Adm. William H. McRaven is one of the most highly decorated Navy commanders. Many years ago, during SEAL basic training, he learned some valuable life lessons.
While delivering commencement speeches at major universities, he shares a few of those lessons. Some of these can be applied by business owners.
Life is not always fair. No matter how well you prepare and how well you perform, you may not win. You are going to fail, and you may fail often. It will be painful, discouraging and at times it may test you to your very core. Failure can build inner strength and resiliency. When you fail, fall forward and not back. Move on, take smart chances and do not be afraid to fail often. Failure makes you stronger.
Nothing matters but your will to succeed. You cannot change the world alone; you will need some help along the way. You will need friends, colleagues, the goodwill of strangers and great leadership. It matters not their color, size, strength or social status. Measure people by the size of their heart.
As a young SEAL cadet, McRaven took long night swims in the shark infested waters off San Clemente island. He learned if a shark began to circle his position, he must stand his ground and not swim away. If the shark darted toward him, he would summon all his strength and punch it in the snout. In the business world, be ready to stand your ground, do not run from your fears.
During SEAL training there was a brass bell. Any cadet could ring the bell at any time and quit the program. No more hours of freezing water and sleepless days of exhaustive training. If you want to achieve your full potential, do not ever ring the bell. It is not going to be easy at times, but never give up. Stay in the fight.
