View Full Version : One Piece of Advice
For the person that has gathered all the information they can find about becoming an SF soldier, what is the one thing from your experience that you would pass on as one of the most vital things to remember, or consider when going through the process. Possibly something that you found to be paramount to your success.
found to be paramount to your success.
Never say "I quit". Never say "I can't do it". Never say "I'm too beat/wore out to go on".
Your mind will go before your body will. A strong mind will carry a weak body farther than a strong body will carry a weak mind.
Now quit spending so much time here and get out and do some more hard PT. When you get back in read through all the posts on this site before posting again.
Pete
frostfire
06-14-2005, 19:34
http://professionalsoldiers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=53501#post53501
NousDefionsDoc
06-14-2005, 19:39
Never say "I quit". Never say "I can't do it". Never say "I'm too beat/wore out to go on".
Your mind will go before your body will. A strong mind will carry a weak body farther than a strong body will carry a weak mind.
Now quit spending so much time here and get out and do some more hard PT. When you get back in read through all the posts on this site before posting again.
Pete
Excellent post Brother Pete
Develop the ability to "look down from on top" at your situation.
Whether you are an SF candidate or an SF soldier, in fact, in any job (or sport) try to develop the ability to mentally "step outside your body" and look down on the situation from a high vantage point.
Where are you?
What are you doing?
Why are you doing it?
Who is to your left, your right, in front and behind you?
Are you moving?
If yes, from where, to where, at what speed? Do you see the route "from above" with you and your unit moving along the route? Not just one foot in front of the other foot.
Think of yourself in the third person. Are you tired? Hurt? Lost? Do you know what your LBE & gear looks like as if it were being seen by an outside observer.
You can't "zone out," get tunnel vision, and follow the rucksack of the man in front of you.
The two men who have the least idea about what is going on the the boxing ring are the boxers. Those on the sidelines looking in can see what is happening, who is tired, who is dropping his guard, who is moving with speed. The same applies in a football game (a better example is a soccer game). The best players have the ability to form a mental picture of the field not by simply looking at eye level to the nearest player, but to visualize the entire field as if on high.
Even as a criminal defense attorney in a jury trial I try to "look down" from on top as the trial progresses. Who is testifying, who is out in the waiting room to testify. What has been said, what remains to be said. How is the jury and the judge reacting. What is the District Attorney doing. If I was an impartial commentator watching from a TV control room how would I explain how the trial is going.
I don't know if I've explained it well, but that's the idea.
The Reaper
06-15-2005, 17:27
For the person that has gathered all the information they can find about becoming an SF soldier, what is the one thing from your experience that you would pass on as one of the most vital things to remember, or consider when going through the process. Possibly something that you found to be paramount to your success.
Situational Awareness.
TR
Warrior-Mentor
06-20-2005, 23:16
Got a question the other day that wanted to share, especially in a forum like this, since different BTDTs will have different answers or spins on this...
Why stop at one? If one is good, is ten better?
The most common answer I got when I was asking for advice prior to going to SFAS was "Don't quit. Don't get hurt."
Here's 10 off the top of my head:
1. Get a copy of GET SELECTED. I'm biased, but then again, we took the time to write it just to help you prepare for SFAS...so take advantage of that. It's the conversation we'd have if you lived next door and we had the time to talk about it at length. It's available through the Special Operations Warrior Foundation at
www.specialops.org/news.asp#book (http://www.specialops.org/news.asp#book)
2. Commit to life long learning and self-improvement. Invest in yourself. Read books about SF. Get tapes sets or CDs to continue learning..great while road marching or running...it doubles the number of things you are getting done at once and takes the boredom out of long runs/rucks.
3. Find great mentors. Living or dead. Dead? Yes. Pick people you know and respect and learn all you can about them. Read their autobiography and biographies. Living...get to know them (if possible). Either case learn how and why they made decisions....try to figure out how they think and why they do the things they do. Have mentors for all the areas of your life (military, fitness, personal finance, etc).
4. Get into Sports. Football, Track, wrestling, karate, doesn't matter...something to push you physically.
5. Get outdoors. Hunting, camping, etc...get comfortable in the "woods." Fieldcraft skills pay off.
6. Learn to Land Navigate. (hand in hand with #5).
7. Have a vision for the future. Where do you want to be 10, 20, 40 years from now? What will you have done and accomplished. Will help you get through the hard times.
8. Know how to "eat the elephant." One bite at a time. Have the big goal, but know you'll get there one step at a time. You don't have to know the whole route from start to finish...you just have to keep reassessing where you are then correct.
9. Don't quit. Back to the basics.
10. Don't get hurt. There are things you can do to help minimize your chances of getting hurt. Example, go rock climbing (rock gym) to learn how to move and climb...this paid dividends on the obstacle course and forearm strength (for holding onto ropes and the team events for carrying things).
Best of luck,
JM
warrior-mentor.com
(a better example is a soccer game). The best players have the ability to form a mental picture of the field not by simply looking at eye level to the nearest player, but to visualize the entire field as if on high.
I played soccer against a fellow who went on to play all four years for Duke. I was never that good.
He told his father (who told me) that about a 1/3 of the way through the game he would be come so committed to the game, so AWARE (my caps) that he would lose his sense of himself and see only the field as if from a 15 foot high tower. He could see all of the players, their intentions, the ball, the lines. Soccer at its best is a combination of ballet and chess and players who win are able to see three, four and five moves ahead.
This might seem esoteric, but in chess, in Soccer and in life, commit to the action and lose the ego.
Just my offering.
Books
SFRADIOMAN
07-09-2005, 11:43
Warrior-Mentor posted 10 great guidelines. I would add one more:
Learn to trust the abilities of all team members, they are as skilled in their jobs as you are in yours. Each member has an MOS and has worked hard to earn and keep it. Once you recognize and rely on that fact, you are now a member of that team.