The Navy SEALS are one of America’s most elite and well-trained forces in the world. Their BUDs or Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training is renowned for the extreme physical and mental stress it places candidates under that culminates in Hell Week.

It’s safe to say none of us have the right stuff to become a Navy SEAL. However, there are some lessons we can draw from one of our nation’s most elite fighting units.

Lesson number one:

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“Embrace the suck” is what SEALs tell themselves when things get tuff. When the best-laid plans go awry, plan execution breaks down, or you get injured or sick you embrace the circumstance. Acceptance frees your mind to begin to seek a new solution or to find the fortitude to endure.

Lesson number two:

Set the standard before the battle begins. The official Navy SEAL ethos reads in part, “ I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.”

Lesson number three:

When you’re feeling overwhelmed move the goalposts closer. Being overwhelmed is a warning sign that you’re trying to do too much at once. Breaking down big goals and decisions into smaller ones helps you break the paralysis of analysis and move forward. 

Lesson number four:

When you’re stuck in the mud start singing. Do whatever it takes to shift your mind out of a negative mindset and into a positive one. 

Lesson number five:

Stay in your three-foot world. In other words, focus on that which you can directly control. A good place to start is your perceptions and attitudes- that is how you view circumstances and the world around you. Focus on what you CAN do.

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