR Mark Divine trains “SEAL Fit: Forging Mental Toughness.”

As “The Mind of a SEAL,” I found Divine’s tagline “Forging Mental Toughness” very near and dear to my heart.

The greatest asset any Special Operator has is his mind. U.S. Navy SEAL Training is 85% mental and the other half is physical. (Thanks, Yogi Berra.) Mental strength is what gives you clarity during your daily battles. I’m reminded of the dojo fight scene in the movie The Matrix when during an instructional pause; Morpheus asks the panting Neo “do you really think that’s air you’re breathing?”

Like Neo, Have you ever caught yourself unnecessarily holding your breath out of stress? Maybe you were stressing tension into the muscles at the base of your neck while simply sitting at the computer? Or got flustered and reactively said something you wish you could take back because you felt caught off-guard?
Mental toughness gives you the ability to view the big picture so you can see the challenge clearly along with your options for successful resolution. Mental toughness gives you the ability to face your fears or at least to take action in spite of your fears. Mental toughness gives you peace of mind, knowing that you command the driver’s seat of your life in the face of adversity.

Developing mental toughness is found throughout U.S. Navy SEAL training. One of the most relatable exercises in the training is running.

In what ways would you want to increase your mental toughness? In my next install, I’ll tell you how.
Wishing you all the best, TC Cummings