Retired Navy SEAL Senior Chief Don Shipley runs a little biz called “Hell Night”, a 24-Hour “BUD’s lite” endurance marathon. The course is designed for kids who think they want to become SEALs. It allows them to get a little taste of what they are in for. It also attracts the older “could have been” crowd who want test themselves and say…well…”I could have been”.
I don’t know anything about the man or this program to make any sort of judgement on the motivations for running it. Public service…profit…or all of it; Hell it sounds like a good retirement gig and the man knows a thing or two about what he is saying. The first 2 minutes may fool you…you have to wait for it, but if you do you will hear some words of wisdom.
Take what this man is saying and think about it. Few people reading this (if any at all) would be able to become a SEAL, but what he is saying applies to A LOT of what I am trying to get across in this blog. Do you do this stuff because you want to BE? Or are you doing it because you want all of the benefits of being able to SAY you are? Do you have a purpose higher than propping up your ego or impressing the masses?
January 22, 2009 at 7:50 am
[...] We (including myself) have all been in those situations where we have been out on the town with our friends and gotten a little too drunk, done something too stupid or just made too much of a spectacle of ourselves in public. I do not want to come off as a prude, but too much of that sort of thing leads to nothing but trouble and does nothing but lead one from “the way”. If you associate with people who lead you into those types of situations it is time to consider the value of those people and its time to consider your own reasons for associating with them. I’m not suggesting that one needs to swear off alcohol or “going out” entirely. Even Hojo Nagauji did not say that. But he did say that “playing” was only to be considered over completely wasting ones time. If one desires to be considered a “professional” or a “warrior” then there are numerous things you could be doing to improve your skills and your survivability (”screw golf”) other than idle drinking. If drinking and partying is occupying more of your heart and mind then “the way” is, then I believe that you are living in a fantasy world where you want to “say you are… rather than BE.” [...]