More tips to train like a Navy SEAL

April 01, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Share & Print

While their training was rigorous and thorough, the way in which Navy SEALs were historically trained didn't prepare them to deal effectively with uncertainty and stress. So now they follow these steps:

After the event:

This step dictates that you evaluate the outcome. Did you succeed or fall short? Absolute self-honesty is required as one cannot learn without a thorough evaluation.

In the next step, you learn from your experience. If you succeeded, ask yourself why. Was it luck, design or both? If you failed (and this includes near misses), find out why. Chances are you failed because of one of the following reasons:

You didn't follow tried-and-true directions. Success often comes when you simply follow directions. 

The activity was more complex than you realized, and you were not experienced enough in the situation to be able to do the right thing.

It was a new venture and your failure was educational and helped you learn about the ground rules for this new venture.

In the final step, you integrate what you've learned from your successes and failures so that your performance can improve the next time. 

These steps are equally applicable to civilian life. Success comes from continuous improvement. The SEALs' method organizes this improvement so you can strive for superiority.

Sign up for The Lead and get a new tip in your inbox every day! More tips:

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Related Stories

Resource Center