Unbeatable Mind, by Mark Divine, was highly recommended by a friend who read it a while back. I have to say, it not only lived up to all expectations, but CRUSHED them straight over the Green Monster (left field fence of Fenway Park, a baseball reference). Unbeatable Mind combines the characteristics instilled in Navy SEALS with the spiritual embrace of a Tibetan Monk.
Summary of Unbeatable Mind
One major point of Unbeatable Mind is defining your purpose. Defining your purpose can be accomplished by asking yourself the tough questions and visualizing the human being you want to become while focusing on your impact on the world. Defining your purpose is a DEEP, soul finding exercise, and makes you ask if you have a burning fire for what you are doing with your life.
This is challenging, but essential for understanding why you are on this earth. We are all unique, we are all who we are today by an infinite amount of choices, feelings, and experiences. Our main goal is to help other members who are looking for self improvement, whether this be financially, for their health, or for their well being.
Mark Divine was a Navy SEAL and describes the SEAL Training experience. Divine addresses what the SEALS are known for – MENTAL TOUGHNESS. In the first phase of training, the third week is called “Hell Week”. The new SEALS are put through brutal and difficult operational training on little sleep; it is a test of mental toughness, physical ability, critical thinking, teamwork, attitude, etc. On average only 1 out of 4 students make it through “Hell Week”, which is universally known as one of the most difficult military entrance programs.
“When a man is beaten, tormented, and defeated… He is ready to learn something.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Speaking of mental toughness, here is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time from Facing the Giants… if you ever think you can’t do something, just try your best.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sUKoKQlEC4
Mental Performance Strategies
Unbeatable Mind gives various strategies for improving mental toughness and mental performance. Mediation and breathing are keys to calming and focusing the mind. One exercise that Divine advocates, and something I have actively practiced since college, is Box Breathing. It is a simple breathing pattern that consists of a 1-1-1-1 ratio.
Box Breathing
Box breathing is performed as follows:
- Exhale completely
- Inhale deep into your lungs for 5 seconds
- Hold the breath in for 5 seconds
- Exhale for 5 seconds
- Hold breath for 5 second
- Repeat
This slows down your breathing, which is integral to reducing stress, and focuses your thoughts. SERIOUSLY, if you’ve read this far! Give it a try now!
11 Secrets of Mental Success
In addition to the various exercises Divine presents for us to improve our mental abilities, Divine gives 11 secrets to success, which I’ve listed below. These secrets fit with the principals taught throughout the book.
- Live an examined life, and embrace sacred silence.
- Know your ONE thing, your purpose, passion, and principles.
- Connect all your small actions to these.
- Develop mental and emotional control: Master the Big Four of Mental Toughness and Emotional Resiliency
- Challenge yourself to find your 20X, and improve daily.
- Turn to others in service, and develop a winning team.
- Align to win in all three spheres of I, We, and It.
- Select SMART-FITS targets.
- Employ KISS “good enough” planning.
- Take massive action, and then fail forward fast.
- Never, ever quit.
Our Recommendation for Unbeatable Mind
What I enjoyed most about Unbeatable Mind is how Divine talks about his life experiences and gives actionable steps for us to increase and improve our mental toughness and mental performance. We are all different, but may as well stand on the shoulders of giants. I highly recommend Unbeatable Mind to anyone looking to increase their personal performance! Mental toughness is a highly underrated trait and skill; be the one who has it and succeed beyond your wildest dreams.
Your level of success will rarely exceed your level of personal development , because success is something you attract by being the person you become. – Hal Elrod
Readers: have you found your one thing, purpose, or destiny? What do you love doing? What’s your passion?
