What Navy SEALs Can Teach Us About Uncertainty

We’re dealing with more uncertainty than most of us have ever faced before. And as the months drag on, the stress and uncertainty are taking a toll.

Fortunately, we’ve got somewhere to turn for help. The Navy SEALs undergo some of the most stressful training in the world and they can teach us a thing or two about thriving in challenging situations.

Lesson Number One:

“Embrace the suck.” OR “Embrace the circumstances.” Life throws us curveballs. Sometimes, more than one at a time. We can’t control or avoid them, but we can switch our attitude to one of acceptance and mental readiness for the challenges ahead.

Lesson Number Two:

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, move the goalposts closer. Overwhelm is a sign that you’re trying to do too much. Breaking decisions and challenges into small, manageable victories can give you a feeling of accomplishment and shift your brain out of analysis paralysis.

Lesson Number Three:

When you’re stuck in the mud, start singing. It’s another way of saying, when you feel powerless or negative, take a small action to shift into a positive mindset, and exert some control.

For example, we can’t control markets, but we can make a financial plan. We can’t cure the coronavirus, but we can mitigate our risk of infection. We can’t predict the economy, but we can triple-check our backup plans.

As a financial professional, I’m a student of psychology and human behavior as much as I am of economics and finance.

After years of working with clients, I’ve discovered that mindset and behavior have a greater impact on financial success than markets.

I love learning new ways to make better decisions under stress and uncertainty. Do you have any that you’ve learned and would like to share?