BHP Shorts 028: How Navy SEALs Overcome Fear & Anxiety

How can I overcome my fears? How do you deal with anxiety? How can I clear my mind? How can I build more confidence? Tips to perform under pressure?

Without a doubt, some form of this question is the NUMBER ONE thing I’m asked in all my travels and interactions.

It’s a crucial question for all of us, as we must master our emotional selves if we are to realize the highest version of us.

So, while in Virginia Beach recently for a Better Human Workshop, I asked some of the highest performers I know – Navy SEALs – how they deal with these issues. After all, SEALs are widely regarded as one of the most disciplined, focused, and resilient communities around – otherwise they wouldn’t be the ones tasked with the highest-value, most difficult missions.

What follows are actionable strategies used by active and retired Navy SEALs to deal with fear or anxiety so they can stay focused and perform under the highest/most extreme pressure.

Contrary to what most might think, high performance is not about being fearless, regardless of what performance looks like for us.

It’s about respecting the situation, recognizing our own triggers, finding ways to stay calm/centered/focused, and trusting our training. (You have done the work to be prepared, right??)

Whether you’re a Navy SEAL, Olympic athlete, business exec, or anything in-between, human physiology and psychology is a constant governing dynamic, regardless of the pursuit. Those who enjoy any measure of success, do so because they embrace and exercise awareness of these systems, the discipline to properly prepare for performance and then curate their ability to remain focused throughout the event in order to realize the level of performance they demand.

PRESS PLAY to hear these actionable strategies from some powerful (but not fearless) performers.