Brian Johnson shares Admiral William H. McRaven's story of Navy SEAL trainees stuck in freezing mud who started singing to inspire each other. The lesson: give people hope and courage, even in the worst moments.
Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize plus one. Not too long ago, we coined a new Calm Courage. We talked about the fact that as important as it is to have the.
Ability to suffer with someone, it's at least as important. And I'd argue it's significantly more important.
To have the ability to have courage.
With someone, especially in times like those we face today.
Now, as we hit the Virtue Gym, where we do our most important training, we need to remember to build our.
Compassion muscles and our calm courage muscles. As it turns out, Admiral McRaven talks about this in his book as well. Now, one of the 10 lessons he.
Shares in make youe Bed is called Give People Hope.
He tells us, and I quote, hope is the most powerful force in the universe.
With hope, you can inspire nations to greatness. With hope, you can raise up the downtrodden. With hope, you can ease the pain of unbearable loss.
Sometimes all it takes is one person.
To make a difference.
We will all find ourselves neck deep in mud someday. That is the time to sing loudly, to smile broadly, to lift up those.
Around you and give them hope that.
Tomorrow will be a better Day. Now, McRaven shares that wisdom in the context of telling us about yet another one of the trials aspiring SEALs are put through. This one involved freezing cold mud up to their necks that they were required to stay in overnight. The instructors told them they could get.
Out early and if five of them quit now, they were starting to break.
Down and lose hope.
Then one guy started singing, then another.
Guy started singing and another.
And pretty soon they were all singing. They held strong and made it through.
The night together, McRaven tells us, I.
Quote, once again, we had learned an.
Important lesson, the power of one person to inspire those around him to give them hope.
If that one person could sing while neck deep in mud, then so could we.
If that one person could endure the.
Freezing cold, then so could we.
If that one person could hold on.
Then so could we.
Hope it is, and I quote, a.
Modern war hero, the most powerful force in the universe.
As McRaven says, I quote, one more time. If I have learned anything in my time traveling around the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person. A Washington, Lincoln, King, Mandela, and even a young girl from Pakistan, Malala.
One person can change the world by giving people hope.
Today's plus one, back to you. As we navigate these challenging times in.
Our world and in our lives, let's.
Be the ones giving others hope and courage. Remember, if you want to change the.
World, start singing when you're up to your neck in mud.
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