First Man In: Leading from the Front

Blame yourself.

Keep your doubts to yourself. Especially in times of pressure, the most important thing a team requires of its leader is certainty.

The IED went off over by the south wall of the compound. That’s where his arms and legs are. His torso is on the roof.’

Winning battles is often about timing.

Pain isn’t telling you what to do. Pain is asking you a question. All you have to do is say no.

I walked back into the accommodation and noticed that four beds were now empty. It had begun.

Don’t be intimidated by all the people you have to beat to get to the top.

Never allow the mistake to win. We all make them. It’s allowing that mistake to take you over that’s the real problem. When you make a mistake you should accept that it’s happened, push all the self-recriminations aside and calmly make a new plan.

negativity is an obsessive distraction.