Choosing Your Battles by Don Mann

Author:Don Mann
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781510745780
Publisher: Skyhorse
Published: 2020-07-15T16:00:00+00:00

You won’t always win your battles, but it’s good to know you fought.”

—Lauren Bacall

The Ford vs. Ferrari story is dramatic and interesting, but it is also a byproduct of the collision of two massive personalities. At the end of the day, Enzo Ferrari decided that he didn’t want to relinquish control of his company and the racing team he had built. For his part, Henry Ford II wasn’t accustomed to anyone telling him no, so he took it as a personal insult when the Italian automaker backed out of the deal. The clash that followed makes for an entertaining footnote in racing history, but it could have been completely avoided had either of the two men not allowed their egos to get involved.

That is an important lesson for us to keep in mind. After we’ve chosen our battles and stepped up to the fight, don’t allow your ego to dictate your ROE or cloud your judgment on when it is time to walk away. Pushing a conflict out of spite and having an unwillingness to back down, even after recognizing that the battle is over, can be detrimental to both personal and professional relationships. It can also cloud your decision making and cause you to lose sight of your original objectives.

When it comes to fighting your battles it is always important to keep your eyes on the prize. Whether your objective is to convince your boss to pursue an important deal or hold your ground on an important topic or social issue, it pays to stay focused on what it is you hope to achieve. Getting sidetracked can cause you to spend precious resources and time on things that don’t matter, keeping you from making progress toward your goal.

Once again, the rules of engagement that you’ve created for yourself can serve as a guide. By avoiding making personal attacks, and staying respectful of your opponent at all times, we can learn to keep our egos in check. As a result, we can use our time and energy more efficiently and avoid getting caught up in unnecessary squabbles that serve no other purpose but to distract us from our true mission.

Despite the fact that they are amongst the most well-trained and efficient warriors on the planet, most Navy SEALs learn early on to check their egos at the door. That’s because they know that in order to be successful they need to work together as a team. Each man brings a unique set of skills and talents that make him a formidable opponent in his own right. But when a group of such extraordinary individuals is able to set aside their ego and work together, they can accomplish amazing things.

Many of the candidates that enter BUD/S training come in with a high level of confidence in their abilities. Most of them are already exceptional athletes who are in great physical condition. They also tend to be smart, driven individuals who have been successful throughout their young lives, both athletically and academically.

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