How is the human being capable of great things?
Of deeds and actions that are seemingly impossible?
We’re capable of so much more than we believe we are.
What’s the one rule that Navy SEALs have that get them through impossible missions and odds?
The 40% Rule
I encountered this in a Youtube video about Jesse Itzler, owner of the Atlanta Hawks, and his experience when he invited a former Navy SEAL to come live with him and his family as a personal trainer.
The first thing the SEAL did to Jesse, was to put him through a test.
A test of pull-ups.
In his first set, Jesse did six, then fewer, and fewer, all the way until he finished.
Until he finished 100 pull-ups.
This resonated with me, because on of the initial goals I had when I started my fitness journey, was to do one frickin’ pull-up.
One lesson there was that we really are capable of much more than we believe we can.
The SEAL told Jesse – “When your mind is telling you you’re done, you’re only 40% done”.
60% left to use
Mentally, when you feel you can’t do any more, there’s actually still reserves left in the tank. We were made to be stronger than what we think.
But because I have had bad experiences before, disappointments, frustrations, broken expectations, I don’t dare to dream and try as hard.
I’m afraid of what will happen to me. Will I get injured? Will I still be able to recover from the worst case scenario?
Chances are, yes.
I hate planks. I hate exercises where I have to hold a position for a long time. I get impatient, and would rather keep moving.
But when I feel like I can’t go on, and the pain is real, I can still actually choose to push on. Our major barriers are not physical, but mental barriers.
The walls that we put up ourselves surround us, stop us from growing and exceeding our capabilities.
When you tell yourself you’re done, you’re only 40% done. You’ve still got 60% left.
The question is: How do I gain access to the 60%?
Cultivating Grit
The very things we are afraid of, what causes us to retreat to our comfort zones, are the very things that are stopping us from actually growing.
I don’t face these things I’m afraid of, because I feel they’re too big for me. I’d start, see no progress, feel pain, frustration, suffering, and then I tell myself I’m done.
But you realize that you still have more than that, and that you have resources you can access to grow, if you so wish to use them.
It’s grit, perseverance, and determination that we need to have. The ability to stay the course, to keep moving, doing, and hoping, even when things are not working out. The ability, and want, to bounce back from failing, even when nothing was working, and the results weren’t coming.
Keep plugging away at it. Take small steps to grow what you can currently do. When I did planks, I even just focused on doing each plank 2 seconds longer than the last one I did. I worked my way slowly up to a minute now.
Figure out why. Why is this important for you? What result are you going for? And how would you feel if you had not tried, but do not get any chance whatsoever to succeed.
As compared to trying, and creating chances for your success.
You don’t get to that point without grit, perseverance, and determination.
To stay the course in the middle of the storm.
Toughen up
One practice that I’m currently appreciating, is the way of training my mind, through training my body.
Exercise as a way of training perseverance and determination.
I’ve found out that by repeatedly not giving up, and pushing myself at the gym, translates into my ability to learn to push myself in situations where I’d say “I’m done!”, but continue to push myself anyway.
You learn to identify the triggers, and to counter with the appropriate mindset, words, or actions.
That’s how Navy SEALs get so tough. Not only do they go through hellish training, but they ultimately train themselves to dig deep and uncover resources that normal people never thought they had.
But we all do have them. We just don’t know how to use them, or aren’t aware of them in the first place.
Now you do.
When you tell yourself “I’m done”, you’re only 40% done.
Get to using that 60%.
When are you most likely to tell yourself “I’m done”? Please share in the comments below!
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