Five Lessons Entrepreneurs can Learn From Navy SEALs

Five Lessons Entrepreneurs can Learn From Navy SEALs

Read more: http://smallbusiness.foxbusiness.com/entrepreneurs/2011/05/18/lessons-entrepreneurs-learn-navy-seals/#ixzz1MmCGXLpT

I found this article by Jeff Bussgang to be helpful.

Here are the 5 lessons:

1. WHAT'S HARD IS GOOD. SEALs quickly learn that the punishment and pain of training hardens their minds and bodies to adapt to tough environs. Brendan pointed out that startup executives who go through hard times should learn to relish them, recognizing that the hard times will toughen the team and train them properly for “battle.” I think this coincides with James 1:2-3, which talks about being joyful when trials come, because this testing produces endurance.
2. 80% TRAINING, 20% EXECUTION.
   
3. EVERY SEAT COUNTS. Every SEAL needs to know with 100% confidence that the man behind them will be able to save their life and get them out of a bad situation.
4. EVERYONE IS EXPENDABLE. The SEALs are trained in a nearly identical manner and no one SEAL is indispensable to the unit or the mission. The nature of combat is that anyone can be lost at any time.
5. YOU NEVER KNOW THE MEASURE OF A PERSON UNTIL THEY ARE TESTED. The SEALs training program weeds out 70% of participants. The people he thought would never drop out did while others proved to be more resilient and tougher than imagined. Until your people are really tested (see “what is hard is good”), you can never be sure who will step up and who will falter. One sure sign, based on pattern recognition, is that those that talk tough and are full of bluster are predictably those that are the first to blanche in the face of adversity. Quiet strength and determination in a startup are invaluable. When you see it in your people, bottle it.

   
   

   
   

Mighty to Save

One of my favorite songs of this time in the U.S. is "M1ghty to Save" by by Reuben Morgan of H!lls0ng. It gives me a lot of hope as we are in transition, getting ready to leave Colorado to visit the Midwest/East Coast, then fly on Paris.

During the last few years, I had a hard time with the music of H1llsong. It sounded all the same to me.

I'm not sure why, but their music really inspires me now. I love the passion & hope that I see & hear in the H!llsong music.

Here are the words to "Mighty to S@ve." Video clip here.

Everyone needs compassion
Love that’s never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Saviour
The hope of nations

Saviour
He can move the mountains
For my God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever
Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave

So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender

Shine Your light and
Let the whole world see
We’re singing
For the glory of the risen King
Jesus

Mon Dieu Sauve

Tous ont besoin d’être aimés
D’un amour sans limite.
Que ta grâce coule en moi.
Tous ont besoin du pardon,
De la bonté d’un sauveur.
L’espoir des nations.

Sauveur, il déplace les montagnes,
Mon Dieu sauve avec puissance,
Il sauve avec puissance !
Pour toujours, créateur du Salut,
Jésus a vaincu la mort,
Il a vaincu la mort !

Prends-moi tel que je suis,
Mes peurs et mes échecs.
Viens remplir ma vie.
Je donne ma vie pour te suivre,
Prend tout ce que je crois.
Et je me soumets.

Resplendis pour que le monde voie.
Nous chantons pour la gloire
Du Roi ressuscité !

Reuben Morgan © 2001 HILLSONGS PUBLISHING

Friends

This is one of those transition periods in our lives. We've been in Colorado since late last August. Until then, we had never lived here, but only dropped in for short visits since my brother moved here in 1999. We didn't expect to be here but for 4 months. However, we've been here now 8+ months, with plans to be here until the end of May or into early June.

This past weekend was Mother's Day weekend. We ended up getting to spend time with some people who we had never met when we arrived last August, but who have become friends.

Saturday I took our kids to Zec's 5th birthday party. We met him & his family through a Friday public school program that all 3 of our kids participate in. He's in my younger daughter's kindergarten class, while his elder sister is in my elder daughter's class. His father is in the service & we've gotten to visit them & their parents on their home on a local Air F0rce b@se several times.

Afterwards I dropped off Blake at his home. He's in my younger daughter's kindergarten class. My son says that his elder brother Evan is his best friend in the U.S. His mother & my wife have become friends.

Sunday morning I got to teach the 7th of 8 sessions on m!ssi0ns at the chu*rch we've become a part of here. While looking out at the class, I realized that a lot of my favorite people here are part of this class.

For celebrating Mother's Day, we weren't sure what to do. We ended up going out to a Chinese restaurant with a family whom we met during our 2nd week at the chu*rch (after I said something during a Memorial day weekend service about being new & from France). They have become some of our favorite people here. We then went over their house later in the day and our kids were in their pool.

It's funny how life works out sometimes. We had no idea that we would be in Colorado for 9 months, be part of this particular chu&rch or have our kids in this school for the whole school year.

I'm thankful to the Father for the new friendships that He's brought into our lives for this year.

When we were in California for 11 days last month, we had a chance to connect with some old friends, as well as meet some new ones.

This summer, we plan on getting to revisit some old friends in the Midwest & East Coast before we return to our Paris world across the Atlantic.

In the Gospels, it seems like even Jesus needed friends, particularly when He was going through difficult times, like just before the trial & crucifixion.

We're very grateful to and for our friends.