Mindset
Take away your opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, “I have been harmed.” Take away the complaint, “I have been harmed,” and the harm is taken away. Marcus Aurelius, 121 AD – 180 AD The common – and outdated – view of pain and fatigue is through what is called a “Cartesian” […]
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* The process outlined in this article isn’t a replacement for working with a skilled mental health practitioner. If you have deep underlying trauma or emotional regulation challenges you should seek the help of a professional. This article is intended for anyone learning to confront and overcome rational fears based on difficult, but not overwhelming […]
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We don’t perform at our best or live to our fullest by simply eliminating stress. Our stress responses are what enable us to focus and perform. Stress helps us to push through difficult situations and, in the right amounts, enhances our ability to think and learn. Periodic physiological stressors are important not just for physical […]
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Everyone wants to know the ‘secret’ to motivation. Like most topics, this isn’t as simple as repeating cliches like ‘just don’t quit’ or ‘stay hard’. These sayings can be useful as simple reminders of more complex concepts, but only if you understand the underlying process and skills that lead to that outcome. Without those underlying […]
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In the footnotes of one of his books, Dr. Robert Sapolsky includes a note on people with “Type A” tendencies and the effects of their chronically activated stress responses. He writes: “I listened to this sermon, called Back in the Box, by the Reverend John Ortberg. It concerns an incident from his youth. His grandmother, […]
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Dogsled mushers, the people who race with sled dogs in events like the Iditarod in Alaska, use the term “honest dogs.” Some sled dogs will put just enough pressure into the harness to appear to be working while they’re actually taking a break. “Honest dogs” throw their full weight into the straps no matter […]
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Visualization, like segmenting, is exactly what it sounds like – the practice of mentally rehearsing something before you do it. Researchers use the acronym PETTLEP to break down the components of a visualization exercise that should be accounted for: Physical, Environment, Task, Timing, Learning, Emotion and Perspective [1,2]. Skills are contextual. When you’re practicing something […]
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“It is according to opinion that we suffer.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca One of the main things setting special operators apart from those with less rigorous training is that they don’t break down as much when things go sideways. It’s not so much that they possess amazing YouTube trick shooting skills, it’s that they don’t […]
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We’ve all got a running commentary in our heads throughout much of the day–scientists call it an “internal monologue”. During intensely challenging workouts or events in selection you’ll find out just how loud this voice can get, and it’s totally inescapable. It can be a force for good or an agent of your destruction. Learning […]
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Scientific studies of memory are a little scary, because the evidence is in, and your memory sucks. Memories are not objective recordings of our experiences. They are colored by any number of distortions and biases, even when they’re fresh. Each time we recall a memory and re-experience it, we’re also updating it. Memories that are […]
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