“Whether we’re talking about mental or physical effort, the first step to embracing the suck is to step up and face your fear of suffering. We all share this fear, which stems from a deep-rooted need for certainty and security. Pain is your body’s way of telling you that security is threatened because something is out of whack. However, when you consistently experience the personal growth that accrues from deliberately putting yourself out of balance, such as with hard workouts, you begin to embrace that temporary pain for the rewards it brings. The fear recedes into oblivion as you embrace the suck.” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
“I am just an average man, but by God I work harder than the average man.” ~ Winston Churchill, via The Way of the Seal
“Too many of us succumb to a weak internal story informed by flawed but popular beliefs. We are reactionary to objective events, easily buffeted by the winds of change. Pop culture, people we interact with daily, and external events shape and reinforce this subjective reality. In these instances, we end up being extras in someone else’s story, reacting our way through life, lacking integrity and out of balance.” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
“Comfort imprisons us in a low-grade fear of suffering. We naturally shy from things that hurt, not understanding how much this pattern debilitates us and keeps us from experiencing life at its fullest. We must define our comfort zone, and then get the heck out of it!” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
“To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself.” ~ Soren Kierkegaard, via The Way of the Seal
“When it’s obvious that a goal cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goal, adjust the action steps.” ~ Chinese Proverb, via The Way of the Seal
“Success doesn’t come to you… you go to it.” ~ Marva Collins, via The Way of the Seal
“Though we’d like to believe our thoughts are under our control, guess again. Thoughts arise constantly, and many have no business being in our minds, nor do they have a positive purpose in our lives. Road rage, what goes through your mind when someone cuts you off in traffic, is a good example of an emotion-driven thought.” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
“To win anything, we must first win control over our minds.” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
“Even though you may not feel or look the part now, you must envision yourself in your ideal state, activating your personal power and living in alignment with your stand and purpose. I learned in the SEALs that there’s no such thing as perfection, only perfect effort. Through practicing a ‘perfect’ version of ourselves mentally, we’ll slowly become that person in real life.” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
“The perpetual winds of pleasure blow you in one direction. The gusts of pain push you in another. The problem is this keeps you from living your ideal life. You’re simply bouncing around. By defining your stand and purpose, you will be able to use them as an internal GPS. When the winds of pain and pleasure blow, you won’t change course.” ~ Mark Divine, The Way of the Seal
