It doesn’t matter what situation you’re in, there’s always something you can do. – Jason Redman
We all experience challenges in life…some are relatively minor while others feel like they may derail us from achieving our goals and dreams. Some of these challenges are the direct result of our actions while others come from external sources that seem totally out of our control. Retired Navy Seal Lieutenant Jason Redman calls these challenges life ambushes – events that knock you down and forever change your perception of reality. He writes that you may have experienced a life ambush if you have ever felt: overwhelmed so much you feel like shutting down, filled with anxiety, stuck rehashing shame, guilt and anger and/or are filled with a sense of emptiness and a lack of purpose. In his book, Overcome: Crush Adversity with the Leadership Techniques of America’s Toughest Warriors, Redman shares his experiences in the Navy and the subsequent career ending injuries along with the lessons he learned and applied as he built and rebuilt his life.
Redman describes four steps for moving beyond the ambushes that life offers us all. First, we have to focus on surviving. We have to get beyond the moment or event and start moving forward. Redman describes this first step as getting off the “X”. In combat situations, the “X” is that point where you are positioned within the danger zone and are unlikely to survive. If you are to survive, you must GET OFF THE “X.” Redman goes on to say that some of us may be chained to that point even when we have moved and are actually safe. Our minds keep us trapped at that point and unable to progress and we are at risk until we get off the “X”. At that point, we must give ourselves permission to move and begin to recover.
The next three steps are all about leading. We must learn to lead ourselves and develop our own purpose or mission. We also need to identify the areas in which we lead others in our work and personal lives. Finally, we must recognize the opportunities to lead in all areas of our lives. We must continually develop our discipline and identify our areas for peak performance. Redman shares the stories of both his initial training and his return to civilian life. In both cases, he had to develop a course forward and choose how to respond to the challenges in life. Every day, we have the opportunity to respond to the challenges around us and take responsibility for our actions. As the old saying goes, what happens may not be your fault but it is your responsibility.
No matter what, get off that original X, start moving forward, and take that action. – Jason Redman