Leave No Man Behind

“Leave No Man Behind” - My Lessons In Success Language Patterns

Performance Matters.

I learned this very quickly entering into the entrepreneurial world see zeros in sales, as a husband forgetting important details, and definitely as a parent neglecting at times my children.  Feedback can sometimes comes quick and clear.  Remembering Jim Rohn's advice, "For things to change, I must change, for things to get better, I must get better," I looked for ways I could improve.  I look for those who perform at an elite, world-class level and study what are their belief, language, and question patterns and see if I can replicate them.

One group that I've studied that requires some of most intense training in the world mentally, physically, and emotionally is the Navy SEALs.

I recently watched a documentary of BUDs (Basic Underwater Demolotion/Seals Training) Class 234 of the training program young men go through to become some of the elite warriors of North America.  The average dropout rate in Navy Seals camp is 80%.  Training from Bootcamp until actual deployment averages about 2 years.  Out of the hundreds of millions of people in the United States, the team of Navy Seals is 2,500.

Beyond the excitement of guns blazing, detonating explosives, and underwater diving, I was most interested in their thought and speech patterns.

I expected to get entertained, but instead, I got educated.

I remember one of my mentors sharing with me two attributes that separates good business from great businesses.  The great businesses embrace these two attributes and remain fiercely competitive and passionate about their value.  When circumstances arise, they leverage them to their advantage to serve even more effectively.  Without these two attributes, good companies eventually plateau, and then decline, and then disappear.

Those two attributes are “Flexible and Adaptable”

Watching different documentaries I noticed a pattern, and wrote down (paraphrasing) some of the language patterns out of that group.

“‘I can’t’ isn’t part of our vocabulary”

“What sets us apart from other units is our ability to adapt to any given situation.”

“It doesn’t matter if we lost communication with our main unit, we’ll do whatever it takes to get the mission done.”

“There is no top dog in our group, the minute you think you’re something special you’re out, we get things done only because we work together as one unit, one team.”

“When bullets are flying I’m not thinking about me, I’m thinking about the guy beside me, I want more than anything to make sure he’s safe and protected.”

I wanted to dig a little bit more into some of the philosophy about how the Navy Seal group defines themselves.  What I found was their formal Team Code.  I was inspired from it.  It made me retrain how I think about success and how some of the common principles of perseverance, persistance, and endurance play into success.  Especially one of my favourite lines:  

“A common man with uncommon desire to succeed.”

“By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.”

Here is their Team Code:

“In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed.

Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life.

I am that man.

My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.

My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.

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.

We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.

I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.

We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.

We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.

Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.”  (Source: http://navyseals.com/nsw/seal-code-warrior-creed/)

I said this Team Code out loud and it inspired new questions and thoughts for me to consider as I work and enjoy my relationships.  

A story that helps capture the simplicity of this is of a News Reporter visiting Apple Computers Headquarters, he casually approached an employe at a cubicle and noticed that the employee was writing an email.  The news reporter introduced himself, explained what he was doing and asked the employee:

“What are you writing in your email?”

“You don’t understand, I’m not writing an email.  I’m changing the world.” 

What would your business, partnership, or family look like if each member exhibited enthusiasm, motivation, discipline, and drive to succeed embodied in the Navy SEALs code or like the Apple Computers Employee?  How would that look in 1 year?  How about 5 years?  What would that cost your relationships if mediocre energy stayed the same for those same increments of time?  How much is passion and energy of value to you?

One of my friends told me how critical it is to create, live, and maintain high standards, because not only does it filter out those who don’t want your association, but it filters in those who are inspired, motivated, and want to experience life with you at peak performance.  I know this is real because I’m part of a group where I know that my team members will fight for me (they’ll go the extra mile to make sure that I’m doing well when I’m struggling).  What is the value of that kind of relationship?  I can’t put a price tag on it.  I can’t be offered more money for it.

Here’s a question I ask myself to replicate thought pattern success:

“On a scale of 1-10, how much do I believe in what I’m doing right now?”

“Knowing what I know right now, what’s one easy, little thing I might do differently to turn that belief into a 10?”

I invite you to expand your passion and belief in what you do.  Good luck!  

If you’d like to learn more about some of the trainings I’ve attended click here

If you’d like to contact me and connect you can email me at rcjhoch@gmail.com

If you’re local to Calgary, AB area and want to attend a Meetup Group I run click here