Management Perspectives

As humans, we all can expect to experience an ambush of some kind in life. A case in point is the Covid-19 pandemic that came from out of the blue and infected millions around the globe, caused over a million deaths to date, shuttered businesses, and affected billion of jobs. Covid ambushed the lives of people, globally.

But at the same time, life ambushes are our greatest teachers. They teach us perspective. They teach us gratitude. We understand the fragility of life better because of challenging experiences, and we have more to offer to the world because of what we have survived. But to gain this perspective, we have to find a way to move beyond what has brought anger, guilt, emptiness, or pain. Doing so requires adopting a mindset that believes it is not only possible to overcome adversity, but it is imperative.

When ambush comes, responses typically follow one of three paths:

The first path destroys those hit by the ambush. They are paralysed and make no effort to improve the situation. They become defeated knowing that their life has been irrevocably changed. They become lesser versions of themselves; they cease to be the person they were.

The second path leads those who suffered a catastrophic event through to the other side, but it is always a point of struggle. Fearing further loss, they reject opportunities for growth and become stagnant. Those who follow the third path are able to turn an ambush into a launching point. Instead of being defined by their loss, they choose to distinguish themselves for the challenges they have overcome. They have adopted an ‘overcome mindset’.

I learned about developing an overcome mindset after barely surviving an ambush in Iraq while serving as a Navy SEAL. To recover physically, I had six blood transfusions, underwent 40 reconstructive surgeries, wore a tracheotomy for seven months and endured multiple months of physical therapy.

To recover mentally, I labelled the day I was wounded as my ‘rebirth day’. My ambush launched me into a new trajectory so that I didn’t just survive, I thrived. My purpose is now to share with others how to sustain recovery long-term and relaunch their lives after a catastrophic ambush.

Whether it is confronting the loss of a loved one, a crippling health issue, termination from a job, or some other tragedy, the overcome mindset can allow you to triumph over adversity. Here are some guidelines for developing the mindset:

Learn acceptance. You do not have to accept that what happened is right or okay, because maybe it is not. Face it: life is not always fair. But you do have to accept that you are living in this new state, so begin to make adjustments to your thinking and actions that match your new reality. You may be battling depression, anxiety, PTSD, or any number of difficulties after your ambush. Instead of fighting against them with anger and denial, accept them for what they are. Seek help if needed and commit to the long-term healing needed to move through them.

Choose action over inaction. When you get into an ambush, you have got to REACT (a step-by-step process to deal with any ambush). Explore the actions you can take toward living a full life again. Recognise that there are no easy ways out, only forward motion—one step at a time, one day at a time. Stop allowing yourself to be stuck in a vulnerable position. Just the first step toward living again will show you that you’ve got this.

Face the dragon. Whatever life ambush you are facing—a physical setback, bankruptcy, divorce, or some other unexpected hardship— it will leave its scars on you. Your life will not ever be the same as before and you should not expect it to be. Understand that overcoming is not about vanquishing the dragon so you return to your past self. It is about acknowledging that the dragon now lives within you. Resolve to slowly learn to touch the dragon so that you can live with it. Once you reach that point where you own the bad incident and can control it, there is no longer negative energy pinning you down.

Expect obstacles. The overcome mindset is a no-excuses, forward motion attitude. It is a mental commitment to lean into the storm and drive forward. As you move forward, you are going to continue to meet resistance, and possibly consequences from your past actions. Face those challenges head-on. Recognise that adversity can turn into opportunity. Do not ignore the difficulties and obstacles. See them, name them, and resolve to move through them no matter what.

It is never too late to adopt an overcome mindset. It is never too late to choose the path that leads to your triumphant comeback.