How the Navy SEALs 40% Rule Proves They're Unbeatable 

Being a NAVY Seal has to be one of the most hardcore jobs there is. It's hard to even imagine what they have to do, see, and process on a daily basis. If they didn't have the tools to self-regulate, stay calm, and keep focused right there in the moment when they needed it most, they'd be screwed.

So, the Navy SEALs have become masters at attuning their potential towards greatness. However, greatness often comes from the work that no one sees as it happens out of sight. It's the work that goes on behind the scenes in the minds and hearts of the courageous.

But what's even more remarkable is their mentality, grit, perseverance, and tolerance to pain. And nothing showcases this more than the 40% rule. 

"The 40% rule is simple: When your mind is telling you that you're done, that you're exhausted, that you cannot possibly go any further, you're only actually 40% done.

The human mind is an amazing thing. It both propels us forward and holds us back." - The Navy SEALs

The 40% rule has led them to use and live by powerful sayings like these: 

"You've only got three choices in life: Give up, give in, or give it all you've got." 

"Cowards never start. The weak never finish. Winners never quit."

"Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up."

"There are only two ways to do something … the right way, and again" 

"Get comfortable being uncomfortable."

And…

"When you're under pressure you don't rise to the occasion, you sink to the level of your training"

Perhaps this last one is the most important. It shows that not only do they have an immense capacity to endure the unthinkable but that they've worked f*cking hard for it. 

After all, no one is born a Navy SEAL, it has to be earned. 

So, the 40% rule is even more impressive because it shows that most of their training happens after everyone else has given up. That's why they have a week of training aptly named hell week. It's to get them to explore and experience the other 60% of themselves that would otherwise never be known. 

It's to get to explore the parts of themselves they didn't know existed. And to do that, they have to go to hell and back. 

That's what makes them so unbeatable: They're trained for the most hardcore situations and they know how to survive them.

Other techniques the Navy SEALs use 

The Navy SEALs don't solely rely on their grit and determination to get them through, they also use other techniques such as visualisations, specific breathing patterns, and "soft eyes". 

One of the most famous breathing exercises they use is called box breathing. 

Box breathing

This technique is great for building emotional resilience, relieving stress, and creating a calm inner state. It's also a powerful technique for relieving anxiety. 

Its simplicity is its power.

How to practice it: 

• Inhale through your nose for 4–6 seconds 
• Hold your breath in for 4–6 seconds 
• Exhale through your nose for 4–6 seconds 
• Hold your breath out for 4–6 seconds 
• Repeat for 5–10 minutes 

"Soft eyes"

The tools I love to share are those that are free and accessible in every situation. They're for when peace and balance need to be restored quickly, which for a Navy SEAL, happens often. 

Our eyes, like the breath, can reflect how we're feeling. Sharp, focused eyes often reflect high concentration or alertness, for example, while soft, relaxed eyes often reflect a calm, open mind. 

When we're on high alert our pupils dilate and we narrow in on a specific object. This has been evolved to keep us alive. This kind of alertness helps us to pay close attention to imminent danger by blocking out the surrounding environment. 

All wild animals do this in life, especially those being hunted. The Navy SEALs also use it in combat.

Humans nowadays do it more from high levels of stress, overwhelming workloads, and anxiety without discharging the built-up energy. 

A great way to restore balance is to oscillate between these highly focused eye movements to more open, relaxed ones. And just like how the different rhythms of our breath can support this process, so too can how "soft" we allow our eyes to become.

How to practice it: 

• Sit comfortably and allow your breath to relax and deepen
• Look straight ahead whilst also seeing what's in your peripheral vision
• Expand your awareness to the spaces up and down whilst continuing to look ahead
• Allow your focus to be on 'all things' as your eyes 'soften'
• Stay connected to your breath
• Stay here for as long as comfortable

Closing thoughts 

We have all the tools available to us at every moment. So, as much as the Navy SEALs are highly skilled, incredibly athletic, and ridiculously resilient, their most relied upon tools - mindset, positivity, determination, visualisations, breathing, and soft eyes - are completely free. 

And as they are completely free and we all have them, they can be done anywhere, anytime, in any situation, by everyone. So, although we may never become a Navy SEAL or anything close to one, for that matter, we can all use the tools they use to support a better life. 

If you've been inspired by the power of the breath, discover my favourite breathwork technique here

Or alternatively, sign up for a free online masterclass here