7 Military Habits Every Successful Man Should Adopt

It isn’t much of a surprise to anyone that in order to be successful you need to be disciplined.

So, why don’t people look to the most disciplined force in the world for tips and habits to adopt? You know who I’m talking about! Military men.

If you’re searching for success, these habits might just be what you need to pick up in order to give you that little boost that you need to reach new heights.

1. Make Your Bed Each Morning

Making your bed seems like a silly habit that will produce success over time, but it really does make a difference in your day. This is why military men are trained to make a nice, tight bed every morning after waking up.

Admiral William H. McRaven explained his reasons for making his bed each morning best during his University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address:

“If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another.

By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter.”

2. Have A Strong Body For A Strong Mind

It’s no coincidence that some of the world’s most rich and successful businessmen attribute exercise to their success, and it’s something that is insanely important in the military.

Creating a strong body forces you to do three things: learn patience, create endurance, and stick to goals. All of the three things you learn during exercise, you need to have in order to be successful in your career. So, never skip the gym.

Related: Winning’s In Your Blood

3. Set And Execute Your Battle Rhythm

Wired defines battle rhythm as “a deliberate daily cycle of command, staff, and unit activities intended to synchronize current and future operations. This is basically just a hooah, ‘warrior-focused’ name for a daily or weekly routine.

It’s actually a meaningful term in the operating forces, but in the cubicle farm it sounds pretty stupid to talk about the weekly staff meeting, VTC, and report deadlines as part of the “organizational battle rhythm.”

I’ll give you one good guess which two items should be a part of your battle rhythm. If you guessed making your bed and exercising, you can move ahead to number 5.

If you guessed wrong, please go back to number one because the importance of those two needs to sink in a little deeper, friend.

4. Keep Your Calm

Do you think freaking out is helpful when military men are on the battlefield? That’s a resounding hell no.

Treat each day at the office like a day on the battlefield (metaphorically, of course, please don’t go around army crawling under desks covered in war paint).

In other words, no matter what goes wrong, keep your cool and focus on your mission.

5. Drop What You’re Doing To Help Others

Camaraderie is important in the military. It’s vital that everyone has got each other’s backs, especially when the sh*t hits the fan.

This is something you should put into practice at the office. Help others when they need it – even if it’s inconvenient to you at the moment – and they’ll remember you. They’ll be there for you when you need a hand.

6. Respect Others

Military men are respected because they give respect. People (especially people in the office) are drawn to those that they feel respected by.

Remember that respect goes a long way, even towards people you don’t really like – because there’s always one guy in the office that you can’t help but hate. Even though you hate him, respect him.

You Might Also Enjoy: Is Your Lack Of Confidence Holding You Back?

7. Counsel In Private, But Praise In Public

This has always been a hallmark of the military, and it’s a good way to conduct affairs in any situation.

Did a team member screw up really important files? Pull them aside to tell them where they went wrong and how it can be different in the future. Never point out a team member’s shortcomings in front of others.

Did a team member do something awesome? Praise him in front of everyone. It’s amazing.

If we do not condition our minds in a way that keeps us in winning positions, we will struggle in everything, ranging from our love lives to our career.
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