The WAY OF THE SEAL UPDATED AND EXPANDED EDITION: Think Like an Elite Warrior to Lead and Succeed

by Mark Divine

In The Way of the SEAL, ex-Navy Commander Mark Divine reveals exercises, meditations and focusing techniques to train your mind for mental toughness, emotional resilience and uncanny intuition. Along the way you'll reaffirm your ultimate purpose, define your most important goals, and take concrete steps to make them happen. A practical guide for businesspeople or anyone who wants to be an elite operator in life, this book will teach you how to: Lead from the front, so that others will want to work for you Practice front-sight focus, the radical ability to focus on one thing until victory is achieved Think offense, all the time, to eradicate fear and indecisiveness Smash the box and be an unconventional thinker so you're never thrown off-guard by chaotic conditions Access your intuition so you can make "hard right" decisions Achieve twenty times more than you think you can and much more Blending the tactics he learned from America's elite forces with lessons from the Spartans, samurai, Apache scouts, and other great warrior traditions, Divine has distilled the fundamentals of success into eight powerful principles that will transform you into the leader you always knew you could be. Learn to think like a SEAL, and take charge of your destiny at work, home and in life.

Genres: Leadership, Nonfiction, Self Help, Military Fiction, Business, Personal Development, Psychology

347 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

MARK DIVINE is a former Navy SEAL and has trained thousands of aspiring Navy SEALs. He owns and runs the SEALFIT Training Center in San Diego, California where he trains thousands of professional athletes, military professionals, SWAT, First Responders, SOF candidates and everyday people looking to build strength and character.

Reviews

[Jon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first warning sign that this book is going to suck is right in the title. You didn't miss it. It's what got 92% of men to read it. Include "The way of the SEAL" in any title and men will read it. Fighting like a SEAL? I'm in. Think like a SEAL. IN! Eat dinner like a SEAL? Hand me two big fucking forks, RIGHT. NOW. I'm a man. Make me think I can do anything like an elite warrior without having to spend my life training for it, and I'm happily in on the deception. But when you need to title the book with "XXX like a SEAL," chances are the contents are going to be self-deceptive mumbo jumbo. You get to be a SEAL by getting invited to the Naval Special Warfare Training Center.

The second warning is right in the acknowledgements where Divine thanks someone for getting this book published long after he had given up.

The book starts off with some great ideas about creating goals and finding a path to them, but by the midpoint, the author is having visions of mystical warriors coming to him to lead him in some sort of spiritual journey to success. It all sort of falls apart from there.

It's sort of like talking to an immensely interesting someone at a party. And if given only 5 minutes, they would've been the most incredible person you met all year. But the more minutes that ticked by, the more you realized that you mistook interesting for lunacy.

If, more often than not, you find yourself in another cult, this is a book for you. If not, save the time and write out your life goals.

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

First, I want to thank a dear friend for purchasing this book for me from Amazon Kindle. He is a leader and wishes to train and encourage others to be leaders. I am grateful that he sees in me the makings of a leader and was willing to invest in me. Thank you.

As a "leadership book" it is excellent. I found many of the techniques for focusing one's life mission and staying focused to be great. Many I am already doing. My only criticism is that it is a lot of stuff I do not do as a Christian----meditation, yoga, middle eastern mind control techniques, etc...

I suppose for the secular individual that is wandering in life and discouraged this could be a very helpful book. However, as a Christian I believe we have other techniques that scripture outlines to focus our mission in life. Maybe somebody should write a counter book called The Way of the Christian. Many of his points are excellent, but his approach for dealing with them should be handled differently as a Christian. Christians mediate, but we mediate upon God's word rather than fantasizing about how our success will be. Success is in God's hands. It is true that without a vision of the end results it is difficult to get there. However, spending too much time fantasizing about success puts the focus in the wrong place. Success is God's reward, but so is failure.

The Way of the Seal book is written by a former Navy Seal, and I have high respect for these individuals. I can completely understand where he is coming from in the book, and if it were not for my devoted walk with the Lord I could see myself following a lot of his counsel.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still reading this because it takes time. This is not a book to be read in one weekend or even one week. You need to take the time to carefully read each word and take notes and feel the reasoning as it seeps into your brain. The book is a study in how to get focused and create success, not a how-to 'be successful'... anyone can write a how-to be successful book. It takes craft and courage to write a book that demands action, the way this one does.

[Billy · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF

Started well, the author is clearly a successful and interesting guy, but I totally lost interest when he started getting into weird pseudoscience BS later in the book.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know why but I like a lot of the ideas laid out in this book, I think it is because the authors influences (judging from the further reading section at the back) are quite similar to mine.

The only thing that I didn’t particularly like about the book was the “spirituality” language near the middle, being heavily practical person (maybe too much so...) I thought that it was kind of silly, but to each their own...

[Ashley Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent advice for restructuring perspectives that aren't working in your life. The title leads one to believe it might be more "warrior intensive"in style, but it actually a spiritual and thoughtful approach to better living.

[Jess Kang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find it useful as it covers the training from physically to mentally to spiritually. I believe such rigorous training is the way to success.

[Zach · Rating 1 out of 5]

This just wasn’t my thing. No matter how long I read, I couldn’t get behind it.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won a copy of this book from Goodreads and I loved it and still have my autographed copy on my bookshelf.

[Paul King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unleash Your Inner Warrior: A Review of "The Way of the SEAL" by Mark Divine

"The Way of the SEAL" by Mark Divine is not your typical self-help book. Drawing from his experience as a Navy SEAL, Divine provides readers with a unique perspective on leadership, personal development, and achieving peak performance. In this review, we'll explore the key themes and insights from the book, as well as its strengths and weaknesses.

Divine's central thesis is that by adopting the principles of SEAL training—such as discipline, mental toughness, and teamwork—individuals can unlock their full potential and lead more fulfilling lives. Through a combination of practical exercises, real-life anecdotes, and profound insights, Divine guides readers on a transformative journey toward self-mastery and excellence.

One of the strengths of "The Way of the SEAL" is Divine's credibility as a former Navy SEAL. His firsthand experience lends authenticity to his teachings, and he seamlessly integrates lessons from SEAL training into everyday life. Divine also draws on principles from Eastern philosophy and mindfulness practices, offering a holistic approach to personal development.

Divine begins by introducing readers to the concept of the "Unbeatable Mind," which serves as the foundation for his teachings. He then explores seven key principles of the SEAL ethos, including courage, discipline, and mental toughness, providing practical strategies for incorporating these principles into daily routines. Throughout the book, Divine emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, goal-setting, and resilience in overcoming obstacles and achieving success.

While "The Way of the SEAL" offers valuable insights and practical exercises, some readers may find the military terminology and SEAL-specific references to be off-putting or difficult to relate to. Additionally, Divine's emphasis on extreme discipline and relentless pursuit of goals may not resonate with all readers, particularly those seeking a more balanced approach to life.

Overall, "The Way of the SEAL" is a thought-provoking and inspiring read that challenges readers to push beyond their comfort zones and strive for excellence in all areas of life. While not everyone may be cut out for SEAL training, Divine's principles are universally applicable and can benefit anyone seeking to unleash their inner warrior. Whether you're a business leader, athlete, or aspiring entrepreneur, this book offers valuable lessons for achieving success and living with purpose.

[Dalton Harshfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can completely understand why this book was a national bestseller. This book has a lot to offer to the reader. The book is centered on Mark’s training and experience as a Navy Seal. The book tells of his triumphs and failures and how he was able to pull through them. This book gives the reader a reason to find their “purpose” in life. He explains that when people create their “specific foundation” (religion, beliefs, morals, family), that is when we know what we are capable of. Throughout this book Mark explains his struggles and offers insight to the reader about his mistake and his recovery from them. This book offers a great life lesson for those seeking to have a better understanding on how the real world works, and how to survive it. The book can easily be applied to anyone and even has some mental exercises you can do to get a better understanding of what he is talking about. Mark Divine ended the book with the “motto of a warrior”: Know how to win a fight, and know how to lose a fight.
I gave this book 5 out of 5 stars. I gave this book a full 5 out of 5 rating because of how important it is to me. It reassured me that success is not always a good thing, but sometimes a bad thing. Life is a never-ending job, you have to manage your skills, needs, wants, and priorities. Building a foundation that pushes/motivates you is the very core that can increase your life’s worth. Living life without a foundation is like walking down a dark alley with no light. Living without a foundation is scary and unsettling. Without one there’s no moral code or sense of direction. With a foundation comes a clear path on what you feel according to your foundation and morals is the right one.
People who may be interested in this book are people who like to read military books, or like a book where they can apply it to their life. People who like military novels would like this book because of how the author closely depicts and explains his experiences in the Navy. People who enjoy books that they can relate to their lives would like this book because of the life lessons it provides. This book gives plenty of directions into how you can better yourself daily. Not only does this book contains directions on lessons in life, but it also gives exercises for the reader to do so they can self-reflect.

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite a big surprise, expecting to learn about the mental toughness required to spend 6 days and nights (Hell Week) deprived of sleep, in the rain pushing your body to the limits, the book was more about meditation, stoicism, visualisation, higher consciousness, breathing, acceptance... it referered to Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Charlie Munger.

I was very surprised.

What I found less interesting was how the author applied these techniques to win in business as the examples were meaningless to me and fit too conveniently with the preceding text.

I will be reading the Unbeatable Mind next, hopefully this will give more of the interesting insight in to the mind with less business examples.

Some quotes I highlighted:

The ultimate value of life depends upon awareness and the power of contemplation rather than upon mere survival. —ARISTOTLE, GREEK PHILOSOPHER AND POLYMATH (384 BCE–322 BCE)

The art of positive self-talk is simply paying attention to your inner dialogue and directing it toward positive, performance-based language. Most people don’t take the time to sit back and witness their own thoughts, which is an essential step toward realizing that our thoughts are not who we are. They don’t control us. They’re just thoughts. The only power they have is what we give them—what we feed them. Once you create that mental distance between you and your thoughts, you can start to tame and manage them. The DIRECT process will help you accomplish these tasks, but it can be a little clunky in the clutch. So I use another favorite tool when I need to shift my attention quickly. The Native American legend “The Wolves Within” tells of an evil wolf and a good wolf that live inside us, constantly battling for control. Other versions describe the two opposing forces as Fear Dog and Courage Dog, which is what we use at SEALFIT. The lesson is that whichever dog you feed will win the fight. We can’t kill Fear Dog because he’s a part of us—remember, fear is natural and sometimes even useful—but we can weaken his power. Negative thoughts and energy feed Fear Dog, weakening us, leading to performance degradation and poor health. We can lock Fear Dog up and redirect his energy into assertiveness and discipline. Meanwhile, we need to feed Courage Dog. Positive thoughts and energy feed Courage Dog, strengthening the mind, body, and spirit. Feeding Courage Dog makes us more kind, patient, tolerant, powerful, and present. We’ll avoid conflict and become better leaders. We won’t hesitate to lean into the hard tasks; fear won’t control us.

All you have to do is start asking yourself, “What dog am I feeding?

Box Breathing Position yourself in a seated meditation or other comfortable position. Your back should be straight, your chin slightly tucked, gaze soft or eyes closed. Place your hands lightly on your knees and bring your attention to your breath.
• Take a few deep diaphragm breaths slowly, with a four-count inhale followed immediately by a four-count complete exhalation. Repeat this for four rounds as a warm-up.
• Now, begin your Box Breathing practice by taking a four-count breath slowly through your nose. • Hold your breath for a count of four. Concentrate on the quality of the breath and noticing what enters your mind. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the breath.
• Exhale slowly through the nose to a count of four.
• Hold your breath again for a count of four.
Pay attention to the quality of the hold and watch your mind. Repeat this process for a minimum of five minutes and practice it until you can do it for up to twenty minutes at a time. Over time, you can also increase the duration of the inhale, exhale, and hold period. Seek to settle your thoughts and any fidgeting. If a thought arises, just let it go and bring your attention back to the breathing. Use Box Breathing as part of your morning ritual and during the day as “spot training” whenever you have the opportunity—such as when reading e-mail—or when you feel excess stress building up.

Turning Stress Into Success To control your response to stress—whether chronic, low-grade stress such as financial worries or acute, extreme stress such as with combat—you must practice and master a three-stage process. This incorporates the DIRECT process for mental control and emotional resilience (Detect, Interdict, Redirect, Energize, Communicate, and Train) from Principle 2’s Exercises and takes it to the next level by merging it with deep breathing to control your physiological reactions.
Stage 1: As you learned to do with negative thoughts and emotions, practice the DIRECT process to perceive and interdict automatic responses to stressful events as they arise and begin expressing themselves through your mind and body.
Stage 2: Take control and reverse the sympathetic nervous system response with Box Breathing. This will prevent the retriggering of the stress response.
Stage 3: Maintain calm and focus under pressure by continuing to breathe deeply minus the box structure (no need to count or hold your breath in between inhales and exhales) while adding positive self-talk and even a quick mental projection that reinforces your self-esteem or cultivates optimism. The deep, controlled breathing process coupled with positive attention control and imagery will enable you to override any destructive thoughts or emotions sneaking in. Don’t forget to monitor your responses and the language you’re using to keep everything positive and healthy as per our earlier drill. As you practice, you’ll find stress dissipating in the face of improved clarity, focus, and resilience. As you recognize these developments in yourself, you’ll naturally feel more confident, which continues to feed your upward spiral of success.

Hone Your Senses Take a moment to cup your ears and close your eyes. Now just listen and notice what comes up. Your breathing will probably sound like a freight train at first, and you may see images and flashing lights. A moment before you weren’t even aware of these internal things! Think of this training as your personal sensory-deprivation tank. (And if you have access to one of those, by all means use it. In fact, any endeavor that plunges you into deep silence—such as scuba diving, rock climbing, parachuting, or cross-country skiing—will heighten this sensory perception.) In the darkness, without noise or visual references, you can get into a deep state of sensory awareness and mindfulness where everything that goes on internally is a big deal. Next, remove your hands from your ears. Just sit quietly and listen. Jot down what you initially hear . . . then listen more intently. What else do you hear now? Then do it again and yet again. You will note layers upon layers of noises that your brain previously shunted to your subconscious because they were deemed irrelevant. You can repeat this drill for each of your five senses by following a pattern of deprivation and then intently focusing and going deeper into the isolated sense. For example, what do you see when you shut your eyes or are in total darkness? When you open them, what do you see first? When you look more closely, what do you notice?

[David Barrera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Las 5 montañas que tienes que escalar, hablando paradójicamente, son de las formas que Mark Divine te envuelve y te motiva a leer este gran libro, si alguna vez leíste “Tiende tu cama” de William McRaven este libro de “Pensar como los mejores Guerreros” es la mejor versión y con mucho más material, Mark te invita a explorar por medio de cambios significativos en tu rutina, tu manera de pensar, escuchar, actuar y hablar!
Disciplina, Dinamismo y Determinación es la base de construir una nueva persona con un enfoque positivo!
Por medio de la filosofía de trabajo de los Navy Seal te ayuda a encontrar nuevas formas de autocontrol, llegar tu mente y tu cuerpo al límite!
Mark Divine fue comandante de los Navy Seals por 20 años y ahora tiene su academia de formadores y asesor de seguridad!
No existe mejor equipo que los Navy Seals, nadie trabaja mejor que ellos, que su tridente!
“No existe la perfección, pero si el esfuerzo perfecto”
Mark Divine
5⭐️

[David Church · Rating 2 out of 5]

To be completely transparent, I bailed on this book. I have read numerous books by and about Navy SEALs so I have some idea of the principles I expected to get; instead, what greeted me was a series of lessons in Zen. I’m not saying this is bad, but it is not what I was looking for. Plenty of SEALs made it through training without using Zen principles and techniques. I’m sure many people have and will profit from this book, but it might be better titled “The Way of the Zen SEAL.” If you are looking for a more generally applicable mental toughness book by SEALs, I recommend you pick up Extreme Ownership which is one of the best books on leadership and personal development I have ever read.

[Juan Castro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Different approach to basic principles like zen mind and powerful focused visualization plus be physically fit and flexible (let's call it functional). Good advices and go-do guide. It's kind of weird the way the authors always refers to his training camp (sealift boot camp) as if his trying to sell it all the time, but despite of that is a good book. Plus you get the "earn your trident everyday" motto and seal honor code warrior ethos. Good buy.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of very practical applications of leadership that incorporate physical, spiritual, emotional, and physical dimensions. For me, I really enjoyed learning about personal and organizational leadership using Navy Seals lingo and examples but I could see how for some that might be challenging.

All said and done I'm super impressed with Mark Divine. I think what he has managed to accomplish so far in his lifetime is outright amazing. I can't wait to read his other books.

[Brent Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and plan to incorporate the techniques that Mark Divine explains, especially the techniques dealing with the mental side of things which I know is an area where I can improve. This is also a great read for anyone like myself who is fascinated with the Navy SEALs and their culture. Highly recommended!

[Melissa Rozeski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a new perspective for me and I have implemented the daily routines he outlines. It was just what I needed. The book can be a bit over-the-top with it's terminology and tone, but in general I think it mixes mindfulness and becoming truly physically fit well.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read for professionals interested in leadership development. Divine touches on areas of a physical, emotional, institutional and spiritual nature. This isn't just a book for military personnel however, his applications can be used in any area of expertise. I highly recommend it.

[Perry Bhamornsiri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bought this book after reading Jesse Itzler's book, Living with a Seal.
Perfect compliment to really understand how Navy SEALs think and train (to some extent).

The philosophy can be applied to both life and business.

[Paul Ducard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found many parts of Commander Divine's book inspiring and/or thought provoking. I'll have to reread parts of the book in the normal course to keep me sharp.

[Matthew Berkshire · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has a lot of zen meditation techniques and positive visualization. The terms and thinking are best designed for short to mid-term projects, but it was a pretty helpful read.

[Simon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've listened to Mark Divine on a few podcast and always enjoyed listening to him, but this book sucked. I honestly don't know why I bothered finishing it, but I did.

[Chele Hipp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blinkist. Generic personal success advice from the perspective of a Navy seal. Meh.

[Chris Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect book for anyone considering taking control of their mind and life.

[Vance Ostlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review
If you have been wanting a book that can help you find your purpose and become a better leader you have come to the right place. This is a book called The Way of the Seal that was written by Mark Divine. It is a great book read by many from the low-end of the spectrum to the high-end in the business world and outside of it. This book talks about a variety of things ranging from finding your purpose and your morals and where you stand to finding your drive and how to become the best leader you can be.

One thing this book helped to show me about the my world is that I have been trying to think about too many things at once and finding it overwhelming rather than focusing on one task at a time. This is one thing the book goes back to constantly is how to improve on this topic which I find tremendously helpful. I also realized from reading this book that I am too caught up in what others think of me and that in two short years it won’t matter. I think this book serves it’s purpose very well.

This work was meaningful to me because it was recommended to me by the guy who runs the gym i go to. He also struggled with depression as i have been and this book has helped me to find my purpose and where my morals are based. It has been a great help to me. I know this book has influenced me because it has changed many of my views and thoughts of the world. The thing is about this book is that it’s a gradual thing that you would refer to over a long period of time it’s not a book you can speed read.

So to finish it off I would recommend this book to anyone who is trying to find your purpose. Also I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to become a better leader or to someone who struggles to keep a central goal in mind. Overall I would have to say that this is one of the best books I’ve ever read.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

A few good principles, supported by average sub-points, and wrapped in a sales pitch for the author's other projects. Mainly a business book for people who have not read any other self-development / business books.

Principle 1 - Establish your set point - Decide what is important and be willing to make a stand for it
Principle 2 - Develop front-sight focus - Calm your mind, visualize your goal, clearly define the mission, and simply, simply, simplify
Principle 3 - Bullletproof your mission - Use the FITS Process (Fit, Importance, Timing, and Simplicity) to find the proper target at the proper time.
Principle 4 - Do today what others won't - Use your 20x factor (people are capable of 20x more than they think), learn to love the suffering and build discipline, drive, and determination.
Principle 5 - Forge mental toughness - do not respond emotionally, focus your attention, be resilient, set SMART goals.
Principle 6 - Break things - fail forward fast and adapt quickly.
Principle 7 - Build your intuition - increase your awareness, deal with hidden issues, and don't interfere with intuition.
Principle 8 - Think offense all the time - unwavering confidence, look for threats, vary your angle of attack, attack with gusto

[Stephen Wisler · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't really sure if I would be interested in this book. But when I got through the first principle I was hooked! The way the author teaches the reader how to be mentally tough and how to continue to work on that mental toughness is extraordinary. He has so many experiences he talks about where he struggles and learns from his mistakes. Mark Divine is trying to teach the reader these principles to help them through their struggles in life and find their "20x factor". To never give up and push our unknown limits is how we become successful. The author explains simple exercises like meditating and clearing our minds of all conscious thoughts. He talks about digging deep when we feel like we cannot go anymore to exceed our own expectations. Exercises like creating our own mind dojo and fending off all bad thoughts that pop into our brain. Mark's experiences, mind exercises, and teamwork exercises have really shown me how to feel better about myself and to never settle until I have tried my absolute hardest. I recommend this book to anyone who is trying to find who they really are and to anyone who is willing to push the limits to get the most out of life.

[HonnoMushi Co · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hi Booklovers,

I read business books, and I read, as I like to call them.. "Champion" books.
When those two combine as well as croissants and Paris do, it's a BOSS book for me. This, ... is a BOSS book.

Mark Divine offers deep , effective, honest (and simple) techniques to reach your (lifetime) goals.
He builds his book on the following (best part in this book for me): Make a stand and find your purpose.
This part holds who you are with so much intent: beliefs, values, morals, character traits, strong suits, improvement-starting-points, your vision : it is basically your ME-compass.

Mark Divine gives you the tools to help you start from your stand, ensure your actions are at any given point still working in favor of your mission, to evaluate and to recognize where (re)defining is needed, so you are always moving towards your goals.

It will take work, time, patience, resillience. But as Mark Divine said: ‘Embrace the suck.' ;)

with love, HonnoMushi.co
April-2024

[🤓🌶️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

By now I have become a complete Navy SEAL fan, one can say, I am almost biased to express an objective opinion. However, this fact doesn’t make it less true of the value this book brings.
Practical approaches through a set of principles is very well laid out, explained and backed up by legitimate examples.
There are few instances where I question certain statements, but i can honestly say this book gives the opportunity to everyone who welcomes the military way of living the daily life, without serving in the actual military, become a Navy SEAL of their own life. In my opinion, earning the Trident everyday for yourself, alone makes it as an exciting of a concept as it can get for guidelines of daily life.
I would have given 5-stars to the book, if there weren’t instances that made me question author’s facts and perspectives.
I recommend this book to as many people as possible, especially who value the concept of self-mastery, team work and serving the greater good.