In order to succeed and thrive against all odds, a Navy SEAL must have the confidence to fight toward his objective. In this OA guide, we’ll walk you through four strategies that SEALs use to build unbreakable confidence in themselves and their teams.

The first way that SEALs build confidence is by relentlessly challenging themselves daily. From the moment a hopeful future Frogman enters the BUD/s course, he is subjected to non-stop physical and mental challenges. From constant amphibious workouts to screaming instructors, struggle and challenge are part of every SEAL candidate’s life. Once BUD/s is over, a Frogman will deploy into the world’s most demanding war scenarios. SEALs are challenged daily.

If you want to start developing your confidence, start doing difficult things daily. Seek discomfort or find ways to purposefully inconvenience yourself. Take cold showers, use the stairs instead of the elevator, and do an extra set in your workouts. As you start getting used to overcoming small struggles on a regular basis, you will develop the confidence to take on even bigger challenges.

In modern times, people are always looking for motivation to get things done. Unfortunately, this is also the reason why most people never accomplish anything significant. If you rely on motivation to workout or make changes in your life, you are falling behind. 

Motivation is like chugging an energy drink at midnight. It gives you a brief productivity boost before sending you crashing back down. Discipline, on the other hand, is like getting a good night’s sleep. If you want to gain the confidence to take action in your life, dispense with motivation and start building discipline instead. Motivation is cheap, discipline is priceless. Learn more by reading our OA guide on How to Build Discipline Like a Marine.

When you find your purpose, you no longer need approval or justification from those around you. One of the most significant ways SEALs develop the confidence to overcome struggle is by finding their purpose. Frogmen don’t need to find motivation or approval from crowds of cheering fans. They have developed their own code of moral principles and reasons for why they do what they do.

You might recognize this principle-building strategy from a previous OA guide, How to Forge Mental Toughness, but it’s worth mentioning again. Write down three unbreakable principles by which you live your life – they can be honestly, honor, family, loyalty, etc. Then put the list somewhere you will see it every day – tape it to the ceiling above your bed or the bathroom mirror. Strive to govern your actions and decisions by these principles; you will immediately begin living a more purposeful, confident life.

Navy SEALs don’t just have confidence in themselves. They also have confidence in their teammates. Every Frogman is mentally and physically capable of carrying his weight and leading the team. When SEALs are placed in challenging scenarios, they have the confidence to push forward to the objective because they know that the men beside them have their back. 

If you want to instantly start building your confidence, surround yourself with winners. Find people who have accomplished the things that you want to accomplish and who will constantly push you to improve.  

If you want to transform your life, you need to surround yourself with people who make you nervous – who make you feel like you should be trying harder. If you’re the wisest, most capable person in your friend group, find a different crew. We understand that finding a new network of driven, disciplined, confident individuals can be challenging. That’s where we come in. When you become an OA Aspiring Operator, you get instant access to an exclusive community of over 900 future, current, and retired special forces operators (plus a bunch of other perks)! Make a change in your life. Check out our membership packages page to get started today!