Mark Divine opened SEAL Fit, a Navy SEAL preparation center, in response to the stark proposition candidates faced: Ninety percent will fail if left to their own devices. Fortunately Divine has the key for bolstering their mental toughness and dramatically increasing their odds for success. He took the same journey himself after upheaving a stable but miserable career as a CPA. What he found along the way defies stereotypes. According to Divine, philosophies similar to those of gentle spirits such as the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Tolle are a more effective way to grit than those of the average drill sergeant.
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1. The human spirit soars when it's challenged.
2. Life is made up of the small choices you make from moment to moment, rarely the big ones.
3. The essence of mental toughness is to notice when you unconsciously make the wrong choices.
4. The most important lesson for mental toughness is to know your "why."

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: He looks exactly like the Navy Seal in the movie Captain Phillips that helps take out the pirates. I am not so sure it wasn't him. Great guy, great friend that was a Seal and wrote to talk about it, but not in a way that upsets the military. He writes to help all of us develop an unbeatable mind.

Col. Nye: SEAL Fit Sauna. Always know your why. Must be disciplined. Inspirational fitness guru and bona fide hero. Holistic view of fitness, body, mind and spirit. He is there to teach resilience and toughness.

Sefra Alexandra: “SealFit develops warriors of all walks of life in elite-level fitness, awareness, durability and longevity. We thrive on cultivating the “Kokoro” (warrior) spirit in our clients, helping them be unbeatable in life.”

We as a culture have much to learn from the Navy SEALS and Special Operations/ veterans community at large in terms of physicality, strategy and endurance. My twin brother runs a similar venture- Tactivate - to bridge the gap between the skill sets of special operations x entrepreneurship.

SEALFIT Values:
Loyalty – to our family and our team
Service – to others before self
Honor and integrity – in public as well as in private
Leadership and followership – we must be good at both to be effective at anything
Responsibility – we take it for both our actions and those of our teammates
Discipline – the only easy day was yesterday
Innovation – adapt, improvise and overcome


Johnny Waite: This one is all about how to teach grit. A former Navy Seal, who now operates SealFit; he knows what it takes to develop physical and mental toughness.