Welcome to : Think. Read. Write. Repeat.
It's all about commitment.
Think- Lately I have been thinking about commitment:
In the pantheon of admirable human endeavor, commitment and virtue sit side by side on golden thrones like Zeus and Hera on Mt Olympus. Commitment is the foundation of all achievement, while virtue helps us ensure that we are achieving something of value.
To reach our potential, we must commit. To be a good friend, spouse, parent, co-worker, or good citizen, we must commit to the relationship. And to make a change in our lives, regardless of how great or small, we must commit fully to making it.
Next week we’ll start talking about selecting what I call your ‘Sky Anchor’ that will serve as your guide, but for today I’m recommending that we start with a confidence target.
In special operations, when we work with a partner force from another nation it is important to make sure that the first mission conducted together is a confidence target. Something that their level of capability will allow them to achieve, but challenging enough that they feel good about it.
This is great advice when committing to making a positive change: make it small enough to be successful, but significant enough to be rewarding. Confidence is the byproduct of competence, and competence is built with successful repetition. Motivation flows from confidence.
When you stack small successes on a foundation of commitment, an unassailable wall begins to rise.
Here’s how we start: Pick something that you wish you were doing but are not. Something within your power to achieve every day: read for thirty minutes, meditate for ten, take a walk outside, whatever.
The ‘what’ is less important than the commitment you are making.
Next tie it to something you already do: while the coffee brews I’ll meditate, or when I take the dog out to go to the bathroom I’ll walk for twenty minutes (You will both enjoy it), or I’ll put my phone down a half hour before bed and read, (bonus- you’ll sleep much better).
Here’s the thing: you won’t earn extra time in your day. Figure out what you will give up to make time, and commit to making the swap.
Here’s the other thing: There are no excuses. Didn’t sleep well? Rough day at work? Commitment doesn’t care. Commitment does. There are no points for trying.
After a week of success, you will feel better. After a month, it will just be something you do.
Read- Always Faithful
A Story of the War in Afghanistan, the Fall of Kabul, and the Unshakable Bond Between a Marine and an Interpreter," by Maj. Tom Schueman and Zainullah Zaki with my friend Russell Worth Parker.
This is a story of commitment to a bond forged in combat between a Marine and an Afghani interpreter. It is a beautifully written and important book.
I wrote a review about it for Salvation South that you can read here: https://www.salvationsouth.com/zainullah-zaki-comes-to-texas-afghanistan/
Please purchase a copy from a local bookstore if you can. Find one near you here:
Write – As you may or may not know, I am in the process of writing a memoir of my years as a plank owner in the Marine Corps’ first U.S. special operations command unit. It is tentatively titled, Tough Rugged Bastards.
It will be released in the fall of 2023 from Post Hill Press. To be honest, that is the impetus behind this weekly bulletin for two reasons: first, because my agent told me that it would be helpful to build an email list, but more importantly because it is impossible to reflect on your life without some deep introspection. I’ve realized that I have spent a great deal of my life immersed in the realm of advancing human performance on both sides of the microscope, lab rat/ lab coat. Now I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned.
If you want to participate, get yourself a notebook. It doesn’t have to be fancy. Write your name on the inside in case you lose it. Feel free to decorate the cover however you see fit. You can call it a diary, journal, workbook, or human performance improvement log if you prefer. Leave the first ten pages blank to write down quotes that inspire you. One of my favorites is from B.J. Barham, lead singer for American Aquarium, “The harder you work the luckier you get.”
On page eleven write down the thing you’re going to do and keep track.
Repeat- This is where I provide some words of inspiration from the people who said it best:
You don't know what your abilities are until you make a full commitment to developing them. -Carol S. Dweck
“The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.” – Vince Lombardi
“At the moment of commitment, the entire universe conspires to assist you.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed. -Martina Navratilova
If I’m being honest, committing to this weekly bulletin scares the crap out of me. But here I am, committed. My boat is burning on the shore. There is no turning back. I hope you like it. If you do, recommend it to a friend. If you want to get ahold of me, please email admin@walkingpoint.org
Invigorating information you are pushing Ranger D! Great read and I look forward to future entries.
Corey N
Good to see you here Ranger D making this commitment. I am looking forward to the book, the stories and the men that helped stand up our future spec ops Corps. I hope that you are able to build the solid foundation of point men here while writing about your experiences and observations. You were a great mentor to me and it's great to be reconnected with the community at large!