“Those of us who served all learned the true value of our freedom—because we saw the price that was paid. The price of freedom is the blood of our nation’s finest men and women.
On this Fourth of July, remember that.”
Mission got canceled? Good. We can focus on another one.
Didn’t get promoted? Good. More time to get better.
Didn’t get funded? Good. We own more of the company.
Unexpected problems? Good. We have more opportunity to figure out a solution.
If you can say the word “GOOD” in response to your setbacks, then guess what?
It means you're still alive.
If you're still breathing, that means you've still got some fight left in you.
So get up, dust off, and get after it.
There is no easy way.
There is only hard work, late nights, early mornings, practice, rehearsal, repetition, study, sweat, blood, toil, frustration, and discipline.
If you try to attack multiple tasks at once, you will fail to complete all of them.
So, prioritize. Relax, look around, and make a call.
Then, go and execute.
Instead of attacking your teammate’s “stupid decision,” try to understand their perspective and decision.
Ask them earnest questions about what happened and why they made that decision.
80 years ago today, US Troops landed on the beaches of Normandy and sacrificed to free Europe from the Nazi reign of terror. We will always remember their bravery and leadership
#dday
Too often, people take the day off.
And that turns into two.
Two into three.
Then they have gone a week without getting in a good workout.
Maintain the routine.
Maintain the discipline.
Keep fighting. Keep striving. Keep going.
Don’t give up.
Because the only real failure is actually giving up.
And if you don’t give up, you will not fail.
Merry Christmas.
If you are with friends and family, enjoy.
If you are working, thank you.
If you are deployed, salute.
If you are gone, you are not forgotten.
When people start TAKING OWNERSHIP of what’s going on in their world, they realize the problems that they are facing are things they can actually SOLVE.
How do you deal with negative talk from negative people?
Ignore and outperform.
While you are over there watching me and gossiping and talking smack about me — I'm working.
You keep focusing on what everyone else is doing wrong — I'll keep focusing on what I can do RIGHT.
Lying in bed for another 37 minutes makes you happy.
Eating a donut sill make you happy.
Scrolling through social media will make you happy.
But this is short-term happiness that only results in long-term misery.
If you can say the word “good,” then guess what?
It means you’re still alive.
It means you’re still breathing. Which means you still got some fight left in you.
You tell yourself lies.
It's just this once.
Today isn't important.
I'm too sore and tired.
I already did it yesterday.
I don't have time.
These excuses are just lies.
The only person you can control is you.
So focus on making yourself who you want to be:
Faster. Stronger. Smarter. More humble. Less ego.
Discipline your body. Free your mind.
As a leader, it doesn't matter how well you feel like you have presented the information or communicated the plans.
If your team doesn't get it, you have not kept things simple and you have failed.
You are not effective when you are emotional.
You don't have productive conversations, send good emails, or make smart decisions when you lose control of our emotions.
Know your red flags and learn to identify when emotions start to take over.
The best leaders:
- Check their ego
- Accept blame
- Sought out constructive criticism
- Take notes and debrief to improve
That’s how you take Extreme Ownership.
You have to do the hard thing, the thing you know is right.
You know what you are supposed to do. So do it.
Avoid going down a path that leads to your own personal hell. And get on the path that leads to freedom.
You know what to do.
You know to be balanced. And you know to workout.
You know not to be gluttonous with food. And you know you shouldn’t sleep late.
You know that your struggles now will be rewarded in the future. So you must endure.
Don’t fight stress. Embrace it. Turn it on itself.
Use it to make yourself sharper and more alert.
Use it to make you think and learn and get better and smarter and more effective.
#DEFRESET
Habit 1: UP BEFORE THE ENEMY
Waking up early is the best way to start building self-discipline.
By getting up, you start your day with a win, and this feeling of accomplishment translates to every other aspect of life.
The 4 Laws of Combat of
#ExtremeOwnership
are behaviors that we need to ingrain as leaders.
1. Cover & Move
2. Simple
3. Prioritize & Execute
4. Decentralized Command
#Muster018
As we head into Memorial Day weekend, let us recognize and remember the ultimate sacrifice of our fellow Americans.
May we live a life to honor them. They will not be forgotten.
Strive to be confident, but not cocky.
Take pride in your work and accomplishments. Be confident in your skills.
But never think that you are too good to fail or underestimate the enemy. Never get complacent.
Speaking angrily to others is ineffective. Losing your temper is a sign of weakness.
The aggression that wins on the battlefield, in business, or in life is directed not toward people but toward solving problems, achieving goals, and accomplishing the mission.
Hesitation is the enemy.
Hesitation allows the moment to pass, the opportunity to be lost, and turns into cowardice.
It stops us from moving forward, from taking initiative, from executing what we know we must.
Hesitation will defeat us, so we must defeat it.
Do what challenges you.
Do what pushes you.
Do what sets you up for long-term strategic success.
Don’t do what makes you happy.
Do what makes you better.
Don't take anything personally.
Not about the plan you came up with.
Not about the idea you had.
Not about the presentation you gave.
Not about the decision you made.
You have to fight your ego to avoid taking criticism personally.
Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility.
Admitting mistakes, taking ownership, and developing a plan to overcome challenges are integral to success.
When bad things are happening, you can decide to be the one good thing.
The one that others can rely upon.
Bolster those around you, and the positive attitude will spread.
Find meaning in your job.
If your job doesn’t have meaning, design an exit strategy and move to one that does.
A lot of your time will be spent at work. Make it matter.
The Path is:
A war against weakness, so it leads to strength.
A war against ignorance, so it leads to knowledge.
A war against confusion, so it leads to understanding.
The Path is LIFE.
Leaders should assume the blame when an operation fails.
When it succeeds, credit the men and women in your team. They do the lion’s share of the work.
Implementing Extreme Ownership requires checking your ego and operating with a high degree of humility.
Admit your mistakes, take ownership, and develop a plan to overcome those challenges.