Growing up, I had aspirations of becoming a Navy Seal. I had a notebook that I would constantly turn to and write pros and cons for pursuing this elite position. "It's patriotic, it's something only a select few are mentally capable of, and it's something I truly believe I can do given proper direction." I have read numerous military texts, ranging from spec op missions like the "Lone Survivor" to my all-time favorite, "The Gates of Fire." It wasn't until reading this last text that I realized the more latent trends of war. The trend of what separates a soldier who possesses mental fortitude and the willingness to die for the cause, from the man who fights as a craven. In "The Gates of Fire," the entire novel you are awaiting the answer that the Spartans of Lakedaimonia are perplexed by: What is the opposite of fear? I believe that understanding the motives and ethos of these insurmountable warriors provides wisdom that can be applied in our lives today.
Leonidas -- the king of the Spartans in 480 B.C. when the 300 Spartans and their Greek coalition made the epic last stand against King Xerxes' men -- deciphered two types of valor. The first is the valor of a lion. These were the men who were grotesque in their fighting -- killing through the channeled rage that percolated from their hate for the enemy and their desire for asserting dominance.
This is how King Xerxes led his men. He was inert, feckless and disengaged when instructing his men for battle. He wanted his soldiers' blood to run cold with hatred for the Greeks. Furthermore, his men fought out of fear. Fear of the fighting force that began rigorous training at 7 years old; fear of the force that fought with symbiosis beyond compare. But most notably, a fear of failing their sovereign king. This valor and motivation in the form of fear is static, instilling a mindset that killing is what you do to survive. Hunt or be hunted. A lion isn't mindful during the killing process. They do it because they are conditioned to do so and because it's how they survive. So then if fighting out of fear of death is the lesser driving force, what kind of valor could be more formidable than the king of the jungle?
While the Spartans knew that such an incredible display of mental and physical fortitude would cement their names in history for thousands of years, the reason why this came to be so was because of fears opposite, love. Phobos versus philos. Fear, as I stated, was a conditional driving force for the men fighting for Persia. Love is unconditional, it ignites and energizes in ways that fear wilts and curtails. The Spartans were fighting for the love of their country. They were fighting for the love they had for the brothers standing at their flank. The love they had for their wives, children and neighbors back home in Sparta. This type of valor they summed up to be that of a mother. The type of valor that was displayed when the mother could remain solemn as she watched her husband and sons march off into battle, expecting to never see them again. Think of the lion again.
An even more intrinsic mindset that lions possess is the protection of their cubs. When I went to South Africa a few years ago, I stayed with my uncle on his reserve in Kruger National Park. As a game ranger who understood his country's animals like no textbook could ever divulge, he told about a time when there was a lion cub in his backyard a few months back. He told me that if the lioness saw him going into his backyard to try and liberate the cub, he risked becoming a victim of the most defensive act in mother nature, the protection of a child.
What makes a true warrior on or off the battlefield is not physical. No level of dexterity or strength can compare to the motive behind why you fight your battle. The reason why only around 200 of the 1,000 Seal prospects make it through to the end of training is not because they are more keen physically and a better shot, but because of the hardships they are willing to endure for the love of our country. Training is designated to make the potential Seals fail, the true test lies in how they respond to the failure. As absurd as it may sound, it is up to you to choose love over fear. Love and fear cannot coexist at the same moment. I love my family, and every day I awake grateful for what they have provided for me. Because of this, I work as hard as I can in and out of school because of this love that is motivating me in my life. I don't work out of the fear of letting my mother and father down in life, I work because I love every moment of it. Next time you take on a task, refrain from doing it reluctantly. With confidence and an attitude molded by love, I guarantee your results will surpass the status quo.
