Assault Through
In military troop movement tactics, if your flight, platoon, or squad is ambushed, regardless of whether it is a far or near attack, you must be decisive in your actions in order to prevent your entire team from being wiped out. This is especially important when the attack is a near ambush. You do not have time to come up with a plan to flank the enemy or dig in. In this dreadful scenario you must either assault through or die. Hopefully, none of us will find ourselves in such a situation. However, in life, sometimes you must risk being wounded to meet your objective. Sometimes you must assault through. Life can hit hard, but inaction and failure to make a decision is the worst thing you can do. Wallowing in self-pity and your fear of failure, loss, or pain will limit your capabilities, and for me, lead to my nightmare scenario--living a life short of reaching my ultimate potential.
These “near ambushes” manifest in different ways for each of us, and almost always at the most inopportune times…is there even such a thing as a “good time” to experience a near ambush? It could be the end of a relationship, it might come in the form of being passed over for promotion, being laid off, or maybe a combination of multiple things occurring at once. Ultimately, making you question your own self-worth.
This is what my most recent near ambush looked like. Going through a myriad of personal issues, while experiencing 5 weeks of quarantine prior to heading downrange, greatly affected me. I experienced feeling like I’ve been in purgatory--with minimal to no influence on the mission (my job), the people I care about, and even my own trajectory. These are very irrational thoughts and with perspective and support, I’ve been able to see that. However, I’ve also had time to reflect on what has, although not easily, helped me bounce and continue to bounce back….to assault through.
Preparation
“We don't rise to the level of our expectations; we fall to the level of our training.” - Archilochus
In order to assault through life’s nearambushes, we must train and prepare left of the storm. In respect to actual troop tactics, this comes in the form of rigorous and continuous life-like training with the brothers and sisters-in-arms with whom together you may face that day. However, to be prepared to deal with the near ambushes life can throw at us, we must hone our self-awareness. We must do the deep work to know how we may respond to different situations and develop plans to counter the threats. For me it was visually walking through the circumstance I was about to head into and finding ways to make it productive (my quarantine goals). This helped…especially during the first quarantine but was much more difficult during the second which made me realize I needed to check my ego.
Check your ego
“Ego is the enemy of what you want and of what you have: Of mastering a craft. Of real creative insight. Of working well with others. Of building loyalty and support. Of longevity. Of repeating and retaining your success. It repulses advantages and opportunities. It’s a magnet for enemies and errors.” - Ryan Holiday
When you find purpose and meaning in being the person others lean on and get support from, it makes it difficult to give yourself permission to lean on others. Ego comes in many forms and I typically viewed it as a behavior that is expressed outwardly in the form of arrogance and mistreatment of others. However, I realized it also can be inwardly damaging. My ego made it difficult for me to understand why I was unable to overcome these feelings of inadequacy that came with my near ambush. It made me question my own capabilities, my manhood, and even my worth. It also prevented me from leaning on others, the ones who care about me the most, exacerbating my situation and prolonging my agony.
Realizing how powerful your ego can be and the influence it has on you can be difficult to see. It takes a lot of self-reflection and honesty with oneself. It’s not something that can be turned off completely as it is a part of the art of living and the human experience. But identifying when it is becoming a hindrance and checking it can help posture you to effectively assault through.
Know and leverage your support
“For by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.” - Proverbs 24:6
METT-TC is a mnemonic used by the military branches to help commanders remember and prioritize what to analyze during the planning phase of any operation. It stands for Mission, Enemy, Terrain and Weather, Troops and Support Available, Time Available and Civil Considerations. All components are vital in the planning process but knowing what support is available to you when and if situations go bad is critical.
Being vulnerable is tough…and knowing whoyou can be vulnerable with can be eventougher. It’s rare you find one person that you can bare your soul to in every circumstance. If you’re lucky enough to find that person, hold on to them for dear life! But for most of us, we have trusted confidantes for various situations, much like how we have mentors for different aspects of our work and personal life. Building those relationships and identifying what issues you might bring to each member of your support system is important. However, knowing those two things isn’t enough…we must do. If you have prepared and checked your ego, asking for help or letting yourself unload your thoughts on someone you trust is hugely beneficial. Finding Victory in assaulting through is not an individual endeavor.
Disciplined Execution
“While Discipline and Freedom seem like they sit on opposite sides of the spectrum, they are actually very connected.” - Jocko Willink
When faced with a near ambush; as bullets are flying, people are screaming, and fear overcomes, it is easy for everyone to break discipline. When just one member of the team breaks discipline, the entire team is in jeopardy.
When you are faced with life’s near ambushes, it is easy to simply forget the framework you have developed to counter it, because while in it, it is hard to remain calm enough to execute. However, it must be done. Hopefully, you won’t have actual bullets flying by your head which means you have time to take a deep breath and to take stock of the situation. You have the opportunity to execute your preparation, check your ego, and leverage available support. I promise you that I know it is not easy, but it is possible, and you can do it.
Be Kind to Yourself
“You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head. Be kind to yourself.” - Unknown
For some of us, this might be the hardest part…I know it is for me. Negative self-talk can be tough but near ambushes are volatile and complex situations, and no one has mastered dealing with them unscathed. Not every decision or thought you have will be rational in those situations. You may even feel demoralized and the negative self-talk may overcome. In my moments of weakness, I was reminded by someone very special that I am human and it’s okay to feel the way I do. This gave me permission to be kind to myself. It’s important to give ourselves grace, especially during and after life’s near ambushes. Being kind to yourself is an instrumental part of assaulting through.
Throughout life, we will be faced with many challenges. Our plans will be ruined, we will be hurt by others, and we will be dropped in battlefields and arenas that are not of our choosing. Assaulting through isn’t about being infallible or invincible. It’s about deliberate preparation, deep self-work and reflection, and giving ourselves permission to be human. Establishing frameworks before we need them will ultimately aid us in surviving life’s ambushes…and like I have learned, will empower us to assault through.
