US Navy SEALs operate in the Sea, Air, and Land, & hence the common abbreviation SEAL is given to them. They are the special warfare combat forces.

The US Navy SEALs training is one of the hardest, demanding and grueling challenges. It tests discipline, hard work, grit, resilience and mental toughness of individuals.

Naval Admiral William H. McRaven describes it as “Basic SEAL training is six months of long torturous runs in the soft sand, midnight swims in the cold water off San Diego, obstacles courses, unending calisthenics, days without sleep and always being cold, wet and miserable.”

Here we explore some of the most incredible and fascinating lessons from Navy SEALs training:

1.Do Small Things Well.

Every morning, the SEAL trainees are required to prepare their bed to perfection. It seems quite crazy. But it has a very useful lesson. Do small things right.

It also means paying attention to the little things we do and being present in the moment. Small things with right attention increase awareness and reinforce the fact that small things in life matter.

Small things done well lead you to bigger things.

2.Face Difficulties

Difficulties are inevitable. How you deal with them defines who you are. Navy SEALs are put through rigorous difficulties. They need to undergo land warfare training.  

During this training, the trainees are flown San Clemente Island.  This area has a lot of white sharks. To pass the test the SEAL trainees are required to complete a series of long swims.

The trainees are taught to swim in water where sharks and dangers are present.  They are told, “if a shark begins to circle your position, stand your ground. Do not swim away. Do not act afraid. And if the shark, darts towards you, then summon up all your strength and punch him in the snout and he will turn and swim away.”

3.Team Work

During the SEAL training the trainees are broken down into small teams. The teams are then required to handle their boats. The crew has seven trainees. 

Every day your is instructed to get through the surfzone and paddle several miles down the coast. In extreme weather conditions, it can get very hard to paddle. The success of the crew members depend on their team work.

When everyone digs in, it becomes possible for the boat to make its destination. Everyone in the team is important and when the tasks get harder, it’s the team that matters the most.

4.Do Your Best in Difficult Moments

During SEALs training, the trainees are required to complete many difficult tasks.

Navy SEALs have to practice underwater attacks in full dark.

SEALs have to wear SCUBA gear and the instructors attack them. They try to destroy their equipment and keep them from breathing.

As McRaven says, “At the darkest moment of the mission is the time when you must be calm, composed—when all your tactical skills, your physical power and all your inner strength must be brought to bear.”

Stressful and difficult moments can either make or break you. Navy psychologists discovered that those who did well and passed the exercise used mental imagery to prepare for the success.

“They imagine themselves going through the various corrective actions and they imagine it while being attacked. When they are attached, the mind is ready and the SEAL is in full control of their physical and mental faculties.”

5.Head first

SEALs have this exercise called “slide for life.”

Head first is the quickest way to finish this exercise. The name typically defines the attitude of the SEALs. They take everything head on and never shy away from challenges.

They keep pushing the limits, dare to go all the way and are never afraid of trying things with their full energy. You will never know what is possible, if you don’t try.

6.Be Hopeful & Happy

During  the training, the entire team is forced to stand in freezing cold water up to their necks. The instructors tell them they wouldn’t let them out until five trainees give up and quit.

James Waters, a SEAL Platoon commander says, “Many people don’t recognize that what they’re doing at SEAL training is assessing your ability to handle a difficult circumstance and keep going. It’s a game. If you want to be a Navy SEAL, you’ve got to play that game. You’ve got to have fun with it and you’ve got to keep your eye on the bigger picture.”

In life when we faced difficulties, it is important to see things in the right perspective. It is important to be happy in every situation and that can help you to do your best.

SEALs thrive on hope and happiness, it is what makes them complete their arduous journey.

7.Going the Extra Mile

“One of the key strengths of the SEAL Teams is the culture of constant self-improvement.  No one ever says “That’s good enough.” On almost every real world mission I was on – even the most successful ones – we spent 90% of our post-mission debrief focusing on what we did wrong or could have done better.” James Waters.

When you put in relentless efforts and go the extra mile, you are well prepared to succeed. The most successful persons are well prepared. They do more than others, prepare more than others and that is the reason they achieve more than others.

8.Keep Moving Forward

A Navy SEAL punishment is where you jump into the sea, roll around in the sand nad make yourself a “sugar cookie.”

In the SEAL training, there are several extremely hard tasks. But, there is nothing more uncomfortable than being a sugar cookie.

No matter how hard you try, how good you are, there are some things that don’t work out. The SEALs are taught to learn that one bad day doesn’t affect the rest of your days. The next day is a new beginning where they can still accomplish what they want.

Don’t complain. Don’t let failures affect you. Stand up and keep moving. The future belongs to those who move forward.

9.Don’t Quit

One of the greatest strengths of a SEAL is incredible persistence. The successful SEALs don’t quit.

In SEAL training there is a bell. This bell hangs in the center of the training compound. All trainees can see it. When you want to quit, all you have to do is ring the bell.

Quitting is damn easy. But completing the training is very hard. It takes immense endurance and grit to do it.

Infact, when James Waters took the SEAL training. Out of the 256 guys in the batch, only 16 were successful. Rest of them quit. It means an attrition rate of 94%, only 6% candidates were successful in completing the training.  

Successful people never ring the bell. They persist and build on their success stories despite all the odds.

10.Be Humble to Learn and Grow

Success requires you to be humble and take the lessons when they present themselves. No one knows everything. It takes committed individuals to learn, grow and succeed as leaders.

Navy SEAL training presents new challenges everyday. Every hour, every minute and at times every second you need to be focused. Learning improves your chances of doing well and take on new challenges.

When you are put in difficult situations, it is not what you’ve done in the past, but how focused you are on the present that makes the difference.

The SEAL training creates leaders, who know they have to rely on other people, learn from them, ask for help, give help and eventually build a team that can take on the most challenging assignments to change the world.

Please share your Navy SEAL lessons in the comments below.