This holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year.
There is no doubt I am a big fan of midweek football games and
breaking my Atkins diet without suffering too much the discerning
gaze of my wife who is
”
just trying to help
”
me. The reason, however, I truly love this season is the
opportunity it provides to focus on my many blessings and give
thanks for the same.
This holiday season is one of my favorite times of the year. There is no doubt I am a big fan of midweek football games and breaking my Atkins diet without suffering too much the discerning gaze of my wife who is “just trying to help” me. The reason, however, I truly love this season is the opportunity it provides to focus on my many blessings and give thanks for the same. It is also the time of year that we honor the veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. I have never served in the military, but I am eternally grateful for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who protect the liberty I value so dearly.
This month I had an opportunity to tour the Navy SEAL base on Coronado Island and witness what is regarded by some military experts as the toughest training program in the world. I expected to see arduous physical training and was not let down. They showed us some of the beach training conducted while supporting a 250-pound raft or a 250-pound log. We watched a group of SEALs navigating the obstacle course. We even had a chance to wear one of the field vests – the vest alone weighs 80 pounds without magazines or other “gadgets” – and attempt a pull up. I was unable to do a pull up but I assured my wife it had something to do with my carbohydrate-free diet and lack of fuel; she wasn’t convinced.
The last hour of our visit surprised me. We were taken into a classroom where one of their commanders explained a change in their training program. He shared that until the 1990s they had physically trained the SEALs for mission success and survival, but the mental training was a byproduct of the physical training. Since the 1990s, however, they have realized that they must be more purposeful in their mental conditioning to ensure greater success. To this end, the SEALs have met with sports psychologists and other experts to determine the most essential elements of mental conditioning and have determined that the following four principles greatly improve the likelihood of mission success and survival:
n Set manageable goals. The commander explained the danger of setting too many goals or setting unrealistic goals that impede progress or success. They train their candidates to have laser focus on successfully completing each drill and to avoid focusing on completing the entire program.
n Visualize your success. They train the SEALs to visualize their success even in their darkest hour. Creating the success in your mind first allows you to convince your other faculties that it is not only possible but probable.
n Focus on positive self-talk. The commander explained that we each have the power to choose the voice to which we listen. He teaches the SEALs that they can talk themselves into victory or defeat by focusing on opportunities and strengths instead of telling themselves how dire a situation is.
n Manage stress. Stress limits our success and threatens our health. The SEAL commander admitted that it is difficult to convince “tough guys” to meditate so they teach their men to manage stress via 4x4x4 breathing. Quite simply they inhale for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and repeat for four minutes.
I left the SEAL base anxious to return home so I could share these lessons with our students. As I have mentioned in previous articles, I worry about the stress and pressure under which our students work. Our students are worried about getting better grades, being better athletes, being accomplished artists and being accepted by their peers.
I am convinced that if Navy SEALs can benefit from positive psychology and mental conditioning then so, too, can our students. Whether they are trying to pass an AP exam, win a league title, earn first chair in the band, or avoid drug use or other negative social behaviors, adults can help our students be more successful by encouraging them to set manageable goals, visualize their success, focus on positive self-talk, and control their stress.
I am thankful for this time of year and the opportunity it provides me to recognize life’s many blessings. I am thankful for the men and women who have provided for and continue to protect my freedom. This holiday season I am especially thankful for the lessons learned from the Navy SEALs and the reaffirmation that positive psychology has material benefits.
Wes Smith is the superintendent of Morgan Hill Unified School District. He lives in Morgan Hill with his wife and three children, who attend Morgan Hill schools.
