Not too long ago, I had the honor of speaking with Richard “Mack” Machowicz about his Navy career, his amazing book, website, and his new radio show. Mack is a Navy SEAL who spent 10 years with SEAL Teams One and Two. He also served as a Naval Special Warfare Scout and Sniper, as well as a Naval Special Warfare Combat Fighting Instructor. With his extensive knowledge of martial arts training and several black belts, Mack created a hybrid self-protection system called Bukido. Mack is possibly most well known as a familiar face as the Host and Producer of Discovery Channel’s show, Future Weapons, and Spike TV’s, Deadliest Warrior. And, Mack’s newest venture is his very popular radio show, “The Mack Show“, which airs from 6:00-9:00am daily on AM 700 KSEV The Voice of Texas.

CREATING AN ACTION MINDSET

Mack and his wife, Mandy, run an amazing site called “NDCQ.com” which stands for “Not Dead Can’t Quit”. “Not Dead Can’t Quit” is a mantra Mack came up with during his Navy SEAL BUD/S training. Mack calls it a “Verbal Command Request” and uses it to harness the power of the inner voice. He says you have a constant internal dialogue going and it’s important to have some short and succinct commands you can give yourself when the going gets tough. These simple commands are what drive you to keep moving forward toward your goals, persevering through difficult times, and getting things done when you “don’t feel like it”. Creating an Action Mindset is about taking the knowledge you have learned and putting it into action. Part of the Warrior Mindset is mastering self-discipline. People always want the easy way out, but to succeed requires effort and hard work. If it’s something that you really want, you have to be willing to pay the price for it with your diligent hard work and perseverance.

He says don’t overcomplicate it. Keep it short and simple so you can remember it when you need it. Some great examples of Verbal Command Requests are “Move Froward”, “Be Patient”, “Breathe”, “Show Up”. Mack says don’t be afraid to add the word “please” to the request as well. He says when you insert the word “please”, you and everyone else have a better chance of actually listening to what you’re saying. Your inner dialogue determines the direction and the choices you make.

Mack says it’s important to learn self-discipline and understand how to command and control yourself. He says to work hardest on yourself before you start trying to change other people. Self discipline is the key to getting things done.
It’s also helpful to write down your goals. It forces you to think about them, plan for them, and prepare for each goal. View your goals as “targets”as you think about and plan for each one. It takes times to accomplish a big goal, so break it down into smaller targets along the way. Focus on the thing you have to do right now that will get you closer to your ultimate goal. Succeed with that target before you attempt to focus on the next one. Focus on the moment right now before you try to think about the moment after that and the moment after that.

If you want to change your life, change it, one moment at a time. And, realize that it costs something and you have to pay the price. Things that are valuable, whether they are physical objects or states of being, or accomplishments; they cost something. There is a price to pay for their attainment. Don’t pretend that you want to reach a goal badly if you are not willing to pay the price for it’s achievement. Nothing happens until you hit the target in front of you, then you can go for the next target. But remember, you have to pay the price (hard work) to be successful in any endeavor, whether it’s losing weight, building a business, forging a relationship. You can waste it or you can make it what you want it to be – earn it and pay the price one action at a time.

CREATE AN ACTION MINDSET

Assess the situation, create a plan, take action, and evaluate your progress. An important factor in conquering something is knowing what your true target or outcome is. Take a moment to assess the situation. What is it that you are truly trying to accomplish? If your goal is to put dinner on the table, it can be achieved in several different ways. You may only be thinking about how you have to go to the grocery store, when the reality is, you could eat leftovers, you could order food, you could go out to eat. No matter which of those options you choose, the end result is the same; you put dinner on the table. Focus on the end result that you want. Then study your options to get that result. Be flexible in your approach and you may realize there are other options you weren’t aware of before. Create a plan from your options and take action. Of course, “taking action” is the most important step in creating the outcome you desire.

Mack says that no matter what your long term goal is, there will be other short term targets between you and the final result you seek. You must use “systematic observation” to identify those smaller targets in your way. Knock those down first. While it’s important to focus on one target at a time, you don’t necessarily only have to have one target at a time. Often, you may have a target that cannot be completed until something else is completed first, or someone else does what they have to do. Only then can you proceed. Sometimes it requires a little more patience on the way to your deadline when you are not in control of all aspects of your target. Always evaluate your actions along the way. Keep the things that worked for you and get rid of the ones that didn’t.

CONQUER ANYTHING

It’s important to focus on the fundamentals, but at the same time be flexible. Which activity will make you feel better, which will choice (weapon) should you choose now? You should pick the one that will best move you forward toward your goals. When learning the basics on how to get to your goal, break down the information into smaller chunks that you can easily absorb. You will have to employ patience otherwise you can easily overwhelm yourself. Be open to learning in new ways. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, even of yourself. You want to make sure that you fully have a grasp on the material you learn. Concentrate on the task at hand and hone your focus. Master the basics first. Once you have the basic learning in place and you are able to focus with intensity, then you are able to develop consistency.

When you have the fundamentals mastered, it gives you the ability to act and react from instinct. Once you employ your drive and true intent toward knocking down the target, you bring an intensity you would otherwise not possess. Once your true intentions and your intensity are aligned, you become unstoppable. It is easy to see what your true intentions are, by the actions you take and the results (or lack thereof) that you produce. If you aren’t getting the results you think you want, go back and really examine your intentions.

MASTER YOUR WEAPONS

To learn more about Richard Machowicz or Not Dead Can’t Quit, please visit his site at: NDCQ.com.