Thoughts on Struggling from David Goggins
- Advoco
- Jul 30, 2021
- 2 min read
I personally get a lot of motivation listening to former Navy Seal David Goggins. Recently I heard him describe a few interesting ways to fight through your struggles.
First, he suggests getting a different vantage point. Instead of focusing on your current struggle and thinking about giving up, he suggests shifting your mindset.
He gave the example of climbing a mountain. We go through the struggle of climbing a mountain so that we can have a fantastic view. At the top, we take in what we have accomplished, it is part of the reward of our struggle. The view makes the climb worth it.
What he said next really got me thinking. When we are in the middle of the struggle, we need to go to the top in our mind. We should view our struggle through the lens of success. When you get to the top, you will be looking down on the very place you are in that moment of struggle. If you visualize your success, you will have more motivation to get to the top.
The second bit of advice for dealing with struggles is more applicable for a team setting. Goggins talks about focusing on your team. If you get your team through the struggle, not only did you get through it yourself, but you will likely forget about your personal struggles. This was the approach he took during his Navy Seal Hell Week. He was assigned to a boat crew and by focusing on getting his team through successfully, he forgot of his own struggles.
If you think about this the next time your team is struggling through a project, you may just make the ride less painful. Think about clearing obstacles for your teammates, lightening the mood when they are stressed, or even taking on one of their tasks because it will make their lives easier. Any of these will help get your team across the finish line and hopefully will keep you busy enough to get through the struggle.
So, the next time you are struggling think of these two strategies. If you are struggling alone, view it through the lens of success and get a different vantage point. If you are struggling as a team, focus on your team members. If they are successful, you will be successful and hopefully you will forget your own struggles.
Until next time…we are Advoco, make every minute count.
About Colin: Colin Whitney is a Solutions Architect with Advoco and looks forward to helping others achieve their EAM goals. He is a graduate of both the University of Iowa and the University of Georgia. When he is not working he enjoys getting outside and watching college football. Questions? Send Colin an email!
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