8 Tips For Unleashing Your Inner Warrior From A Retired Navy SEAL
Retired SEAL Mike Sarraille shares essential tips from his book, “The Everyday Warrior: A No-Hack, Practical Approach To Life.”
They say life is what happens while we’re busy making other plans. What if, instead of merely reacting to the chaos, you took control of life and became the architect of your own success? It may sound like typical self-help claptrap, but not to retired Navy SEAL and extreme adventurer Mike Sarraille.
“In a world where the daily grind can leave you feeling defeated, you can choose to succumb to it or make shit happen and pursue a life of purpose, impact, and balance,” explains Sarraille. “It won’t be easy, but hard choices lead to a successful life, while easy choices lead to an uninspiring, unmemorable existence. That’s why everyone, regardless of their profession, should strive to develop a warrior mindset,” he adds.
In his most recent book, The Everyday Warrior: A No-Hack, Practical Approach to Life, Sarraille shines a guiding light on the path of self-empowerment and weaves in the lessons he learned surrounded by high-performing individuals during 20 years in U.S. Special Operations. Throughout the book, he provides actionable strategies to help seize control of your life and create the future you deserve.
Forget the passive waiting game, it’s time to create your opportunities. That’s exactly what Sarraille and his team of former special operators did when they broke three world records during the Triple 7 Expedition.
Although wildly believed to be impossible, the nine-man team set out in early January to skydive all seven continents in seven days. Having control of their life allowed them to react and adapt to changes during the expedition, putting them in a position to shatter expectations and astonish the world by finishing in six days, six hours, and six minutes.
The Triple 7 team exemplifies the power of embracing the warrior mindset and transcending limitations. Whether you’re working to overcome personal struggles, be a stronger self-advocate, or make life more manageable, it’s time to join the ranks of those who’ve pushed beyond boundaries and obstacles to achieve success.
This piece delves into the significance of taking control of your life and provides an overview of the techniques, mindsets, and tools needed. It’s time to embrace that you hold the power to shape your future and become your best self.
Here are proven strategies to help you take control of your life the warrior way.
Define Your Goals
Have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions void of direction or purpose? It’s an all-too-common experience today, but one you can resolve by setting clear, well-defined goals. Goals help you stay focused on what’s important, serve as a roadmap for success, and provide a benchmark for progress. Whether you want to build a successful career, improve relationships, or achieve financial stability, goals are essential to turn dreams into reality. This simple framework will help you create a clear, focused path to success.
Define Your Success
Most people go through life without a clear understanding of success. The truth is, no one can define your success but you. Two people can have the same goal but very different definitions of success. Let’s say you and a friend share the goal of pursuing happiness. While for you, that may mean achieving a promotion at work and building stronger connections at home, your friend may define it as living a healthier lifestyle and traveling the world.
Choose a Goal and Write it Down
What do you want to achieve? An honest assessment of your strengths and weaknesses is a great place to start. Choose a goal and write it down. While it sounds trivial, those who skip this step set themselves up for failure. Putting your intentions on paper makes them real and is like signing a contract with yourself.
Make it Measurable and Attainable
Instead of making the broad statement that you want to lose weight, be more specific by setting a goal of losing 50 pounds over the next 16 months. A measurable goal will keep you motivated, and adding a timeline provides the sense of urgency needed to finish strong. It’s also crucial to strike a balance between ambition and attainability.
Setting out to lose 50 pounds makes sense, whereas aiming to break Tom Brady’s Super Bowl record doesn’t. Choose something that pushes you out of your comfort zone but doesn’t set you up for certain disappointment.
Prioritize Self-Care
Self-care has become a buzzword in recent years, with a growing emphasis on taking time to recharge, reflect, and prioritize one’s well-being. But while bubble baths and face masks have their place, proper self-care is about much more than a day at the spa.
Developing a warrior mindset is about embracing the journey, becoming your best self, and pursuing balance; this requires a solid foundation. That foundation comes from what the ancient Greeks called the whole-person concept – the idea that sustained success requires a balance of physical, mental, and spiritual fitness.
These three pillars serve as the cornerstone of a successful life:
- Physical Fitness
Physical fitness is not about sculpting the perfect physique but rather fostering healthy habits and striving for progress over perfection. Gone are the days of over-the-top workouts and depriving our bodies of basic sustenance. Extreme approaches not only guarantee failure, but they’re also dangerous.
The key to lasting physical fitness is a balanced diet, regular exercise, and plenty of rest. By taking care of your body, you’re laying the foundation for a life that’s not just about looking good but also feeling good.
- Mental Fitness
Mental fitness is a state of well-being in which you realize your potential, self-worth, and resiliency; it’s all about feeling good and bouncing back when life gets tough. It’s a never-ending journey that allows you to maintain a positive vibe, handle stress, and live life to the fullest.
While it’s different for everybody, mental fitness may involve practicing mindfulness, learning a language, and letting your creativity run wild with a fresh canvas and paintbrush.
- Spiritual Fitness
Spiritual fitness fosters the beliefs that give each person direction and purpose while harnessing the force stirring within. While we have individual convictions, we’re all on a journey to find meaning, peace, and a sense of belonging.
It could be a quiet moment of meditation, a prayer, or an affirming truth, that connects us to a shared search for something greater. Whether that’s nature, community, or the divine is a question each person must decide for themselves.
Find The Right Tribe
Finding the right tribe is one of the most critical parts of achieving a successful life. In a world that often feels fragmented and disconnected, surrounding yourself with the right people can change everything. Many say it’s about connecting with like-minded individuals who share your values, beliefs, and interests, but they’re wrong. Instead, it’s about connecting with those who pull you out of your comfort zone and challenge you to grow, pushing you to become the person you want to be.
Are you the most intelligent and successful person in your tribe? Then you need a new tribe. Ask yourself if you’d rather bask in the adulation of being on top or experience continued growth. The truth is that tribes are not stagnant entities – they must evolve to survive. Strengthen your network by choosing new members based on character and mindset rather than profession and background.
Reflect
Reflection is one of the most overlooked steps in any plan to achieve success. Each day you’re bombarded with distractions and bullshit messaging, like ‘grind every day.’ From the constant buzz of your phone to the never-ending stream of information, modern life makes it challenging to rise above the noise. But it doesn’t matter how hard it is; taking control of your life requires slowing down and reflecting.
Introspection is the process of examining your thoughts, feelings, and motivations. By reflecting on the past and present, you gain insight that helps you make informed decisions about your future. It also allows you to identify areas that need work and build habits that align with your goals and values. The most effective special operations units take the time to conduct After-Action Reviews following missions to reflect on their team and individual performances. This process allows them to identify what went well and where they need improvement.
While there are countless methods for self-reflection, the most popular are meditation, therapy, and inward-facing activities, such as yoga and journaling. Writing is more than just an act of creative expression – it’s also a tool that tames stress, boosts immunity, and sharpens the mind. Even if you’re not the next Hemingway, journaling is one of the most effective ways to clear your mind and take control. So, embrace it and embark on a journey to quiet the chaos of the outside world while awakening the wisdom within.
Introspection is not a one-time event but a journey of self-discovery and growth; consistency is key. While a society that over-values constant motion may view this daily practice as a waste of time, the stillness of self-reflection should never be confused with inaction. If you’re ready to take control of your life, take a step back, quiet your mind, and look inward.
Success Leaves Breadcrumbs…Follow Them
Taking control of your life is a journey; each step will provide a newfound sense of strength, clarity, and purpose. Still, there are no shortcuts to achieving lasting success. Embrace failure as a necessary part of the process – because it is.
When you fall, get back up, brush yourself off, and keep pushing forward. Small victories may seem inconsequential, but they paint the picture of significant achievement when viewed together. Challenge yourself and harness the power of the warrior mindset because the life you want is within reach.
Grab your copy of The Everyday Warrior: A No-Hack, Practical Approach to Life here.