A Soldier’s Fortitude

Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.

A soldier, staring death in the face…

The soldier crouches behind a crumbling wall, waiting for a chance to open fire at his opponent.

He knows deep in his heart that any breath he takes may possibly be his last, but he pays no attention to it. Instead, he takes many deep breaths, savoring it, concentrating on calming his nerves so he does not miss his shot.

He whispers to himself, “I will not miss.” He couldn’t afford to. His life, as well as the lives of the people he loves, was at stake. His wife will have to start working. His kids will never know their father. His mother will mourn the death of her only son. “I can’t let them down,” the soldier thinks to himself. He takes a moment to imagine when he will step through the doors of his home and feel the embrace of his wife and kids again.

The soldier’s hand stops shaking. He holds up his AK-47. A spray of bullets bombard the wall he is crouched behind, and he takes his chance.

He quickly raises his rifle above the wall, centers the enemy in his ironsight, and pulls the trigger…

“How can I learn from a soldier?”

A soldier’s job is important. In these days, it is debatable whether a military as big as the US’s is needed, but in terms of defending a country’s home territory—a soldier’s job is crucial.

That said, soldiers make the ultimate sacrifice in order to defend their country—they put their lives on the line. They are willing to die for their country.

Now, let’s take some lessons from this short parable of the soldier.

Factor 1: The soldier’s fear of failure

Everyone is afraid of failure. For a soldier, death is a form of failure—and it is important to note that although failure carries a sort of negative connotation, it does not mean that the soldier is a failure. A soldier’s job is to serve, and he can’t serve if he has perished in the line of work.

Point being, everyone is afraid of failure, soldier notwithstanding.

The important thing is how you deal with that fear.

It may nag you at the back of your mind. But do you give it attention? If you give something you don’t want, attention, then you can be certain that the thing will happen! Don’t focus on what you don’t want, focus on what you do want.

Factor 2: The soldier’s method to calm his nerves

A lot of people in this day and age are freaking out over nothing. Here’s this soldier, with death staring him in the face, using a very simple method to calm his nerves. Taking breath after breath, trying to calm down. Many people would panic, but when you never know which step may be your last–you need to be calm and collected.

Where some people curse the guy who took “their” parking spot (which wasn’t theirs to begin with, but let’s not get into that), some soldiers need to deal with their partners getting killed right next to them. However, if the soldiers stop and panic at that point, the operation is over–they need to remain calm and collected to finish their mission.

Do small things piss you off? Why? Do your best to remain calm and take it easy.

Factor 3: The soldier’s presence

By “presence” I don’t mean “now” or “he’s there,” I mean he’s living in the now, giving full awareness to a thing as minuscule as his breath.

How often do you realize that you’re breathing? In the meditation audio that I use, the voice says to be aware of the breath flowing in and out of your nose. It helps you become aware of… well, life.

Many people who have experienced near-death situations claim that it wasn’t their lives that flashed before their eyes–instead, they had extreme awareness and some even report that time slowed down. When my car skidded through 3 lanes on a busy freeway, I can remember the exact color of the car in front of me, the truck to the side of me, and the lights that blinded me as I made the fastest U-turn of my life. (Just so you know–my car, as well as myself, escaped unscathed )

The physiology behind this is that your body puts everything on hold and tells you to pay attention so you can survive. Your metabolism stops. Everything stops–your body’s only task is to identify and either eliminate or avoid the threat.

Now, I’m not saying to put yourself into near-death situations so that you can attain clear focus and awareness. What I’m saying is that if you can attain that level of awareness when you aren’t even in a near-death situation–then you may see things, opportunities, people, that you never noticed before. It also relaxes you, and you may even feel at peace with the world.

So try to be more aware and perceptive of your surroundings. Meditation is an excellent way to achieve this level of awareness.

Factor 4: The soldier knowing what’s at stake

If you don’t achieve a goal, what is at stake? For many people, they don’t put their full effort in, because if they fail, well, maybe they just lose out on a few hundred dollars. But for others, if they fail, it means collections agencies will after them, they may lose their car, house…

The soldier takes a moment to think of what he will lose if he fails to stay alive. Moreover, he thinks of how the people in his life will be affected if he fails to stay alive.

This is important. What is at stake for your goals? If you succeed or fail, who will be affected, and in what ways? What are some benefits and detriments to your goals?

If you ever feel yourself being held back by invisible chains, break through those chains by reminding yourself who will be most affected by your lack of action.

A soldier gives his life for his country. What are you willing to dedicate your life to?

Factor 5: The soldier knows his reward

There was a story in Darren Hardy’s Living Your Best Year Ever, about a shipwreck. The crew was in the water, with sharks circling them. A young captain tells the few people around him to think about what is waiting for them at home–their wives, their kids, a warm meal…

When the crew was rescued, all had perished except for the ones the captain spoke with. Why? Because they had a reason to live–a reason to go forward.

The soldier has this same reason to live–he wants to feel the embrace of his family again.

What’s your reason to move forward? Are you waiting to drive that BMW? Are you hoping to go on that vacation? What your reason is, think about it whenever you feel those invisible chains, and use that reason as fuel to rocket yourself to your dreams.

Action steps: Using the soldier as a paragon of excellence

This little story of the soldier contains a few principles you can apply in your life starting today.

1) Stare fear in the face

It’s often said that there’s nothing to fear but fear itself. The important thing is to not think about what you fear, but rather think about what you need to do and why you need to do it.

2) Calm your nerves

There’s no use in crying over spilled milk. Don’t let your emotions control your actions–calm your nerves and quell the shaking. As an exercise, visualize that which you fear in your head, tense your body, and visualize yourself crushing that fear with your fists. Hold for 20 seconds, relax, and visualize your fears going away. Try that for 10 minutes every day.

3) Have presence and power

Oftentimes during conversations, one person is in his or her own little world. Don’t be that person. Pay close attention to what is happening now, but only the things that matter of course. Appreciate what you have around you, the company you keep.

4) Know what’s at stake

Who will be affected the most if you don’t take action and accomplish your goals? Whose hearts will you break? Whose lives will you change, for the worse? Can you live with the feeling that you let those people down?

5) Know your reward

This ties in with the previous step–make sure you know what exactly you will achieve if you accomplish your goals. Whose lives you will change for the better. But also, don’t forget about yourself–how will your life become better if you accomplish your goal?

**Bonus: If you know a soldier, tell him or her thank you for serving. They make the ultimate sacrifices so we can live our lives peacefully.

Onto you: Ready to emulate the soldier?

If this story resonates with you, then let me know your thoughts in the comments.

In peace, love, and prosperity,

Rasheed

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