Extreme Ownership
What is extreme ownership?
Ex-Navy SEALs.
Jocko Willink & Leif Babin.
Talks about it in their book.
(you guessed it, aptly named ‘Extreme Ownership’)
You either take control of everything you can in your environment,
Or you do not.
Those who do succeed.
Those who don’t blame others.
Those that don’t, fail.
He tells a story about being on patrol in Ramadi, Iraq,
And a ‘blue on blue’ occurs.
A blue on blue is essentially friendly fire – fratricide.
The worst thing that can occur in a military operation.
Fast-forward to HQ, and he has two options:
He can blame the communication, the environment, the original plan, the other team for not
communicating, the heat of battle, and he would be well within his rights to do so…
Does he?
No.
He takes full ownership of the situation.
He should have checked the communications, he should have checked the other team's
mission plan, he should have trained his team better, and he should have defined the lines
of engagement more clearly.
Below is the TED Talk on it that made Jocko ‘famous’ for his thoughts. As I mentioned, he
also wrote a book on it – I am reading it for the second time at the moment. A great book.
Why is this relevant?
A promotion at work…
Are you ‘hoping’ and ‘wishing’ for it as you know you SHOULD get it?
Or are you taking full ownership of all aspects to ensure you get it? Turning up on form
every day, speaking to the boss about your intentions, going above and beyond?
Starting a gym routine, or doing your first triathlon…
Are you dreaming that one day you will get going? Next Monday perhaps? Or even
January? When work is a little less hectic?
Or have you booked a swim lesson so you can learn HOW to swim and move closer to the
triathlon goal? Have you looked at your weekly schedule and checked where you can make
time?
Making more time for your family…
Are you hoping that work will be a bit quieter this week? Maybe thinking you will be less
tired this Friday evening so you can go out for a meal?
Or looking for evenings you can make clear of calls, actively leaving time free, booking a
time at a restaurant so you put pressure on yourself to go?
Saving money…
Just thinking about it? ‘Trying’ passively? Hoping this holiday doesn’t cost too much?
Or have you made a spreadsheet with your costs on it? Your incomings? Planning your
expenditure? Cutting out unnecessary subscriptions?
Building a property portfolio…
A ‘hope’ that one day the ‘market’ will be right? That interest rates will come down? That
work will be quieter? That you can make the time to start researching and reading
Or setting aside an hour on the weekend to start writing down some goals? Actively
working towards your savings goals? Building a picture of where and what you can buy?
Seeking out people that can be in your team?
None of these things just ‘happen.’
They only happen if we take ‘extreme ownership’ of them.
As Jocko so aptly says:
Take ownership of your mission.
Take ownership of your job.
Of your team.
Of your future.
And take ownership of your life.
And lead you, your team, and your family to victory.
Think a friend would like this? Forward it their way.
Have a great weekend ahead,
Callum