It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life

It takes a plan to achieve anything of value. When you plan, you identify an end goal and then chart out neutral behaviors that can help you reach that goal.

We attack and DOMINATE in all areas of our lives consistently. We lead by example and understand that preparation is the key to our success.

When the strongest, smartest people face the toughest challenges of their lives, their instinct is to think neutrally.

Lastly, to my father, thank you for the life you lived and the example you set for me. I love you. I close with one of your famous teachings. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it said better. “The best day of your life is the one on which you decide your life is your own. No apologies or excuses. No one to lean on, rely on, or blame. The gift is yours—it is an amazing journey—and you alone are responsible for the quality of it.” —Trevor Moawad

The next time life presents you with a challenge, don’t simply assume everything will work out. Don’t tell yourself you can’t do it. Just evaluate the situation. Figure out what you can accomplish right now. Then draw your line. When you cross that line, draw another one. And keep going. There

You can do what you feel, or you can do what you choose.

The most dangerous bias when discussing performance is our innate privileging of the past. We elevate the past. We give it too much importance. We serve the past when we should be giving it a wide berth.

I have no doubts that the best is ahead.

We have more power over ourselves than anyone else does.

That’s neutral. Staying in the moment, giving each moment its own history, and reacting to events as they unfold. It takes away emotion and replaces it with behaviors. Instead of asking, “How do I feel?” you should be asking yourself, “What do I do?

What happened happened. Okay. Fine. What happens next has nothing to do with that.

I already possessed the tools to navigate the time ahead, even under the most brutally difficult circumstances.

What am I saying to myself? What am I saying to my teammates? What language am I using? How am I impacting myself? How am I impacting others? How am I being my best self every time I step on the field? It’s critical to have a fundamental mental plan.

He responded with a classic SEAL way of looking at adversity: in the middle of a period of adversity, we have an opportunity to stress-test our own belief system.

Russell doesn’t speak in “ifs” when it comes to his performance. He speaks in “I’s.” “I do this” versus “If I do this.” Why? He knows the impact of his own language on him and on others. “If” implies a choice. He knows there are no choices for leaders in the biggest moments. “If” gives your brain an out. “I” makes a commitment.

It takes a plan to achieve anything of value.

But it’s what’s next that matters, not what was. What’s next is the only thing you can still influence.

It’s about creating the opportunity to win by behaving like people who win.

It’s hard to feel our way into achieving a damn thing.

Greatness is available to anyone—including your opponents—and the pressure is on you to snatch it first.

Thinking about all 26.2 miles is overwhelming. Thinking about the next few steps is manageable,

You never really know what is going to cause the breakthrough. Each situation has its own history and circumstances. But when they get it, it’s like a brake being released. They reach maximum velocity quickly.

To be aware of the past. Grounded in the present. In control of the next behavior.

Correct choices don’t help only when competing against other people. You can make choices that lead to behaviors that make you a better spouse. A better parent. A more physically and mentally fit person.

The top performer at your company probably also lives this way. Their real mission and true purpose? Living in alignment with their visions and being driven to fulfill them. They are defined by their own behaviors, not by anyone else’s opinion of them. That quality, that ability to determine one’s own true north, is something that unites successful people across every sport, industry, and military unit I’ve ever seen.

Injury is its way of protecting you and telling you to change something.

Ask myself the most fundamental and powerful question: What is it that I want?

Our offense is aggressive. We play to win. We attack. Our defense is unrelenting. We will hit you. Then do it again.