Month: March 2011

Best Of, Self Improvement / Healthy Living, Self Improvement / Healthy Living

What the Military Teaches About Self Discipline

Michael Anthony

How to develop military self disciplineWhen a person joins the military, his first taste of discipline is external. His drill sergeants assume that he has no self discipline and thus seek to install it;  left to his own devices, the soldier, sailor, or airman would be slovenly and too self absorbed to succeed.

Had the new recruit chosen another life, college or a civilian job, his time away from the classroom or the shop would have been his own. He could have decided on his own when to get up, when to study and what to do after hours. No one would have spoken to him about the shine on his shoes and the length of his hair.

This is not to say that the young civilian would not find discipline in his life. He would also be growing as a person and realizing that he must please his boss or his teacher if he ever wanted to succeed. However, his path to maturity can be slower. The military man has gone into a demanding profession. His country depends on him for its very survival. He is going to be asked to risk or give his life for his fellow soldiers and for the nation. He has to grow up fast and be ready to do things that lesser men cannot.

So his first days in the military, aren’t pleasant ones. Discipline must be ground into him. He has to gain physical strength, endurance, knowledge, and spirit quickly. Day by day, morning and night, he is pushed to do more than he thinks he can. He is forced to stand tall and look sharp. He must run everywhere and never give an excuse for failure.

At first he is forced to do these things. He is watched, yelled at, and punished for every infraction. Bit by bit, though, he starts to internalize the code of the military. He starts to care if his fellow soldiers succeed or not. He starts to care about the military code. He stands tall, not because someone has told him to, but because of the pride inside him. He is fit and ready for the hard life ahead of him.

This determination and spirit does not leave the soldier when he leaves the military. He approaches tasks in the civilian world with the same self discipline that he acquired years back as a nervous young recruit. Now he is a confident individual, ready to tackle the projects that those around him fear are impossible.

He knows, first of all, the value of organization. He can put things into perspective. He sees that the impossible project is only a series of little tasks.

He learned long ago that self discipline is the first step towards leadership, and now he is ready to step to the front of the group and assign those tasks to others.

He realizes the importance of following through on a task and following up on the people assigned to it. He knows that the self discipline that rests in his breast may not be present in his non-military team mates. He is ready to lead by example or push from behind. Whatever the moment requires, he can do. He is not afraid to praise or to punish. As the job nears completion, he sees that same spirit of comradeship and pride beginning to grow the same way it did for him when the military taught him all about self discipline.

Looking for a good book on military discipline? Then check out the book “Unleash the Warrior Within,” by former Navy SEAL Richard Machowitz. It’s one of my favorites!

 Related Posts:

How to Build Your Self Discipline

Military Time Management: CARVER System

I Will Never Accept Defeat.  I Will Never Quit.

Target VS Mission: Smaller Goals VS Larger Goals

Best Of, Politics / News, Politics / News

Current World Events Illustrate Advantages And Disadvantages Of Online Media

Michael Anthony

The advantages and disadvantages of online media have been prominent in recent weeks. Today’s media is challenged with delivery of news events in split second time. With social media networks as FaceBook and Twitter, we have seen in the last two months, the revolution in Tunisia that resulted with the entire government being dismantled to the recent events in Egypt’s political unrest and revolution of the people.

In the history of the United States, we are witnessing world events change and have the opportunity to see the changes in almost real time. Tunisia’s revolution began by a citizen frustrated by social poverty and repression that used self-immolation. Witnessing that videotaped event on-line sparked the unrest across the Middle East.

One can look at these events as an advantage as it brings to light that people around the world are not afforded the democracies and social services as we do. If you’re a dictator like Mubarak, they are a negative impact, which is why he ordered Internet Services Providers to shut down. We witness history as Egypt’s communications services were erased except for the use of other venues of technology that utilized Twitter and Facebook.

United States news media is in a constant quest to break news. With the decline of hard cover papers and the publishing industry moving into the digital age, the speed you can report the news it is a very competitive business. We have become a population of news on demand. We want it now, and we want it fast. We even pay on-line subscriptions if our favorite news websites are not free.

Instant gratification becomes a disadvantage. We become addicted to the technology but part of the problem is the feeling of power we can achieve as we can pick and choose our favorite media and stay wired by Internet or smart phones. Information truly is power. News media pushes the content so fast to websites, many times fact checking is poor resulting in incorrect news. Some news media because of the freedom of speech can slander especially during a political campaign season.

Today’s online media presents law enforcement challenges as criminal activity escalates. Chat rooms are full of frauds that pose as nice people targeting young children or desperate people for crimes. Pornography is a whole entire industry that gains great momentum as well as gambling sites which attract those too weak to resist because of criminal minds, or those suffering from complex and serious addictions. Dating sites or classified as Craig’s List have led to murders.

On-line media provides avenues for education and long distance learning saving gas mileage and parking. Now you can acquire a degree at your own pace. Downloading e-books and articles gives us all the ability to avoid trips to the library. Those cramming nights for exams give us information at our fingertips.

When the First Amendment governing free speech was made law in 1791, which would have ever known that this protection to the people and ability to speak freely held the future of being delivered in seconds?

The advantages and disadvantages of online media really cannot be measured. Life is fast and our decisions create consequences. The ability to have encyclopedia’s, books, newspapers, medical advice, and a host of other genres at our fingertips helps advance our civilization. It is what we choose and how we handle the media that makes the difference. People will communicate and it is a way of life in the digital age.

Related Posts:

How to Use the Internet to Get Across Your Message

 

Best Of, Blogishness, Blogishness

How to Use the Internet to Get Across Your Message

Michael Anthony

Learning how to use the Internet to get across your message is one of the most important things you can master. Let’s say that you have a business, a cause or a non profit organization. In order for you to grow your company or organization, you need to influence many people.

Before you are able to influence them, you need to get in touch with them. The Internet is the perfect solution for this. It allows for the most targeted experience. You can target the exact people you want at the right time.

The following tips will teach you how to use the Internet to get across your message:

#1: Stand for something.

It’s not enough to have a point of view. You have to be bold about it. You can use Twitter, Facebook, forums, your website, blogs and more places to debate your point of view. People are natural followers. If they feel that you know what you are talking about, they will follow you. They will polarize themselves and your power will increase as a result.

#2: Put yourself out there.

Create a website where you describe your objectives. People will know your style and they will have the opportunity to help you accomplish what you want. Appeal to their interest.

#3: Go where they are.

Some people may know they need your product or service. But they don’t know about it. This is why it’s important to go where they are. Advertise on the websites they visit. Write a blog post as a guest on a popular blog. Make friends with many important bloggers.

#4: Participate in little wars.

Whenever something controversial happens, you can take one side or the other. This will create awareness of yourself, business or ideas.

#5: Make them feel special and engaged.

People want to feel like they are part of a group. Make them involved. Give them missions. Ask for their help and help them to create what they want. Show them that it is possible.

The above tips will help you use the Internet to get across your message. They aren’t very different from what works in the real world. The advantage of the Internet is that everything happens faster. You can reach many more people much faster. And you can do it even for free.

Related Posts:

Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Media

Best Of, Blogishness, Politics / News

Top Reasons Why Group Movements in Politics Are So Important

Michael Anthony

Group movements in politics are truly important. Politics deal mostly with making decisions at a group level. So you can’t talk about politics unless you also talk about group movements.

Group movements are important in politics because of the following reasons:

#1: Group movements may turn the situation violent.

When the power of the group is unleashed, governments can do very little about it. They will have to abdicate or do what the group wants.

On the other side, it may take decades until group movements become strong enough. The process is slow. Politicians can afford to ignore them for a while.

#2: Politics were designed to lead the masses of people.

Politics are all about leading groups of people. Every person in politics tries to appeal to the highest number of people. This is why even those who are really smart have to talk dumb ideas. Politicians want people to be caught in the enthusiasm of their personality and vision. Everything rational is ignored.

#3: Group movements are always motivated by survival needs.

All group movements happened in history because people didn’t have enough to eat. They didn’t happen because of the suppression of people’s rights or freedoms alone. Group movements are not motivated by freedom even when they claim to want freedom. “Milk and honey” is the promised land.

#4: All group movements ignore the idea of an independent individual.

Group movements promote enthusiasm over self esteem and blind faith over rational thinking. People are also influenced by the opinions of the people they associate with. This process attracts even more people in the group.

#5: Control the rules of the group movement and you will control the people’s mind.

Group movements start with the idea of creating a better future. People are running from their miserable and meaningless lives. They want to be part of something exciting. They want to believe in something bigger than themselves.

Their sense of self is dissolved into the self of the crowd. The rules of the crowd become their own rules. They will protect the group and further the group’s agenda. This is why the leader who controls the group controls the people’s mind as well.

The above ideas tell you why group movements have such an immense power in politics. Group movements shape societies. They are formed out of irrational individuals who don’t think for themselves. Everyone is susceptible to the influence of a group movement.

Best Of, Self Improvement / Healthy Living, Self Improvement / Healthy Living

I Will Never Accept Defeat. I Will Never Quit: Love and War

Michael Anthony

i will never accept defeat i will never quitThinking of the Army code, “I will never accept defeat.  I will never quit.” brings to mind the famous story of the Battle of the Bulge, fought in World War Two.  American forces were defending the town of Bastogne, Belgium, and found themselves suddenly surrounded by a vastly superior force of Germans. The Americans were cut off from food, ammunition and replacements.

For many days, they held off the onslaught of the German hordes, until on December 22, 1944, a German party, under a flag of truce, delivered a long letter to the American commander, General Anthony McAuliffe. The letter boasted of the strength of the German Forces that trapped him in the city.

“To the U.S.A. Commander of the encircled town of Bastogne.

The fortune of war is changing. This time the U.S.A. forces in and near Bastogne have been encircled by strong German armored units. More German armored units have crossed the river Our near Ortheuville, have taken Marche and reached St. Hubert by passing through Hompre-Sibret-Tillet. Libramont is in German hands.

There is only one possibility to save the encircled U.S.A. troops from total annihilation: that is the honorable surrender of the encircled town.”

It went on to threaten even greater military action that would annihilate the US troops. The American commander would be given two hours to consider the terms of surrender, then one German Artillery Corps and six heavy A.A. Battalions would begin firing on the U.S. position.

The situation was hopeless and General McAuliffe had no doubt what he must do. It didn’t take him two hours to draft his reply to the German commander. He dictated the letter to his typist and his aide delivered it promptly to the German party. The Germans were baffled when they unfolded the letter and saw only one single word written there: “NUTS!”  General McAuliffe was never a man to swear, and his reply was another way for him to say “Go To hell!”  That one word summed up the Army code that General McAuliffe had learned as a young man at West Point; it was his way of saying, “I will never accept defeat. I will never quit.”  He wasn’t jut about to surrender his troops to the German army, no matter how vastly greater or superior they claimed to be.  This is why every American soldier memorizes these words, and it’s what turns them into a member of the toughest, most dedicated fighting force in the world—and it’s why General McAuliffe and his troops were able to hold the town until they were finally reinforced by the 4th Armored Division on December 26th.

It is because of this code that young men and women have carried on in difficult, frightening battles in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what about after the battles are over and these heroes put military life behind them? Can they use these words as a philosophy to guide them through the challenges of the rest of their lives?

How many people give up too easily on the most important things in life – love, wealth, health? How many relationships have failed because people find the compromise and dedication it takes to keep a marriage going is too hard? How can love survive if people give up too easily when things get rough? A soldier, or anyone who remembers the Army code and follows it, can work out the toughest marital problems.

When a former-soldier enters the business world, the code that he took to heart will carry him through when things start looking hopeless. The determination to never surrender doesn’t mean that the person needs to succumb to stubborn stupidity. If one thing isn’t working, a smart businessman will try something else, even if it means going back to school to learn a new trade. The important thing for him to remember is to never give up – never stop trying.

The same thing applies when it comes to his health. As the years roll by, it becomes harder and harder to keep in shape. The muscles of even the strongest athlete will wither, but the important thing is to keep the grit and have the guts to keep going. Changing life habits – dieting, smoking, drinking, drug abuse – all of them are hard but a soldier is trained to call on a team if he needs to and a soldier is trained to never quit trying.

No one is ever guaranteed success if he keeps trying, but everyone is guaranteed failure if he gives up. All of life is a struggle, and it’s meant to be. The soldier who carries the code “I will never accept defeat.  I will never quit.” with him throughout his life will find the strength to face all obstacles, big or small.

To learn more about the military war-time experience check out the following book:

Related Posts:

What the Military Teaches About Self-Discipline

Military Time Management: CARVER

Target VS Mission: Smaller Goals VS Larger Goals

 

 

 

Best Of, Blogishness, Blogishness

Iraq War Veteran Joke – Viral Youtube Video

Michael Anthony

A few months back I was having dinner with a bunch of war veterans; at one end of the table there was a handful of us Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and at the other end, there was a handful of Vietnam vets.    We were all sitting around and telling stories about our wars.  The Vietnam vets all talked to each other and shared their stories and experiences, and all us Iraq and Afghanistan vets talked with each other and shared our stories and experiences.

About an hour into our dinner/conversations, something crazy happened.  At one end of the table, one of the Vietnam vets was telling a knock knock joke, and at the other end of the table, one of the vets from Iraq was telling a knock knock joke.  Turns out, it was the same military joke, passed down from generation to generation–of war veterans.

Here’s the joke (with an original performance by Michael Anthony):

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9Rxcug3t7k[/tube]

Best Of, Blogishness, Self Improvement / Healthy Living

How To Successfully Market An Unforgettable War Memoir

Michael Anthony

Due to the notoriety of the two most recent and controversial wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the consumer market has become a fertile ground for war memoirs. Readers have a strong interest in the military and an effective marketing campaign is a guaranteed way to generate sympathy and curiosity about heroic veterans. Marketing, advertising and publicity are essential to building an audience.

The Media as a Marketing Tool

Using a variety of media outlets increases your opportunity to reach your targeted market. The internet, television, print and radio are all effective ways to spread the word of your war memoir. Diversification of the way in which you advertise to your readers is the modern approach to public relations.

Start with the internet because it is ubiquitous and cost-effective. Create a website devoted to your book. Include links to the veteran’s biography. Add a blog and post video clips that relate to your memoir. Also consider creating a profile on popular social media websites and invite friends to connect to your profile.

Television is another prosperous opportunity to advertise your book. Make a commercial and send it to the major networks as well as cable television stations. Make appearances on talk shows and local news broadcasts because celebrity endorsements and favorable interest from the media are the best ways to sell your book.

Print media is a great means of communication because it reaches a large community of readers. Many consumers still purchase and subscribe to magazines or newspapers. Place advertisements in several popular publications or hire a writer to review your war memoir. Meet with journalists who will interview you and write about your experiences.

The radio reaches a wide audience and is heard by millions of people on a daily basis. This is an essential tool for communicating to the general public. For example, morning talk show hosts often interview a variety of guests and the chance to be a part of this broadcast is a golden opportunity. Also consider creating your own radio commercial and air it on a popular show.

The Power of Networking

Meet with local bookstore owners and ask to hold a reading. Offer to sign copies of your war memoir and answer questions about being a veteran. Talk to your readers and ask them what attracted them to your book. Use what they tell you to your advantage and apply it to other situations. Additional opportunities to network include visiting colleges and universities. Ask school administrators if there is a possibility of speaking to students about your book in an auditorium or before individual classes.

Successfully Marketing Your War Memoir

Use a wide range of media outlets in addition to networking to market your war memoir. Readers are interested in your experiences in the military and there is a lot of support for veterans who fought in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Advertising and good public relations are essential to generating goodwill and positive feedback on your book. Now is a great time to take advantage of the rare opportunity ahead of you.

Best Of, Blogishness, Blogishness

American Soldier – Poem + Video

Michael Anthony

[tube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIcbqrpfn7Q[/tube]

 

American Soldier Poem

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I’m not shouting I’m better than you,

I’m whispering, I was a boy, and now find myself a man.

 

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I speak not only of this with pride

I’m also confessing that I stumble, make mistakes,

And need competent leadership to help guide me,

So I in turn, can be a competent leader.

 

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I’m not trying to be strong,

I’m professing that I am weak

And need the strength of my peers and country,

To help carry me on.

 

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I’m not bragging of past successes

I’m admitting I have failed in the past

Admitted the mistakes, and tried to right the wrongs.

 

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I’m not claiming to be perfect,

My flaws are far too visible

But my country needs me,

And I soldier on.

 

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I can still feel the sting of pain,

From seeing those that I care about die,

While we fight for those that we love.

I have my share of heartaches,

So I call upon the American people,

To help guide our soldiers, when home.

 

When I say… I am an American Soldier

I’m not saying anything,

I’m just a simple man,

Who was called upon his country…

To fight.

Written By: Michael Anthony

(Inspired by Carol Wimmer)

 

Related Posts:

American Soldier Poem – Acoustic Version – Original

Bright Yellow Sun – Original Poem.

Best Of, Self Improvement / Healthy Living, Self Improvement / Healthy Living

Target VS Mission: Smaller Goals VS Larger Goals

Michael Anthony

In the military we’re trained to accomplish missions, and in order to accomplish mission—large scale ones—often, the military will set up smaller targets to accomplish that will eventually lead to the accomplishment of the primary mission.

This can be useful as a way of looking at goals.  If a person has a larger goal, in order to reach that goal, they have a lot of little goals that they, most likely, have to accomplish first.  This is the same as the military strategy of mission and targets.  To accomplish a larger goal, a person needs to know exactly what it is.   What’s the mission?  What is trying to be accomplished?  A new job? More money?  Better health?  You need to know what the mission is.  A soldier always knows what his mission is—and if he doesn’t know, someone screwed up along the chain of command.

Once the larger mission is established, we need to establish a series of targets that we need to get, take down, achieve, destroy, etc; in order for us to achieve our mission.  There may be as many as ten, twenty or thirty targets, or as few as five, three, or even just one.

Make a list of all possible targets that you’ll need to accomplish in order to achieve your goal.  Let’s say that you want to lose thirty pounds.  In order to complete your mission, you’ll need to accomplish certain targets, some examples might be: Get a gym membership, buy some weights, throw out all the junk food in the house, start that first day, keep it up for a week, lose that first five pounds, get a personal trainer, eat healthier, run everyday, etc.  These are all targets that, once accomplished, can help lead you towards achievement of your ultimate mission.

Now, once you have all your targets picked out, you’ll need to refer back to the post I did on the CARVER system—basically, the CARVER system is a military system about figuring out which target to accomplish first, second, third, etc.

Once you know what your first target is, all you have to do is accomplish that one certain thing.  You don’t have to loose thirty pounds, all you’ve go to do is achieve every target and the mission will complete itself.

Let’s say that you go through the CARVER system and you discover that the most important target for you to get first is to throw out all the junk food in the house.  All you’ve then got to do is throw out all the junk food in the house, and you’ve already got one target achieved.  Then go on to the next one, and the next one, etc.

This is pretty much the goal achievement method of the military.  It’s what we use in the hospital, it’s what the infantry guys use, it’s what the Special Forces guys use, everyone uses it.  Whether you’re trying to capture an enemy combatant or just accomplish a personal goal, this is the best way to do it.

Primary Mission VS Secondary Mission

One thing that comes up during missions, and when figuring out what your targets are, is the discovery of secondary targets, or secondary missions.  Keeping with the above example, let’s say that you mission is to lose thirty pounds, but let’s say that your secondary mission is to have a toned stomach.  (Another example would be, say you’re hunting the leader of a terrorist force, the primary objective would be to kill the leader, and the secondary objective would be to kill his second in command, etc.)

Your secondary mission is going to effect how you select and accomplish your targets.  Let’s say that one of your targets is to go to the gym and work out an hour a day.  Going to the gym and working out works on your primary target, but if not done appropriately it won’t help out with your secondary target.  So at the gym, a way to set yourself towards success in both would be to, when working out at the gym, do a series of exercises that focus on calorie burn and focus on building stronger abdominal muscles.

Conclusion:

1)   Write down what your primary mission is.

2)   Select a series of targets that need to be reached in order to accomplish your mission.

3)   Use the CARVER system to see which targets are of the most importance.

4)   Decided if there’s a secondary mission.

5)   Figure out what primary targets correspond with secondary targets that would help with the accomplishment of the secondary mission.

6)   Use the CARVER system again.

7)   Accomplish the first target.

8)   Second Target

9)   Third Target

Mission Accomplished!

Looking for a good book on military targets and goals? Then check out the book “Unleash the Warrior Within,” by Richard Machowitz. It’s one of my favorites!


Related Posts:

The CARVER system Part 1

The CARVER system Part 2

I Will Never Accept Defeat.  I Will Never Quit.

What the Military Teaches About Self-Discipline