Have you ever had the feeling that you were just muddling through your day, or spent it paralyzed by indecision? Ever sat at work and opened your e-mail, only to have the rest of the day go by in a blur as you fulfilled everyone else’s wishes?
Needless to say, in combat situations, indecision and confusion have fatal consequences so anyone prone to those behaviours won’t make it as an elite US Navy SEAL. In their training, they are taught the techniques to bring focus to each mission. You, on the other hand, might end up with a brain aneurysm thinking about your department’s quarterly report, your son’s soccer game and the latest office gossip.
Seal Team
How To Get Focused Every day
I’ve written before about the mental tools found in Commander Mark Divine’s book, “The Way of The Seal” and their impact on my life. One such tool is a list of six questions that anyone interested in Self-Improvement should ask themselves daily. I’d advise you to use a notebook to write the answers to get the best results.
Here are the questions and their effects (on me)
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What and whom am I grateful for today?
Gratitude is probably the foundation of happiness as it makes us think about what we already have and not obsess over what we want. Any number of people get stuck tying happiness to something in the future, “I’ll be happy when I get a new car, a new house, a promotion, married, etc …….” Gratitude requires us to stop and look at what is already in our possession. Are you healthy, or at least not sick? Do your relatives love you, and/or do you love them? Do you have food? Is today a beautiful day outside? All around us, there are things to be grateful for and consequently happy about. The quote that best summarizes the idea is from Eric Barker, “It is hard to feel unhappy when you are feeling gratitude.” Barking Up The Wrong Tree (The Surprising Science Behind Why Everything You Know About Success Is (Mostly) Wrong
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What am I excited about and looking forward to completing today?
During the course of any day, there are things that might get you excited but also things you dread. You can’t be excited about everything but you can feel good about finishing the task.
Personally, I’m never excited about taking Minutes in meetings but it’s a part of the job, but I DO look forward to checking it off my to-do list. The men who move on to become SEALS get through training by just focusing on completing the present task not the pain they know they will experience during the rest of Hell Week. Do the same by working towards feelings of accomplishment throughout the day and appreciating tiny wins.
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What is my purpose and do my plans for the day connect me to it?
Want to live a purpose-driven life? It’s way easier if you look and think about your purpose every day. Having a purpose is great but is it connected to your daily rituals? My experience is that it doesn’t have to be great, wonderful, overarching plan. Even a small connection makes you feel that you are progressing. The feeling of success leads you to repeat the same or other small actions that helps you to live your purpose.
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How do I move the dial in the direction of my goals?
What techniques, methods, and tools will you be using to complete your goals, this day? Mark Divine says that every day is the day to earn your trident.
Navy Seal Insignia
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To whom can I reach out and thank/serve today?
What service are you offering to your family, friends, community? Did you say thanks to the people who matter in your life? I think that the reason we don’t most things is that we become overly attached to doing the BIG things like saving children from a burning orphanage. Calling someone unexpectedly, especially if they are old, sick, or disabled goes a long way towards making you feel good about your day and also lifts another person’s spirits.
The more we focus on ourselves, the more entangled we become in negative thoughts and self-criticism. On the other hand when we do even a small service for others, it benefits us because we step back from our own problems if only for a little while.
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Are my goals for the day aligned with my purpose?
This is the easiest/hardest of all the questions. Simply write yes or no. Now if your answer is no then the next question has to be ‘why’ and then what can you do to get back on track.
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