When we hear someone refer to the Navy SEALs, or describe something as the "Navy SEALs of x" this is typically in reference to or describing something as the best, or the most elite; and for very good reason. The US Navy SEALs are America's foremost fighting force and considered the most elite special operations team in the world – almost mystical in their reputation, there is no other military unit that garners such respect for the brand in the way of mental fortitude and physical excellence.

          In 2014, Admiral William H. McRaven gave the commencement address for the University of Texas graduating class. For his speech, Admiral McRaven shared his 10 life lessons learned from SEAL basic training, or BUDs. BUDs stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training, it is a 6 month training course, as he describes, designed to "seek and find the weak of mind and body and eliminate them from ever becoming a Navy SEAL." Every one of the ten life lessons the Admiral took from his training has a great deal of merit for helping change the lives of ourselves and others for the better, but there are two specifically we wish to share here.

          One of those lessons was learned from what sounds like an incredibly unpleasant experience to say the least, spending 15 hours engulfed neck deep in cold, wet mud. 15 Hours. 15 Hours being cold, sore, shaking, and immersed in a thick muck while drill instructors encouraged them to quit. At one point he tells us of how an instructor proposed an offer, "should 5 students choose to quit the entire class could get out of the oppressive cold." A certainly appealing offer, the Admiral recalls looking around at the faces of his team, some of which considering the offer, when one of his classmates began to sing. One after the other the rest of the team joined in harmony, and somehow the mud seemed to become "a little warmer, and the wind a little tamer, and the dawn not so far away." In the words of the Admiral, "if you want to change the world, start singing when you're up to your neck in mud."

          This ties into his 10th lesson. In the center of the compound hangs a brass bell for all the students to see. The rule of the brass bell is simple – if you want to quit, just ring the bell. There will be no questions, no harassment and no paperwork to fill out – if you want to quit, just ring the bell. "Ring the bell and you no longer have to wake up at 5am. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the freezing cold swims. Ring the bell and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training – just ring the bell." But if we want to change the world, if we want to accomplish the goals for which we wake every morning in pursuit of attaining – we must never, ever, ring the bell.

 

The views of this blog, podcast, and on this site in general are solely those of the authors, Matt Weaver (NMLS-175651) and Zack Lewis, and do not express the views or opinions of Finance of America Mortgage.