Hope. Quite possibly the biggest little word in the English language. Hope is something that can get you through the toughest times in life, those ambushes that life hands us. But sometimes hope seems unattainable. If we get to that spot where it is so dark, that hope is lost, well, we are in bigger danger than we actually think.
A positive mindset, the Overcome mindset, is not something that comes naturally. It takes work. Effort. Discipline. Perseverance. These are big words, big things, but they start with the smallest details.
How do we do it? How do we get from the depths of life’s ambushes to an attitude of hope?
Our guest on this week’s Overcome+Conquer podcast, Admiral William H McRaven, talks about what has worked with him, and how he led his teams to that overcome mindset, driven by hope.
Admiral McRaven was the leader of the team that ended the reign of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Under his command, US Naval special forces carried out Operation Neptune Spear in May of 2011, bringing the end to bin Laden’s rule over the terror organization.
He gave a commencement speech at the University of Texas which would go viral. As of now, has over 10 million views and is highly recommended from us, if you haven’t watched it yet.
McRaven gives us some very important tips on how to get from the middle of the ambush, back to the calm. From hopeless to hopeful, and it starts, with making your bed.
No, this isn’t a joke. And the meaning behind it is amazing. Making your bed every morning is just one way to begin your day with positive action. From there, your body is already set to perform the next task, whatever that may be.
He talks about how the simple act of shaving in a warzone, helped boost morale, and expands on that thought, to show how it has applications in the real world. Doing little things-and doing them well-can lead to the big changes in your life.
Often while we in those life ambushes we are in a negative, or a beaten mindset. It takes some action to get out of it. Being mindful of what the next task that needs to be done, can help you get your mind off of those negative feelings.
When I get in that kind of thinking, I have to take action. And that’s what I look for. Something has to be done. Is my bed made? Are the dishes done? Is the lawn mowed? What needs to be done? And have I finished those tasks? Were they done right? Because as Admiral McRaven says, “If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”
Makes sense, yes? I think so, and when I find myself at the end of the day, and I have finished all of those little tasks, I find that I haven’t thought about that life ambush much. And I get a sense of accomplishment, having finished my chores to the best of my ability. And that begins the trek from hopeless to hopeful. From that negative mindset, to the Overcome+Conquer place that I need to be in.
Click the link below to hear the podcast with our special guest, Admiral William H McRaven:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-overcome-and-conquer-show/id1436408449?i=1000462770530