How to develop an unbreakable mindset

written by JOSH GESSNER | The Athletter

Navy SEALs have an unbreakable mindset.

Here's how they develop it...

The 40% Rule (how to overcome mental barriers):

In 2006 Jesse Itzler competed in a 24 hr race, part of a 5 person relay team.

During, he noticed a 260 lb man - who he was told is a Navy SEAL.

He was going to run the entire race by himself.

Jesse had enough supplies to last him a week - tent, food even a masseuse.

The SEAL had a folding chair, bottle of water and crackers.

But what Jesse saw during the race was what blew his mind:

By mile 70, the SEAL broke all his bones in his feet.

He had kidney damage, and had no control of his bladder.

Yet - he hobbled through the remaining 30 miles of his race.

Jesse was so impressed, he wanted the SEAL to live with him.

To learn how to develop the unbreakable mindset he witnessed.

The SEAL agreed.

"If you're crazy enough to ask me, motherf*cker I'm crazy enough to come"

The first thing he told Jesse to do:

Pull ups.

Jesse grinded out 8.

Again.

This time he got 3.

Again.

He barely got 1 rep - he reached his limit.

The SEAL looked Jesse in the eyes.

"We're not leaving until you get 100 more"

Jesse couldn't believe it.

His mind was telling him to stop.

Yet - with the SEAL yelling in his ears, he grinded them out one at a time.

“99… 100!”

Jesse had discovered the 40% Rule.

The 40% Rule:

When your mind is telling you you're done, you're only 40 percent done.

An example for athletes:

Throughout my professional baseball career I faced two roadblocks:

1) One that sent me into a spiral of anxiety and depression

2) An injury that made me lose years of progress.

Both times - I thought I was done.

Yet because I was passionate about playing baseball:

I kept going.

And I surprised myself by overcoming them.

Recently I watched American Underdog.

(I know, late to party. My defence is that I didn’t grow up in the US.)

The movie’s about Kurt Warner beating the odds to achieve his dream.

It hit me hard.

The beginning of the movie starts with the words:

"By all accounts - my dream, my story… is impossible."

Yet... he never gave up.

Key Lessons:

• Continue to push, because you might surprise yourself with how far you get.

• Even if you don’t achieve your wildest dreams, there’s value in chasing them.

Admittedly, I didn't know if I wanted to publish this.

Recently I retired from professional baseball...

And the 40% rule made me think if I truly gave it my all.

Yet I decided to post this as a reminder to you and myself:

That maybe you’ve only hit your 40%...

And you still have more to give.

Main Lesson:

When your mind is telling you to stop, remember the 40% rule.

You have the strength to keep going.

That’s it for today, thanks for reading!