Ch07: Stand Up to the Bullies
*These are just my thoughts and summary, all in my own words regarding this topic so I may omit some information that was taught in this book or course.
In this chapter we learn a lesson of having the courage to face fears from all kinds of intimidation so that we may be free from any limitation that they may impose on us.
Admiral McRaven takes us to the time when he and his swimming buddy, Marc were swimming in the open ocean for 4 miles in the middle of the night as part of their SEAL training. On top of the cold and harsh environment of the ocean, before the swim, the SEAL instructors warned them of the sharks, especially the great whites that may lurk around the waters off San Clemente Island.
While Admiral McRaven admits that swimming alone at night with the high possibility of great white sharks surrounding them in the middle of the ocean can be a daunting task, but he and Marc really wanted to become a SEAL so bad that nothing will get in the way of achieving their goal.
They believed so much in the honor and nobility in being a SEAL unit that they're willing to do whatever it takes to make it despite the fears and intimidation that might face them. The Admiral says that courage is a necessity, and "Without it (courage), others will define your path forward. Without it, you are the mercy of life's temptations. Without courage, men will be ruled by tyrants and despots. Without courage, no great society can flourish. Without courage, the bullies of the world rise up. With it, you can accomplish any goal. With it, you can defy and defeat evil."   
The story then transitions to when they had Saddam Hussein locked up in cell as prisoner of war by the United States. Admiral McRaven at this time had let the new Iraqi leaders visit the former tyrant in his cell. The Admiral then describes the interaction between the new leaders and Saddam. By their body language, he noticed that the new leaders were still intimidated by the Saddam, even though he's behind the bars and no longer in power.
With the U.S. forces are the ones that attempted and succeeded in toppling down Saddam Hussein, Admiral McRaven says that, "No one in Iraq had mustered the courage to challenge the tyrant." He continues with, "If the purpose of the meeting was to show Saddam was no longer in power-it had failed. In those brief moments, Saddam had managed to intimidate and frighten the new regime leadership." Admiral McRaven then instructed his guards to isolate the former Iraqi president and ordered them not to speak with with Saddam. Everday, the Admiral visited his prison cell, and everyday Saddam attempted to speak with him, but the Admiral just gestures him to sit down and shows that Saddam is no longer in power to intimidate anyone. Admiral McRaven says that bullies of all kinds are all the same. To wrap it up he says, "They thrive on fear and intimidation. Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks that sense fear in the water. They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don't find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance."
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*These are just my thoughts and summary, all in my own words regarding this topic so I may omit some information that was taught in this book or course.
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Rapid Intake Summaries: Make Your Bed
Ch01: Start Your Day with a Task Completed
Ch02: You Can't Go It Alone Ch03: Only the Size of Your Heart Matters Ch04: Life's Not Fair - Drive On! Ch05: Failure Can Make You Stronger Ch06: You Must Dare Greatly Ch07: Stand Up to The Bullies Ch08: Rise to the Occasion Ch09: Give People Hope Ch10: Never, Ever Quit! BUY THE RAPID INTAKE SUMMARIES: MAKE YOUR BED EBOOK
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More from Admiral William H. McRaven   
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