What can motivate humans to achieve the extraordinary? This article tries to find out by examining the experience of 12 volunteers who decided to spend a month training like the legionnaires. For generations, the French Foreign Legion has been romanticized as a refuge for men seeking a second chance in life. But what is the Legion really like? Recently, I watched a television series on the UK ITV Channel 4 in which explorer Bear Grylls and 11 other volunteers headed to the searing heat and scorching sand of the Sahara desert to find out. They attempted to endure a month at a camp that replicated the Legion's own basic training. The French Foreign Legion was formed in 1831 as a mercenary army to fight France's colonial wars in Africa. You couldn't join if you were French. The Legion gave recruits a new identity with no questions asked. It drew men from all walks of life from criminals to old Etonians. Nowadays, it is a modern fighting force of 8 thousand men who train in the South of France. Men sign on for 5 years minimum. However, North Africa is still regarded as its spiritual home. There are recruits from 136 nations in the legion. Their common language is French The Legion is still a legendary force famous for heroism and endurance. Members of the Legion were first motivated to join by their desire to escape their past or by their wish to be part of a legend. But what kept them motivated when they realised they had landed themselves in some kind of hell for five years? What can keep the rest of us motivated when we realize we have bitten off more than we can chew? Maybe we can learn from the lessons experienced by Bear Grylls and the eleven volunteers who had one month of hell in front of them They were yelled at in French from word go. However, Sgt Chef Peter Hauser made some concessions to television and spoke in English at times: "It will be for you the hardest month of your life but at the end of it you will be better; you will be stronger. From this moment, don't think anymore. Just do what we tell you to do." The Sergeant Chef then gave a sample of what he meant. He shouted out: "Passu! Debout! Passu! Debout!" He pointed downwards when he shouted "Passu!" and pointed up when he shouted "Debout!" He spoke fast without hesitation. The temperature was over 40 degrees and getting hotter. However, the men did not hesitate to obey orders. They flung themselves to the ground (passu) and then stood up (debout) with enthusiasm mixed with fear. If we had the same control over ourselves as the Sergeant Chef had over the men, we would achieve much more than we do. We would not waste time getting out of bed slowly for a start. "Debout!" Just stand up and get going! We would not hesitate to do what we did not feel like doing. We would not think; we would simply act. We could learn to shout continuous and rapid commands to ourselves in our own brains so that we would not leave any space for doubts and excuses and fears to slow us down. We could also be affirming in our minds that we are getting better and stronger. Later, Sergeant Glenn Ferguson, a combat veteran and ex-legionnaire took over. He was from America but had fully embraced the language and spirit of the Legion. He had a fierce pride in having been a legionnaire. "Ne regard pas! Don't look at me! You don't have the right to look at me. I am here to break you. This is what you want. This is why you came. I need men not a bunch of screaming women cos they got hurt feet; because their knees hurt; because their arms hurt; because their back hurts Behind me is a bell if you're tired and you want to go home because you miss your mommy; because you miss your girlfriend; you will ring the bell and you can go home but you will have to spend 24 hours in jail as agreed. We don't want whiners we don't want losers; those that do not give 110 percent." Sergeant Ferguson teaches the concept of pride. Slackers and non-achievers do not deserve even to look at the achievers until they too have faced and overcome the same obstacles and privations. He also teaches us not to give in because we feel pain. I experienced the sore feet he mentions when I was about 17 years old. My friend and I foolishly decided to walk around the TT motorcycle race course in the Isle of Man. We were young and stupid and wore gym shoes! The course was about 36 miles long. Our feet gradually swelled up and were painful. Temptation came in the form of a kind driver who offered us a lift about 5 miles from the end of the course. Our pride kept us going and we turned down the offer and walked to the end. We felt like heroes but could barely walk for a week. Sometimes you need to ignore the pain to achieve your objective. Sergeant Glenn taught a great lesson on how to think of pain. He spoke to one of the volunteers who was holding the press up position: "Do you know every man has his breaking point?" "Oui! Sergeant." "Do you realise I can make you stay in this position for hours?" "Oui! Sergeant." "Do you know what pain is? Pain is weakness leaving your body?" "Pain is weakness leaving the body!" What a great thought to hold in your mind when you are in pain. When I studied Kung Fu under Tony Leung from Hong Kong, we would spend half an hour in a horse stance (standing as if we were sitting on a very wide horse) until our legs shook with the pain and the strain. A thought like "Pain is weakness leaving your body" would have helped. We can learn at least three great motivational lessons from the above. Don't think; just do. Empty your mind of everything except your next action. Give yourself urgent,no-nonsense commands. Have pride in the person you can become by ignoring whatever is hurting. Become strong by telling yourself that pain is weakness leaving your body! If you would like an acronym to help you to remember these lessons (and all great lessons are well worth remembering) make up your own or try this one: DIP (D for Do - I for Ignore the parts that hurt - P for Pain is weakness leaving your body) |
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