9 Lessons on Mindset from Navy SEALs

Talent makes you good.

Mindset makes you great.

9 lessons on mindset from Navy SEALs (and other high-performers):

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

1. Don’t fight the cold

In SEAL training, there’s something called “surf torture.”

It’s what it sounds like.

Lie in shallow water and let the surf wash over you.

This is done at night, and it’s freezing.

You stay in the water until they say stop.

You have two options.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

You can fight the cold.

Or you can accept it.

Fighting the cold takes tons of energy.

Accepting it frees all that energy up.

Surf torture is like any problem in life.

The more we fight it, the more it takes from us.

The sooner we accept it, the sooner we overcome it.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

2. Choices > feelings

We make too many decisions by how we feel.

• Do I feel like making calls?
• Do I feel like working out?
• Do I feel like studying?

Elite performers prioritize choices over feelings.

They do what they choose to do.

Not what they "feel" like doing.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

3. Be willing to be humbled

I met a SEAL sniper once.

I'll never forget his perspective on failure:

“The greatest gift you can give me is to humble me.

“Failure is humbling.

“Your willingness to be humbled determines how great you become.

"So, how willing are you?"

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

4. Remember tomorrow

I did a 36-hour endurance event.

The goal: hike the equivalent of Mt. Everest.

On the mountain, @JesseItzler shared a lesson.

Amidst struggle, remember how you’ll feel tomorrow.

Accomplished.
Successful.
Proud.

Remember tomorrow during today's battles.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

5. Live by an Inner Scorecard

There are 2 ways to measure success:

• Outer Scorecard
• Inner Scorecard

The best live by the latter.

They measure success by things like:

• Values
• Principles
• Standards
• Excellence

Develop your Inner Scorecard

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

6. Full benefit

Navy SEALs have a saying.

When something sucks: "Full benefit."

Instant mindset shift.

• Hiking in pouring rain? Full benefit.
• Lose draft of a project? Full benefit.
• Driving + car breaks down? Full benefit.

Adversity makes us better if we let it.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

7. Be deliberate with your words

Your tongue is your rudder.

Most don’t realize this power.

They say things like:

• I’m tired
• This is hard
• I don’t want to
• It’s so hot outside
• I struggle with that

What you say dictates what you see.

Choose your words wisely.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

8. Break the mountain down

How do you climb a mountain?

Hike to the next rock.

Every elite performer I know applies this in some form.

They run one mile.
They make one sale.
They write one page.
They give one lecture.

The big picture leads to overwhelm.

Focus on right now.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

9. Take quitting off the table

Quitting complicates things.

It lurks in the back of your mind.

When times get hard, it taunts you.

You spend endless energy negotiating with yourself.

The best remove this option completely.

They commit to constant forward motion.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023

I hope this thread makes you better.

If you enjoyed it:

Follow me @TMitrosilis for more content like this.

— Teddy Mitrosilis (@TMitrosilis) March 30, 2023