The 40% Rule To Success

Jerry Itzler invited a US Navy Seal to come live with him for a month, to both teach and train his host.

The day the Seal arrived, he asked Jerry how many pullups he could do. Jerry said he wasn’t very good at it and only did about 8. The Seal said to take 30 seconds and do it again, so 30 seconds later Jerry struggled to do 6 more. The Seal told him to do it one more time, and 30 seconds later Jerry barely managed to do 3.

At this point Jerry is so wiped out he can’t move his arms, which is when the Seal says, “Alright, we’re not leaving here until you do 100 more.”

And while Jerry didn’t think it was possible, one by one he managed to do 100 with the Seal showing him how.

There is so much more we’re all capable of doing than we think we can do. We have reserves we seldom tap. According to Seal, when your mind is telling you that you’re done, you’re really only 40% done.

Whatever it is that you’re striving to accomplish, when you hit the wall and your mind is telling you to quit, how do you keep going?

What is it that motivates you to move through that mental barrier and reach the finish line?