The Code. The Evaluation. The Protocols: Striving to Become an Eminently Qualified Human

by Jocko Willink

And while we may never be able to live up to this code, we will be better for having tried. We will get stronger, smarter, faster.

This can be the most difficult part of the journey — to break free from the gravitational pull of weakness, habit, and fear. The best way to start, is to start. Don’t hesitate. Don’t wait. Don’t analyze or plan or research.

Laziness, ego, weakness, and immediate gratification will all try to pull you off The Path every day.

Every moment you are alive is made of choices you get to make. Little, tiny choices that alone mean nothing, but when combined together, mean everything. You have to make the right choices. The hard choices. You have to deny immediate gratification and pushback against weakness. You must impose Unmitigated Daily Discipline in all things.

UNMITIGATED DAILY DISCIPLINE IN ALL THINGS.

Find meaning in your job. If your job doesn't have meaning, design an exit strategy to move to one that does. A lot of your time will be spent at work. Make it matter.

Learning humility, managing our egos,

Children struggle controlling their emotions. Eminently Qualified Humans do not.

We have to turn our words into action. We have to turn our ideas into action. We have to turn our skills into action. We have to turn our goals into action.

It is you against you.

Wake up early. Work out. Run. Read. Write. Learn. Play an instrument. Train jiu-jitsu. Eat clean. Clean your room. Clean your car. Get ahead at work. When someone breaks our trust, we question ourselves. We think our judgement is bad because we put our faith in this person who hurt us.

Know that you were lucky to have that person in your life, even if it was for too short of a time. Be thankful for the opportunity to have been with them. This person you lost has taught you that life is precious and how blessed we are to have every day to grow, to learn, to laugh, and to live.

It’s going to be hard because life is hard. These challenges that you face will do their best to take you down. Do not let them. Stand up and dig in. Line up those problems and fight them. Let those challenges raise you up – elevate you. The trials and demands will make you stronger.

Let the adversity you face today turn you into a better person tomorrow so in the future you look back at these struggles and you say “Thank you – you made me better”.

Take Ownership of it. You are responsible for your words and actions. In most situations, a simple and honest “sorry” is sufficient. But sometimes you need to ask forgiveness.

Avoid half apologies said with a tone that indicates you just want to get it over with and that you don’t really mean it. It’s not time to bring up past offenses that you are holding on to. Focus on the one situation and talk about that.

You are alive right now. It’s time to fight. Prepare yourself for the long war.

Don’t blame others or accept that you are a victim — take full responsibility of the situation.

Build a plan to stop. This is something you can do, and you can control.

Do what is necessary. You know the answer and you know what to do. You are 100% in control of your own actions.

Don’t accept that you are a victim – this may be a difficult situation, but you have control over how you respond

Avoid behaviors that are counterproductive.

You know darkness. And because of that, you know light.

Set out on a path toward the light. Find joy, laughter, sun, exercise, and nature.

Don’t stay stagnant. Don’t dwell.

Allow yourself room to maneuver. When it gets hard — don’t surrender, don’t give up, don’t quit. Then you haven’t failed. All it means is you need to regroup and reattack. You’ve learned, you’ve gained experience, and YOU ARE STILL ALIVE.

Unmitigated Daily Discipline in all things. It is the only Way.