When we think about the military, we may not think about learning. Sure, we know the soldiers receive training but often we don’t think of this as the same thing. In fact, you may be surprised how much the military methods, particularly those of the Navy SEALs, can help you in improve your learning capabilities.
Four Keys to Better Learning
When you think about learning or experiencing something, many of us feel nervous and fearful. Maybe it’s getting in front of a group of people to give a speech or trying out our CPR training on a dummy in front of a whole class. No matter what we’re learning, learning how to control that fear is essential for success. As you might imagine, this is particularly true while you’re training to be a Navy SEAL. To help trainees master their fear, the military teaches them four specific keys. If you learn these keys, you’ll be in much better shape.
Key 1: Incremental Goal Setting
While many of s set goals, such as graduating or saving up for a new car, Navy SEALs have to learn how to make short term goals that help them overcome stressful situations. For example, one goal might be to make it through the next hour or to reach another 100 yards. Once they reach that goal, they set another small goal. By doing a series of goals, they are able to achieve a much larger goal. You can do the same thing throughout your learning experience by making it through a single speech, class, assignment, math problem, etc.
Key 2: Mental Rehearsal
The mind is a powerful thing but it can be easily fooled. One way is by imagining yourself calmly and successfully doing whatever it is you are nervous about. By mentally envisioning the action, you are convincing your brain that you’ve done this before. As a result, you’ll be less nervous and stressed when the real event arrives. It works – just ask any Navy SEAL or professional athlete.
Key 3: Positive Self Talk
All of us have that little voice in our heads that comes out while we’re in the middle of something. For some of us, the voice is encouraging. For others, the voice is negative. If you have a lot of negative self talking going on during a situation, you’re going to perform poorly because you’ll believe what that voice is saying. Instead, you have to reclaim your self talk and turn it into something positive.
Key 4: Arousal Control
At times of nervousness, our body goes haywire. Our heart starts beating faster, we have trouble breathing, we feel edgy. The key to beating those reactions is a process known as arousal control. It’s practiced by the Navy SEALs with great effectiveness. You inhale while counting to six, hold your breath for two counts, then release while counting to six, wait for two counts, then repeat the process.
