For YPO member and SOFREP Media CEO Brandon Webb, life is “a solo flight and you are the captain.” His experience as a U.S. Navy SEAL and serial entrepreneur trained him to navigate fear and the pervasive stress of the unknown. The power of thought has been key to his success. “Mastering fear is not about becoming physically stronger, or tougher, or more macho, or more aggressive, or more stoic, or more pumped up. It is about learning how to identify and change the conversation in your head,” says Webb.
Training for physical and mental resilience
The punishing Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training (a 24-week training course that develops the SEAL candidates’ mental and physical strength), as well as experience in combat zones including Afghanistan, built the foundation of Webb’s mental and physical resilience. As Webb describes it, “In the crucible of SEAL teams, resilience is a way of life.”
During his time as head sniper instructor for the SEAL program, Webb met Lanny Bassham, Olympian and author of “With Winning in Mind.”
“Bassham was an Olympian who, in the 1970s, totally lost his mental game and ended up winning silver instead of the expected gold. He went on to research the secrets of mastering the pressure of big competition and developed a program to help distinguish between negative and positive feedback, ways to defend against negative self-talk, and how to apply tools like visualization and self-affirmation,” says Webb, who began to apply these principles in everyday life.
Witnessing life transitions gone wrong
The curiosity around resilience took a different turn when Webb observed how so many of his former SEAL teammates, who were looked up to as “super mentally tough,” were struggling when changing careers. “They fall off, they don’t transition well, and most grapple with despair and addiction,” he says. “I realized that just because you have resilience in one career doesn’t mean it’s transportable to the next phase of your life.”
Webb also recognized a similar pattern among professional athletes. He discovered that both groups, upon leaving their accomplished careers, lost a robust support system – professional networks, teammates, coaches, mentors – almost overnight. Webb adds, “While the reality is your life is up to you, these social circles are critical. It’s why a lot of Navy SEALs fall off the edge of society when they leave the Navy. They left their support system and never took the time to build up a new one.”
From resilience to personal growth
After leaving the Navy SEALs in 2006, Webb invested all his savings in a failed startup, while experiencing the loss of a painful divorce. “I had to recalibrate and use these learnings on mental toughness to cope with my own transition,” Webb says. “The foundation of mental management was there. But how do you ensure you have resilience for life?”
Webb persevered and is now CEO and Founder of SOFREP Media Group, a media and e-commerce business focused on military entertainment, news and monthly clubs. He is also a best-selling author and is a sought-after speaker on resilience.
His favorite book, while not the most widely read, remains “Mastering Fear,” a nonfiction guide on the power of thought. It is the inspiration for these multi-dimensional practices that have helped him reinvent himself and grow and build mental resilience for life.
- Make a habit of practicing gratitude, self-awareness and emotional regulation. Webb says that by practicing being grateful for the seemingly simple things, you realize you have a lot to be grateful for. Self-awareness and emotional control can play a pivotal role in facing an uncertain future. “I had to confront and understand my emotions, strengths and vulnerabilities, grounding every decision and reaction. Amidst this whirlwind of change, emotional regulation became imperative. Keeping emotions in check, especially when treading unfamiliar terrain, ensured clarity and decisive action.”
- Maintain unshakable optimism. Webb adds, “My SEAL sniper training had instilled in me an unshakeable optimism, viewing every challenge not as a setback but a hurdle to be surmounted.” He promotes using fear to one’s advantage, or as Webb put it, “Have courage to look fear in the eye and take the next step.”
- Exercise for life. A core component of mental wellness is to be physically active, but Webb cautions not to abuse the body. “I like to do things that I can do till old age, like swimming, yoga and Pilates. Part of it is because all the hardcore training as a SEAL catches up with you.” He warns busy CEOs who may do intense exercise only on weekends, that the practice can lead to injury. Webb adds, “Make exercise a habit and part of a wider health routine that includes good sleep. Holistic health is like a garden. If you just water a certain section of the garden, the rest will die.”
Webb also recommends including mental exercises, such as playing chess. “I’m also an avid flyer and have to do a lot of planning and research to prepare trips, so it creates a mental workout,” he says.
- Redefine your purpose. At 17, Webb wanted to be a Navy SEAL more than anything. But with age, purpose changes and his current life purpose includes mentoring kids. He adds, “Coupled with renewed purpose is the necessity of mental flexibility — the ability to pivot and adapt, to perceive situations from diverse vantage points.”
- Surround yourself with excellence. As Webb pivoted his career to the corporate and publishing world, he became aware of the role of one’s environment and relationships in shaping ambition, outlook and eventual success. “I have realized the importance of the collective wisdom and energy of the community you immerse yourself in. Continuous learning has become crucial as I sought to redefine professional relationships, tapping into the collective wisdom and energy of groups like YPO, and the Harvard Business OPM.” (OPM is a 24-month owner/president management executive education program.)
For Webb, these components of resilience show that mental strength is a process that we must engage with proactively, or as he puts it, “An intricate tapestry, spun from threads of individual determination, interwoven with a clear purpose, and underpinned by a robust support network.” His favorite quote from his Navy SEAL days remains: “The only easy day was yesterday,” a reminder that every day you still need to actively work on these different components to prepare to meet new challenges. But, as Webb explains, by preparing every day, and seeing what you are capable of, yesterday seems easy.
