Living ordinary life more like a special operator

" I pretend everyday is BUD/s"

-David Goggins

I can't remember exactly what article or video I was watching when I came across this phrase by David Goggins.  I don't think it's one of his famous quotes; I haven't looked into it.  But this is a phrase that hit me because a short time before coming across this, I started writing on this blog, The main idea and theme was the same as the quote.  

After I left the CCT, I continued to live like I was in some sort of special ops training program, just like I did before I joined the Air Force.  I continued to swim, run and do some sort of weight or calisthenic program.  Although I drifted occasionally from it, I always returned and stayed consistent.

This simple mindset has kept me in shape for years, even with the most sedentary job you can imagine, an air traffic controller.

I would call this a success because it's not easy to remain in really good shape, especially being married, and being a father of three.  Life is crazy.  Life is sometimes chaotic.  How did I stay in shape this long? How did i stay motivated?  

The simple answer is enjoy physical challenges, but that is not the entire story.  I really enjoy painting a picture of myself being back in training.  That keeps me going back for the six mile runs.  Because I actually had a sick way of getting a thrill out of dreading some of the events in the training, but then I successfully got through it. It made me feel alive.  Now I picture myself back into a grueling training course.  I make up tough training courses for myself to take a summer to graduate from, or I do sections of the year dedicated to kicking my own ass.

I think the whole point of beginning writing and talking about my past experiences, and sharing my failures and wins in these articles is because I wanted to share this part of myself with other people, and I'm really starting to enjoy it.  

I want to expand on this because there is more to living our everyday lives like special operators than staying in shape. We all know a huge part of training is mental.  To anyone going through this type of training, or about to, congratulations, it's one of the best things you can do in your life, regardless of how how far you make it.  Many of my articles focus on the mental aspect of improving life, and now that I'm a bit older I realize this could be the most important.

Remember all special operators need to be well rounded individuals physically and mentally, so in order to live like one, never ignore improving your mind.

If you know anything about me, you know that I really only worked on my physical strength and endurance when I was younger, which made making it as far as I did in training pure luck, at least some parts of it.  There were many young men like me entering a training program that was mostly mental, but they never even thought about improving their mental strength and capacity.  I was one of them.  

Besides these training programs, there is an obstacle we all face, yet it doesn't matter how old you are, your social status, your current lot in life, your race, your gender, or anything else.  It's called life.

Life is hard.  Navigating our existence will be the most difficult challenge we will ever face; it will leave us feeling defeated, alone, and it never stops.  This means we should never stop striving until we die.

The question that we really need to ask ourselves is: how do we want to handle this huge mission task.  Do we want to handle it normally, or do we want to handle it in a special way that will suck in the short run, but bring huge benefits in the long run, consistently over time?  I know answer we all want to give, but why do most people choose not to approach life in this way? 

It's easy to sit back and coast.  It's easy to never do much at all to improve yourself and blame external sources for you bad luck.  It's easy to blame others for your failures in life.  It's very easy to look at everyone else, yet never take a good look at you.  Being comfortable under a warm blanket in the morning feels way better than running on a cold morning before work, in the short term anyway. It's easy to tell someone else if they want to get a run in, lose weight, and feel better they should get up early and run, but doing it yourself is different.  You can easily make excuses for yourself.  

When we begin to see discipline as a way to set yourself free, rather than a prison, we begin to get on the right track.  We must not always focus on our strengths, like I did physically, instead attack some of our weaknesses.

If you hate confrontation, seek it out until you are comfortable. Don't be a jerk, rather notice the opportunities, seek them out and get better at it.

  If you have problems saying people no to people eating away at your precious time, seek it out until it becomes easier. If you decide to watch TV instead of learning to play the guitar, throw the TV out the window.  These are some of the things I touch on in many articles, but if you keep in mind the goal is to consistently improve your mindset in life, the list gets very diverse.

Whether you are already out of the military and living the rest of your life, preparing for some type of training like CCT, or wanting to work toward a career you've always wanted, focusing on your physical and mental strength is crucial for success; mental focus and strength is crucial.

 I know this sounds obvious, but without careful thought, you can be caught in a rut, which makes life feel overwhelming.  You then wonder why life seems so difficult, but then  everyone on social media is doing fantastic.  Before you know it, you've become bitter and resentful, reacting to life and blaming others for your problems. You get stuck around people who drag you down, waste your time, and you never have time for the most important asset you have, your mental strength. You never take the time to figure out what the hell you're doing.  You become a slave to a routine that fell in your lap, your day completely filled up with obligations to others and staying busy with the wrong things. This can happen to anyone with even with a consistent focus on your personal training.

Living every day like an operator isn't really an original concept, as you can find similar topics online with other sources, but I'm gonna try to share some tips on how I view this lifestyle. Keep in mind this applies to anyone.  You could have no interest in the military and still benefit from approaching life in this way.

Strong sense of passion or purpose

Some of my current ways to live more like operator

It's important to establish your passions or overall purpose in your life, then organize your day around these things.

It's far too easy to get pulled in the wrong direction as you go through your daily life and routines.  Too often we become adults who forget who we really are, what we stand for, and what brings us that feeling of reward and fun.

Everybody has things they are good at, and a lot of things we are good at, we really enjoy doing.  When we find these things in our life, many times they are things we enjoyed as children, they can easily become our passions, and this can end up being your purpose for being on this planet.

When you are passionate about something, not just something that's on some to do list, you become enthusiastic about it, you talk about it every chance you get, sharing your interest with others.  Having a passion can make you influential. 

One of my passions is motorcycles.  Every chance I get, I ride it to the control tower.  There's an interesting phenomenon that happens riding it to work, as I cannot recall having a bad day at work when I've rode it in.  The drive in and back home becomes an adventure.  It's also dual purpose, so I can find trails or park in a secluded section of woods on a break.  I've had more fun on it than any other vehicle I've owned, hands down.

I also enjoy the maintenance and keeping it in perfect working condition.  I find excuses just to look at it in the garage and day dream. I also love to talk about the motorcycle, watch other people riding on videos, and have recently learn to ride slow wheelies because other passionate people online influenced me to do it.

This makes me talk about it with others,  often they want to get one and ask me the best way to convince their wives to own one.  

This isn't my only passion, but it's my most recent, only because of watching others do it on Youtube, making videos they love.

Find something like this, and you'll be more content.  If you already have, don't let it fade away, lean into that passion and see what becomes of it, like an income, but at the very least you will be more content.

I also have developed some strong sense of why I am here on this planet.  One is my wife and children.  Everyday, no matter what or who pulls at me, I hands down make time to be involved in my family's life, sharing the best part of me for them, not being involved with other people or things that only take away my valuable mental and physical energy.  There is no negotiating this time with me.  It simply must be done.

I do spend time with others outside of my family, but I made a list and it is very short.   I say no... a lot.I also make time to do other interest early in the morning, so I will not be doing it when I have time with my family.

Focusing on physical fitness in the morning is something I enjoy, but ultimately it gives me the energy and strength to keep up with young children, and spend time with my wife when the strong pull to sit on my ass and zone out, the easy way, comes knocking. It's another passion I have developed that I share with others and give information on how to get started running.  

The mission, if you are still following is take care of the things in your life that are your priorities consistently everyday.  Stay in shape, get involved in your interests, not the people's around you, and use them to make you a better person.  Make time to do this everyday, force yourself to do it because your purpose will emerge, and without realizing, you will influence people around you to step up and better themselves.

How this mindset has helped me

Sometimes this way of thinking has been the only thing to keep me going.  At times in my life, this way of thinking has been the only thing that kept me going.  It reminded me that there are people out there taking on some of the most miserable and difficult missions and making it their daily routine.

Sometimes the only thing that gets me in a better mood is going out on a cold rainy day and running.  I don't want to do it, but it certainly gets me in a better frame of mind.  Taking action creates motivation, but siting around and doing nothing creates anxiety; letting another day pass without overcoming some type of obstacle will leave you feeling anxious and unsatisfied, at least for me anyway.

If action creates motivation, then how do you force yourself to workout when you don't feel like it, study for a test when you could be on your phone, or take a cold shower in the morning before work? For me, I put myself back into an intense training program and get moving; the rest usually takes care of itself.

I can see how this mindset helps my own children as well.  If my son doesn't want to help me clean the gutters out, I encourage him to use his imagination, act like he is the workers he sees doing jobs like construction or some contracting business ( he really wants to work jobs like that) it gets him outside, more willing than he was before.  Before long, he is enjoying climbing ladders, using the blower to blow leaves around, but he needed something to get him out the door.

Even riding a motorcycle to work when it is a bit cold instead of the comfort of the vehicle, getting my run in before the sun comes up, or doing a project in the garage that needs attention before everyone wakes up, gives me that motivation to continue on through the mundane parts of life.  It gets me moving and shortly after I'm on auto pilot. This can be the template for anyone, no matter who or how old they are.  Below are some personal habits that I've used to help me live in a better state, simply and effectively.

Fasting

Another ritual that has become a part of my life, which I've unintentionally motivated people around me to do, is fasting.  It's really just another thing that I consistently challenge myself to do that make gives me tons of energy, keeps me lean, and forces me to do something that isn't normal or comfortable, but the rewards and passion i creates in my life for exceed any discomfort ( I love to eat huge meals in the morning).  It's a mind game when people bring in donuts or focus on a huge lunch as the highlight of their day, but forcing myself not to eat creates unmatched energy levels and makes eating later that day feel amazing and like I've earned it. 

Fasting is a part of my course curriculum, I have no choice but to skip the meals, but the momentum it creates, even if I do nothing else that day is something that cannot be found giving in to every impulse of desire.

Fasting creates mental strength and helps you turn down other quick rewards, like a warm shower instead of cold, or staying in the warm bed instead of working out.  I also know a lot about this passion making sharing my knowledge and influencing others to give it a shot.  Think about seeing someone have tons of energy and consistently stays lean.  It makes you want to know how.

Cold Shower

There is nothing easier or quicker to test your mettle in the morning than a cold shower.  It's a way to make yourself uncomfortable for a few minutes while saving some hot water, and you'll use less water than standing in a warm shower longer and feeling cozy.  If you try this, take note of the way you feel afterwards, so you can remember the next time you try.  Sometimes I stare at the cold water running for couple of minutes before I jump in, but I come out with a totally different mindset.  I forced myself to be uncomfortable, just like swimming in the cold Pacific ocean, in a few minutes in my bathroom. I notice once I'm in, I could stay in there for hours, but the first few seconds are a bit of a shock.

Beyond all the benefits, like a boosted immune system, feeling alert and in a better mood, a cold shower can be a fantastic way to start your mindset for the day.

Meditation

As you can see, all of the things I do currently to improve my overall performance, are simple practices that are easy to incorporate into my busy life, and meditation is the same. Of all the things I do to improve my focus and mindset, exercise, vitamins, and being uncomfortable, meditation is one of the most powerful tools.

It can be done anywhere and it only takes a few minutes.  The goal is to be alright with doing absolutely nothing.  In a world where we all seem to need some type of distraction all the time, sitting alone with your thoughts can change your life, making you less reactive to your stormy emotions, handling difficult or uncomfortable situations with a clear focus, and making the small stresses in life more manageable.

When you sit alone in a quiet place, the goal in the beginning is to just focus on your breathing.  Random thoughts, to do items, and problems may appear, but the goal is to acknowledge them and get back to focusing on your breath.  This teaches your mind not to get too attached to emotions; we've all been around or been and emotional person, reacting to to our moods, instead of focusing on the situation and removing our ego to see the problem for what it really is.

As you get more used to meditation, you can go from just a few minutes to 30 minutes or longer.  You can focus on other things like a ticking clock or the sound of your feet hitting the pavement during a run.  After just a few attempts of this, yo can totally rewire your brain!  The ease of doing this anywhere at anytime make this a practical and powerful daily habit that make make you a little more extraordinary.

Final thoughts

I could list a lot more ways you could approach life like a special operator, but you get the idea.

You don't have to do what I do to live life in a way that keeps you ready to face the difficulties of life.  No matter what it is, it will take an outline and plan, then the consistency to wake up everyday and do it.  It won't take long before life becomes a bit more exciting and fulfilling, but you will first have to find out some of your own interests and goals.  Apply it to any area of your life that is not where it needs to be or where you need a boost of motivation.  For me it is trying to be everything to everyone most of the time, like a husband, father, and career air traffic controller.  Be flexible and find out where your interests and overall purpose is.

No matter what you current situation is, everyday can be used as a training platform to become a better version of yourself, a fitter, more confident, and influential individual.

Wake up everyday with a routine you've developed and never quit.  You don't get to stop and lay around all day at BUD/s or any other type of training, so as an individual striving to make through life, you can't either!

Take control of everything you can, influence those around you, and know that no matter what happens, never quit!

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Kevin