A Navy SEAL's Secret for Pushing Yourself Way Beyond Your (Supposed) Limits

Ever heard of the 40% rule. Apparently, it's the rule used by Navy Seals that states that when you think you've hit your limit, you've only reached 40% of your limit. It's the mental ideal that Seals use to accomplish the impossible by regular human standards.

The 40 percent rule
It's all well and good to tell people they are capable of accomplishing way more than they believe they are, but when the going gets tough, vague reassurances probably aren't going to count for much. That's why Itzler's unusual houseguest offered something more specific than empty encouragement. He taught Itzler the Navy SEALs' "40 percent rule." (Spoiler alert: He also made him do a lot of pull-ups to illustrate it.)

"He would say that when your mind is telling you you're done, you're really only 40 percent done," Itzler explains. "And he had a motto: If it doesn't suck, we don't do it. And that was his way of every day forcing us to get uncomfortable to figure out what our baseline was and what our comfort level was and just turning it upside down."

It turns out that the 40 percent rule is why so many people are able to finish marathons. When you hit that wall, you're really only 40 percent through your stores of energy and determination. When your body complains, your will still has a lot to give. And as the success rate of runners makes clear, that's true of just about everyone.

That's handy to know if you suddenly feel like your legs are going to fall off at mile 18 of a marathon, but it's a truth that can have a huge impact even if long-distance running really isn't your thing. Whenever life puts a challenge in your path and you feel like you're on the edge of giving up, you can lean on the SEALs' 40 percent rule to remind you that your apparent limits really aren't.

I think ATS wouldbe interested in this little tid-bit of information. I think I'll start applying this rule right now. In some ways we all apply this rule whenever we push ourselves however, applying it as the 40% rule adds another dimension in my opinion. What says ATS?

www.inc.com...

You push for that extra 40%
I'll watch while I eat my popcorn

a reply to: VoidHawk
You mean extra 60 percent? If total is 100 percent, and you've reached 40 percent, well then 100-40=60.

What if we just push it? Push it real good.

It really is amazing what a human is capable of. I suspect it's the whole point of torturing someone psychologically, because once the minds gone so too is the body. Endurance is mostly the mental will and corresponding adrenaline.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus


What if we just push it? Push it real good.

Salt n Pepa already did...........

a reply to: Tiamat384

No I mean 150%.

I can run 10 miles. If I run 40% of my max = 4miles.

I have 150% left = 6miles.

originally posted by: Tiamat384
a reply to: VoidHawk
You mean extra 60 percent? If total is 100 percent, and you've reached 40 percent, well then 100-40=60.

Thanks for catching that. Yeah, the term is that when you think you've hit your limit, you're only 40% done. So, you would be pushing for that extra 60%. However, the name is the 40% rule.

How can something instantly get stuck in a damn head?! Sheesh, thanks man.



a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

a reply to: lostbook
You need a decent amount of willpower to push anywhere beyond that 40 percent then.

a reply to: ringdingdong
In a way that makes sense. But then we could make sense of Numerology if we really wanted too, so I guess it doesn't matter

a reply to: Tiamat384

It's called lateral thinking, not hocus pocus.

a reply to: DuckforcoveR
Imagine what my wife has to go through with me...

a reply to: ringdingdong
Hocus pocus? Um...150% of the original amount would 15 miles. Ok...you can do 10 miles. You defined that as your limit(100%). And the 40% that can be relatively easily done is 4 miles. So you don't take the percentage of the remainder in comparison to the 40% (6 to 4), you take the total and multiply it by .6. Um, but then you're a troll, or are behaving as one so I assume that is lost on you. Good day to you.

a reply to: Tiamat384

Not a troll, you just have issues thinking clearly. Not my deal. Obviously numerology is hocus pocus.

If you have gone through 40%, you have 150% left what you've traveled so far. You're actually using the remainder, not I.

a reply to: ringdingdong
Um...but the point isn't to find how much the remainder is in comparison to that which is completed. Have your read my last reply, or the OP? I can think quite clearly. Funny to make such attacks. And yes numerology is baloney. Most here agree with that.

a reply to: Tiamat384

Why not? I read the OP and your reply. You were at one point, now at the next, and reassess. That's how it's stated. How much do you have left at that point? 6 miles, or 150%

Anyways, this is pointless. You don't get it. Enjoy your evening.

a reply to: ringdingdong
If you look...the OP agrees with my statement...therefore I must have understood it, but yes I agree. If you can not understand, I would rather not have to deal with the likes of you.

So all this time when I was full after eating an extra large pizza I actually had space for one and a half more pizza in there thank you! I will try this soon...

originally posted by: Indigent
So all this time when I was full after eating an extra large pizza I actually had space for one and a half more pizza in there

thank you! I will try this soon...

I have already realized this potential and made it . Now working on raising that bar. And also , spaghetti .