How to handle stress Navy Seal style

Kathryn Wallace of the Huffington Post interviewed Lu Lastra, director of mentorship for Naval Special Warfare and a former SEAL command master chief, about handling stressful situations. He offered the following 4 tips (that I excerpt from the article):

1. Prep For Battle

"Instead of wasting energy by catastrophizing about stressful situations, SEALs spend hours in mental dress rehearsals before springing into action. [...] When your boss calls you into her office, take a few minutes first to run through a handful of likely scenarios and envision yourself navigating each one in the best possible way."

2. Talk Yourself Up

"Positive self-talk is quite possibly the most important skill these warriors learn during their 15-month training, says Lastra. The most successful SEALs may not have the biggest biceps or the fastest mile, but they know how to turn their negative thoughts around."

3. Embrace the Suck

"The suckiest moments are when most people give up; the resilient ones spot a golden opportunity to surpass their competitors."

4. Take a Deep Breath

"Meditation and deep breathing help slow the cognitive process and open us up to our more intuitive thoughts," says retired SEAL commander Mark Divine [....] Practice what the SEALs call 4 x 4 x 4 breathing. Inhale deeply for four counts, then exhale for four counts and repeat the cycle for four minutes several times a day. You're guaranteed to feel calmer on any battleground."

I would distill these lessons into the following 4 bullet points:

• Mental preparation
• Positive self-talk
• Resiliency
• Calm 

Many athletes use the same blueprint. For example, Tiger Woods will practice endlessly to mentally and physically prepare himself for a tournament. It is striking how he seldom utters a negative thought no matter how bad his round; he will always take away some positive. Without a doubt, he enjoys the challenge of a difficult course or playing from behind. Finally, he is quite good at calming himself before a crucial putt.

Figure 1. Handling stress well is important for one's health.