Navy SEAL Mental Toughness

by Chris Lambertsen

  Managing Fear

  Fear can never be completely eradicated—at least not without surgically altering your brain—but it can be effectively controlled to maximize performance while facing a dangerous or threatening situation or event. It is critical that you also understand that it is a normal occurrence; feeling it does not in any way mean cowardice.

  Openly discussing fear has been found to be an effective fear management tool for combat soldiers. Although most members of any special operations unit hate to admit weakness, they are now very familiar with the benefits of discussing fear before battle. It is simply another part of the mission. There is a saying that states: “the man who knows he will be afraid and tries to get ready for it makes a better soldier,” most combat-tested Navy SEALs agree with this sentiment.

  The SEAL community wisely recognized that utilizing the information gained from various studies could enable them to enhance the performance of their operators, and as a result, all SEALs and support personnel now have access to psychologists and other medical professionals that are focused on helping them maintain a strong, resilient mindset.

  The Navy SEAL Method of Conquering Fear

  Fear research studies had a breakthrough when it revealed the discrepancy in the speed at which the amygdala receives information versus how fast it gets to the frontal lobes. The frontal lobes reside in the cortex of the brain, and they are where conscious, rational thought happens; it is the problem solving area.

  It turns out that information gets to the amygdala at almost twice the speed as it gets to the frontal lobes. You can see how this would be a problem when it comes to controlling fear. If the brain signal that gives the fear alarm happens much faster than the brain signal that tells us how to react, then the result can be paralysis or panic. To avoid that it is important to instinctively know how to react to danger or threat.

  The Naval Special Warfare community has freely shared extensive amounts of information regarding how Navy SEALs are trained to address their reactions to the human stress response.

  Psychologists and neuroscientists now agree that fear can be conquered if you suppress the human response to it. To do this you must repeatedly confront your fears head on. Many of the Navy SEALs’ training methods are based on this theory. For Navy SEALs, what most consider “courage” is achieved by facing the same difficult scenarios or dangerous environments on a daily basis. Throughout their training they perform the same complex and difficult exercises over and over, many times, until responses become automatic and the situation does not carry any emotional connection to the setting or the actions that ensue. They build up their immunity to it.

  The repetitive and harsh nature of the training Navy SEALs receive at BUD/S trains recruits’ brains to minimize the brain signal delay by generating fast, accurate reactions to situations. However despite all the advances in the training programs for SEALs, there are still a few “primal fears” that are much more difficult to overcome.

  BUD/S students are taught seven techniques to help them overcome fear responses when dealing with overwhelming situations so that they will be able to remain in control of their actions and maintain their focus on achieving their objective.

  They now know that they must use their minds to anticipate and identify any situation that will trigger one or more of the body’s physical responses to fear or stress and to counter these responses very early, which allows them to remain calm and effective on the battlefield.

  Because the SEALs have always engaged in very challenging and realistic training, it was very easy for them to incorporate the concept of “controlling fear” into it. SEALs (as are members of all SOF units) are constantly exposed to training that replicates the tempo, stress, as well as the physical and mental demands of actual combat situations. This exposure provides them with almost unlimited opportunities to practice utilizing these techniques to control their body’s response to fear or threat stress.

  By now, these seven fear suppressing techniques are so well known and have proven so effective that they have become part of the individual SEAL’s “tool box,” according to one Navy psychologist that was involved in the process of integrating them into SEAL training and development programs.

  Seven Fear Suppressing Techniques

  1. Segmenting Goals

  This method was developed by psychologists who learned that some of the men failed BUD/S because they became overwhelmed at the thought of the amount of time they had yet to go as well as the tests and events they had yet to take. Their negative thoughts resulted in poor performance that led to their dismissal from the course, or they simply quit and gave up on their dream.

  Opposite this mentality, the researchers found that those men who successfully graduated from the program, had opted to think about the training in short segments and focused on achieving one segment at a time throughout their time at BUD/S.

  The prospect of the long months of training still yet to come and the many graded evolutions ahead was infinitely less daunting for those trainees who decided to break down the course into months, weeks, and then each day into each single task; then focused only on one segment or specific task at a time throughout each day.

  2. Emotional Arousal Control

  Arousal is the result of the chemical reaction that occurs during threat situations. Although this is a perfectly normal human reaction, it is detrimental to cognitive as well as motor effectiveness.

  For a Navy SEAL the inability to be in control of their emotions, or to lose the ability to function at top levels could be fatal. SEALs and other special operators have used various forms of arousal control, among the most effective ones are deep breathing techniques, which help them regulate their heartbeat, allowing them to remain calm and focused on their mission.

  A technique that is often referred to as “4 x 4 breathing” is an effective way to suppress the physiological effects of fear. Simply stated, the 4 x 4 breathing technique is executed by inhaling deeply, as though filling up your lungs, for four seconds, and then exhaling in a steady and even manner for four seconds. This sequence must be continuously repeated for two minutes or longer to be effective. I have utilized this technique countless times and know firsthand that it really works.

  The reason why this technique works is because it basically tricks the brain into a state of calmness, which is associated with the most beneficial form of rest and recuperation derived from the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of the sleep pattern.

  According to a medical doctor who works in the Naval Special Warfare community, this breathing technique is used by students as they prepare for daily training evolutions that are heavily weighted. This technique is not limited only to the time spent at selection courses; SEALs I have conversed with confirm that they continue to use this relaxation method long after they have graduated from BUD/S and gone on to serve in operational units.

  Special operators from various SOF units have confirmed that breathing techniques are a widely used tool that helps control the fear response and allows them to remain calm and focused during dangerous situations. Learning how to use this technique effectively would be a definite asset if you are planning on attending a selection course, but it will also benefit you in any endeavor your undertake.

  If you conduct a search on the internet, you will find that there are many variations of the breathing technique. The “Bellows Breath,” the “4-7-8 breathing exercise,” “Breath Counting,” “Box Breathing,” to name a few. These are all effective, simple techniques that are easy to learn and master. Given the fact that controlling one’s rate of breathing is a tried and true method for staving off some of the undesirable effects of arousal and the human stress response, it would be an important component that can be used for suppressing the effects of fear.

  3. Visualization

  The SEAL community has embraced visualization as an effective technique for combating the effects of fear during operations. It allows operators the ability to predict or anticipate
various scenarios that could take place and how they can react to unplanned events or changes. Visualization doesn’t just entail rehearsing what they might see, it is also necessary to include the feelings associated with each situation or scenario, as well as engaging the olfactory system to anticipate what they might smell during a threat situation or difficult challenge.

  In this way, when an operator actually faces the situation, though it may be the first time he is physically engaged in it, in his mind he has already gone over it numerous times. This state of readiness in his mind serves to preempt the stress responses that would arise otherwise.

  As previously mentioned, however, there are some primal fears that scientists believe are preprogrammed into our brains. One of these fears is the fear of drowning. For students going through the BUD/S course this fear is unavoidable. One of the most challenging exercises they must complete is the underwater pool competency test.

  It requires students to remain under water for up to 20 minutes and take corrective action to resolve equipment problems with their SCUBA gear. During the exercise the instructors will sabotage the students by attacking them and snatching the regulators from their mouths, closing the tank air valves, disconnect or tie in knots the hoses from the tank. Because most students are not yet very comfortable underwater or using SCUBA gear, this is considered to be one of the most mentally challenging tests during the training program.

  A student’s performance can be deemed a failure if he panics and surfaces prematurely, if he takes too long to correct the equipment problems, if he is hesitant and appears too panicked, or if he lacks confidence under water. The students are given 4 attempts at this exercise, but will be recycled to a new class or dropped from the program if they fail to complete it.

  Navy psychologists found that a majority of the successful students had experienced a significant degree of anxiety and apprehension for this training evolution given its difficulty. However, they also found that almost all of the students that successfully completed this evolution on the first attempt had utilized visualization as a technique to prepare for this event.

  They visualized all the scenarios that could be thrown at them and knew the proper procedure for handling each problem they could face. They had practiced each maneuver several times and had gone over them in their minds over and over; as a result they were able to remain calm and focus solely on solving each problem rather than panicking during the test.

  People in various professions that entail taking risks and involve high levels of stress have been using visualization techniques for a long time. If you have competed in sports at any level, more than likely you have utilized this technique at some point. Using this technique not only provides your mind the opportunity to engage in a series of rehearsals, it also sharpens your focus and helps you avoid distractions when you are working toward reaching a specific goal. I urge you to adopt and incorporate this technique and practice it as much as possible!

  4. Positive Focus Within

  Because most human beings think on average 500-1500 words per minute, it is important to make the nature of these internal “conversations” positive rather than negative. This technique is utilized by Navy SEALs to develop confidence and to maintain a high level of motivation.

  If the focus of the thoughts is negative and contains words like “I can’t” or “I’m going to fail,” more than likely your performance will show them to be true. The positive focus or self-talk technique aims to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. If you tell yourself that “you’re ready,” or that “you can do this,” then your performance will reflect those beliefs.

  As students go through BUD/S, or Navy SEALs face tough situations in operations, positive self-talk can be a tremendous asset that will ensure success. When you face a difficult challenge it is important that you face it with a confident mindset believing that you will gain victory. You have to remind yourself that you CAN succeed, that you WILL NOT fail regardless of whatever pain you are feeling or what odds are against you.

  Positive self-talk is perhaps the single most valuable tool that you can use to develop the mindset, confidence and resilience needed to achieve your goals.

  5. Emotional Separation

  It is a realistic expectation that most SEALs will witness or experience the loss of a friend during combat operations. For any of us this would be a difficult thing to go through. We would want to have the time to grief and go through the array of emotions that this type of loss would entail. Unfortunately SEALs don’t have that luxury during a battle. They must find a way to put emotion aside and go on with their mission. Essentially, these men are taught to temporarily suspend their natural reactions to fear and the death and destruction that surrounds them. They learn to suppress normal human responses to extreme stress during the actual fight, knowing that they’ll be able to address their emotions, the loss of friends, and other trauma at a later time, when it is safe to do so.

  Although you probably won’t encounter this type of traumatic loss, you may experience different kinds of setbacks at school or work. In order to be able to cope and keep focus on accomplishing your goals, it is important that you learn the technique of compartmentalization.

  This concept will certainly be helpful if you decide to take on the challenge of becoming a Navy SEAL. It is almost a foregone conclusion that you will experience several setbacks, failures, and negative situations. It is essential that you be able to set them aside and focus on what lies ahead.

  6. Planning for The Unexpected

  Similar to visualization, contingency planning is an important technique that will help decrease the effects of fear and stress.

  When time allows, operators will break down an entire operation from start to finish. They will design the plan, discuss various scenarios, and decide what alternate actions they will need to carry out depending on how a mission develops.

  The main benefit of doing contingency planning is that the operators are acknowledging up front that the plan will probably not be executed flawlessly. This awareness will allow them to individually and collectively prepare for what may happen at various stages of the operation. As a result, they are typically able to adjust the battle plan, with little or no hesitation, during critical phases of an operation when lives are at stake and momentum must be maintained.

  When you implement the contingency planning technique and face a task already knowing that things can change and that you are prepared for those changes will boost your confidence considerably. This confidence also enables rapid reaction to an obstacle or setback, which in turn enables you to avoid your body’s normal response to stressors. Simply put, it’s not about what happens during an important event or graded evolution, it’s what you do in response to what happens that counts.

  During BUD/S, a huge part of the instructors’ job is to assess a candidate’s reactions to situations as well as their decision-making abilities. In order to evaluate them on this element, they purposely place them in situations that will cause their plans to fail and leave them to figure out how to deal with it while they observe. Engaging in contingency planning is a superb way to enhance your chances of success, not only during selection, but in all aspects of your life!

  7. Concentration and Focus

  Because of the nature of their work, it is imperative for Navy SEALs to sharpen their focus to such a degree that when they are “in the zone” nothing—no distraction—could possibly penetrate or disrupt their concentration.

  Although this degree of ultra-focus is necessary mostly while carrying out a training exercise or an actual mission, it is important that you learn now how to switch gears on a dime in order to go from relaxed mode to surgical sharpness without missing a beat. With time and practice you will be able to develop various routines that will help you reach this intense level or focus and concentration.

  Adopt These Techniques!

  Armed with the knowledge of these natural responses to fear and stress, and of th
e various techniques used by Navy SEALs to overcome them, you can implement them to better prepare yourself to deal with challenges and difficult situations.

  As mentioned previously, these physical responses never go away; they remain with us as long as we live. A special operator’s ability to learn how to anticipate and control these predictable and ever-present responses is what enables him to keep a “cool head” in very dangerous situations and perform at optimal levels.

  The seven fear suppressing techniques have been effective in increasing the number of candidates who make it through selection. Make use of the information presented in these chapters and develop your ability to cope with the natural human responses to stress and fear.

  Pursuit of Excellence

  Navy SEALs are known for their physical prowess, their courage in battle, their proficiency in tactics, and their ability to succeed despite impossible odds. This awe-striking reputation is the result of an unwavering mindset that doesn’t allow even the concept of defeat to ever be considered.

  Everywhere you go, you will find exceptional leaders who have risen to the top and set the example for all to follow. These are the people who are highly regarded and who set the standard in everything they do. Because of their work ethic, enthusiasm, and professionalism, they have earned the respect of everyone around them, even those who hold positions above theirs. Most of us dream of someday having that type of success—to be regarded as the best.

  An instructor a BUD/S once welcomed his class by telling them that they had a decision to make. He explained that there was no reason why any of them should not be able to make it through the course and that it all came down to two choices: Choose to give in to self-doubt and fear, or choose to be exceptional and pursue the dream of becoming an elite warrior.