When thinking about business-stress tests, the most glaring analogy that comes to my mind is – what it takes to become a Navy SEAL.

 

I watched a documentary where the U.S. Navy was testing men who wanted to become Navy SEALs. The cruelest test, captured live in the documentary, had the SEAL-candidate under water with two instructors taking turns ripping off the candidate’s air supply, tying the air hose in knots, attacking and choking the candidate from behind, forcing the candidate to hold his breath while slowly, painfully slowly, surfacing, etc.

 

The SEAL trainers’ goal – to force the candidate to overcome the strong human reaction – the natural-human panic – that happens when we know we are running out of air and cannot take another breath.

 

The candidates were allowed to take the test 3 times. Despite that, 2/3 of the men could not overcome their natural panic. So - they failed. They will never be Navy SEALs.

 

 

[That documentary provided positive reinforcement about my business-career choice.]