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Published on:

7th Nov 2024

Forge Your Willpower: Spartan & Special Ops Secrets To Self-Discipline

00:00:00 Self Discipline: The Spartan and Special Operations Way to Mastering Yourself

00:02:01 The Spartans and Special Operations

00:04:21 The Agoge system

00:16:06 The Special Operations Units

00:19:29 Special Forces Training


Self Discipline: The Spartan and Special Operations Way to Mastering Yourself By: Ryan Hunt


Hear it Here - https://bit.ly/SelfDisciplineHunt


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DZ1MG8BDescription:


Are you tired of

feeling weak-willed and undisciplined? Do you dream of achieving more

and reaching your full potential? This video dives deep into the

legendary self-discipline of the Spartans and elite Special Operations

units.

Transcript
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You want to wake up early in the morning to be more productive but you

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always end up pressing that snooze button on your alarm. You want to stop

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buying things that you don’t really need but you always find yourself maxing

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out your credit card. You want to lose weight and just become a healthier

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individual but you just cannot stop yourself from ordering at a nearby fast

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food. You really think you need to go to the gym and get in shape but you

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just find it so hard to spend an extra hour to exercise especially after work.

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Everything just feels so difficult to do.

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You know what you need? Self-discipline. And the good thing is you are not

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alone in this constant battle against temptations and impulses. Misery does

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love company. A lot of people suffer from the same predicament. They

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always have the best goals and objectives to make them successful in life

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but they always end up not doing it.

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Lucky for you, this book will be your companion and ally in your daily

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struggles of resisting temptations. It will tell you all about how inspiring and

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amazing groups of people, such as the Spartans and Special Operations

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Units, practiced self-discipline in order for them to achieve their goals and

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complete their missions. If you feel like giving up, always remember that

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these strong people had to face more difficult challenges but their discipline

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never wavered.

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This book will not only teach you how the Spartans and Special Operations

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Units trained that shows how they become the epitome of self-disciplined

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individuals, but also the science and psychology of self-discipline and how

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you can improve it to become successful in life.

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26 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:01,880

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The Spartans and Special Operations Unit

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29 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,120 If you are searching for someone to look up to when it comes to improving

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your self-discipline, you can choose between the Spartans and the different

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special operations units, or you can choose both since both groups of men

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have exemplary self-discipline and willpower.

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The Spartans

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Sparta was an ancient Greek society that placed high value on its military

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prowess, with boys starting military training at the young age of 7. When

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Sparta defeated Athens, its rival city-state in the Peloponnesian War, it

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became one of the most powerful cities during its time. This can be

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attributed to the fact that the Spartan culture was mainly focused on military

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service and loyalty to the state. At the age of 7, young boys start their

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military training sponsored by the state. The followed the Agoge system

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which puts emphasis on endurance, duty, courage, obedience, and of

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course, discipline.

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Although there was no need for Spartan women to undergo military training

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like men, they were still highly athletic and physically strong. They were also

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more educated and enjoyed independence and higher status than the rest of

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women in Greece.

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Since men in Sparta spent all their lives training for the military to serve the

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state, and later on become professional soldiers, all manual labors that are

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necessary for the survival of any society were assigned to the Helots, a slave

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class in the city. Another group of people who lived in the city were the

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Perioeci, which literally means “dwellers-around”. These were the people

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who were neither professional soldiers nor slaves, and worked as traders

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and craftsmen. They were also the ones responsible for building the

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weapons used by the Spartan soldiers. This division in the society only

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shows that the state did not want its soldiers to be distracted by other

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things. They only wanted them to focus solely on their military training,

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which is no wonder why the Spartans, up to now, are known for their

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military strength.

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The Agoge system

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As mentioned previously, the Spartans followed a rigorous education system

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called the Agoge system which was mainly centered on self-control, courage,

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obedience, and endurance, to name a few. The word ‘agoge’ literally means

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‘rearing’ in English. Agoge was a controversial education system even during

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the ancient times because of how rigorous and intensive it was. However, it

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was a requirement for all Spartans for them to receive Spartan citizenship.

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The main goal of the agoge system was to have brave and strong soldiers

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who can protect the state in times of adversity.

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Unlike other Greek states, public education was provided by the Spartan

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government. Young children, both males and females, should complete said

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education, although they were taught and trained in different manners. Only

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the royal heirs were exempted from this requirement.

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To understand more about the Agoge system, here is a brief outline.

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● Birth to 7 years of age

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The Agoge values were instilled in the minds of the Spartans as early as

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infancy. After birth, the mother will bathe the infant in wine because they

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believed that wine will make a child strong. The infant had to undergo

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inspection by the elders of the city, called the ​Gerousia, t​ o determine

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whether the child is healthy and strong. They only wanted healthy and

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strong babies. If the infant passed the inspection with flying colors, he will

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be sent back home with his parents. If the elders found any kind of birth

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defect or deformity or signs that the baby will grow up weak, the parents

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had to abandon the baby at once. These babies were left to die alone or

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were rescued by strangers. Some even said that weak babies were thrown

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off a cliff, while others claimed that the babies were left alone on the cliff

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and if they survived, it means they were worthy to become a Spartan.

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Growing up, children were not cuddled and showered with TLC, which is

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what modern parents do to their children. Spartan children experienced

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tough love from their parents. Instead of bathing them with warm water, the

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children were bathed in wine. Instead of picking them up when they started

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to cry, the babies were often ignored. Instead of reading them children’s

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stories and singing them lullabies, the Spartan parents started to plant the

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seeds of the Agoge system in the minds of their young ones, telling them

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that they are not worthy of becoming a Spartan if they do not become the

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strongest and bravest men who can protect their city. Children were also

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taught that fear is a sign of weakness. This extreme parenting approach was

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known far and wide in ancient Greece, which is why elite families outside

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Sparta would often hire Spartan women to become caretakers of their

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children.

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● Age 7 to 20

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Officially, the Agoge system starts when a young boy turns 7, unlike today

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when kids are expected to leave their homes at the age of 18. When they

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start the Agoge system, they become under complete control of the

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government because the training and education is financed by the state. The

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boys were sent in groups and they had to live with a group of older men who

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will serve as their mentors.

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The children were housed in a dormitory and were educated in a communal

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barracks. The subjects ranged from academic and sports to hunting and

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warfare. Their education is military-oriented because they are basically

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grooming the children to become soldiers.

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When the boys reached the age of 12, they were given only one piece of

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clothing item, specifically a red cloak that they have to use no matter what

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the weather conditions were. The reason behind this was that they would be

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able to withstand even the harshest of weather conditions without being

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dependent on clothing, which would turn them into tough soldiers. They

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should also be barefoot when doing any kind of sports or physical activities

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such as gymnastics. Their food was also strictly rationed, much stricter than

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in modern-day prison because the Agoge system used hunger and thirst to

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promote self-discipline. You might think this is a little too much and can be

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considered inhumane in today’s standards. However, keep in mind that the

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intention was not to torture these children or to give them a difficult life but

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to prepare them for when they become full-fledged soldiers and scarcity of

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water and food while in a battle is a common occurrence. Feeding them less

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also makes their bodies leaner and more fit to endure hard physical

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activities.

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Young Spartan boys were also taught to make their own bed—literally. They

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had to get the materials such as straws and reeds from the banks of the

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Eurotas river without using a knife. Another interesting thing about the

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Agoge system is that the boys were encouraged to steal as long as they

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don’t get caught. If they are caught, they were given severe punishments.

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This helps develop stealth that can prove useful when it becomes necessary

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to steal supplies and provisions from the enemy.

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To bring out the toughness of these young boys, the elders in the barracks

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instigated fights among the young students. Whoever loses will be made fun

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of and ridiculed because they were seen as weak and cowardly. In fact,

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some records show that every year, adolescent students had to undergo an

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endurance test where many died. To honor those students who successfully

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passed the test, they were given wreaths, a symbol of victory in Greece in

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the olden times.

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Do not think that the Agoge system is all about physical strength and

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discipline. Other areas that were taught to the students include reading,

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writing, history, singing, dancing, war poems, and literature. They were

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even required to study the works of Homer. This makes it a little similar to a

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typical modern-day education system.

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When the boys reach the age of 18, they begin serving in the Spartan Army

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as military reserves. There are some who became members, specifically

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spies, of the Secret Police force of Sparta. They had to spy on the Helots, or

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the slave class, and report them to the authority if they are doing something

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against the government. They were also licensed to kill.

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● Age 20 to30

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The Agoge training officially ends when the male students turn 20 years of

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age. At this point when they were already considered as adults, they became

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official members of the Spartan Army and they had to undergo professional

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military training under the army.

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The men had to become a member of a ​syssitia,​ a military-style mess where

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they had to undergo training for war. The members of the mess, who were

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also Spartans, had to elect members from the newcomers. Aside from

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military training, the ​syssitia ​is also involved in the granting of citizenship. It

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is extremely important for the student to be elected and become a part of a

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mess if he wants to secure Spartan citizenship. The election all depends on

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the unanimous votes of the old members. When a man becomes a citizen of

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Sparta, he would be able to do things that non-citizens did not have the

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right to do such voting, marrying, and running for public office. Some

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soldiers married before the completion of the training, meaning before the

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age of 30, but they were banned from living in the same house as their wife.

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It was possible to not get elected into a mess. Men who were still not

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members of a mess even after 10 years of completing the Agoge, they

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would not be able to secure citizenship.

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The military training in the ​syssitia ​ends when a man reaches the age of 30.

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But a Spartan man had to be a soldier until retirement at the age of 60, or

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until the day he dies.

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Education for females

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Unlike other cities in Greece, Spartan women were highly educated.

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Although the State also sponsored their education, it was not as demanding

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and as rigorous as the education for boys, although focus was also on the

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military. If boys were groomed to become soldiers, girls were trained to

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become mothers of a true Spartan soldier. They did not need to go to a

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dormitory away from their family. They lived with their parents while

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attending school. They had subjects that would make them physically strong

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such as gymnastics, sports, and dancing. If they were strong physically,

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they would also be strong enough to give birth to strong babies. They were

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also taught subjects about war and combat.

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Females were also trained to help male students in their military training.

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What kind of help, you ask. The girls motivated the boys to do their best by

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teasing, humiliating, and ridiculing them in public if they were not

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performing well during a physical activity such as sports or exercising. The

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girls would create a list of the men who they thought were underperforming,

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so that they could shame and humiliate them to motivate them to be and do

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better. They were also taught typical school subjects such as poetry, history,

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and music.

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At the age of 20, the education of girls would be officially completed, and

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they were then expected to find a partner to marry. They were encouraged

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to find mates who were physically strong and courageous who could in turn

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help them bring out a future Spartan warrior into the world. Marriage was

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not seen as a union of two individuals who were in love, but rather as a way

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to produce warriors who are brave and strong and who can protect the State

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from enemies and invasion.

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As what can be observed, the Spartans had a do-or-die approach when it

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comes to their education and training, and also in everything they did.

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Mediocrity was not tolerated. It’s either they were the best soldiers or they

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had to leave. You are probably thinking right now that the Agoge system is

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too much and is kind of extreme especially in these modern times. However,

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you have to understand that the period when they lived was very different

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from today. It was a turbulent time where battles and invasions were a

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common occurrence in their daily lives. And if they were ill-prepared, they

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would not have a chance at all. Although the entire approach is no longer

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suitable to today’s standards, you can still learn a lot from how the Spartans

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trained their soldiers, especially when it comes to developing self-discipline

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and willpower.

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The Special Operations Units

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Today, what comes close to the Spartan way of training is the training of the

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Special Operations Units or Special Forces. Some examples of this elite

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group are the Special Air Service (SAS), Navy Seals, Green Berets, Special

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Boat Service (SBS), and US Marine Raiders. They are involved in high profile

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operations which is why their training is also more demanding than the

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regular military troops.

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In any military setting, discipline and obedience are an integral part of their

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day to day work routine if they want to successfully accomplish their

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missions. Following each and every step is crucial because it affects not only

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the entire military operations but also the civilians. Soldiers are taught to be

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obedient to authority and regulations at all times and also to always observe

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strict self-discipline that will result in excellent performance, which means

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minimizing dangers to both the soldiers and the civilians.

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Military discipline and self-discipline

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Soldiers were taught to be disciplined and obedient. They had to follow

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authority, commands, and rules without question. If they question the

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authority, then it becomes a problem. To be considered well-disciplined, the

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team has to follow orders whether they like it or not, and no matter how

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unpleasant and dangerous the task at hand is. Total compliance is required

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to achieve efficiency within the organization. Disorganization and

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disobedience in the team is dangerous and can put the lives of the other

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group members at risk. The survival of the military groups and special forces

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units depend a lot on the obedience of the team to a centralized command

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and the self-discipline of each and every member.

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Military self-discipline is achieved when the soldier starts to see himself as

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an integral instrument to achieve the organization’s mission. This

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internalization involves acceptance of regulation and obedience to a higher

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authority. Soldiers who are self-disciplined know how to control themselves

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and always make decisions based on how it will affect the entire

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organization. They also do not need to constant external supervision

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because they know how to keep themselves in line. When a soldier has

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self-discipline, obedience comes from within and not from coercion or other

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form of external force. Those soldiers who exhibit strong willpower and

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self-discipline are viewed by their superior as reliable. The higher-ups know

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that these soldiers can perform their duty correctly and willingly, without the

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need to use force or coercion. These highly disciplined soldiers are the ones

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who move up to become members of the highly elite special forces or special

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operations units.

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Special Forces Training

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Of course, the different units of the elite Special Forces have different kinds

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of training but they are more or less the same. They are all physically,

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mentally, and emotionally demanding, exhausting, and intensive. Their

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training is a lot more difficult than the training of regular soldiers. This is

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because they will be assigned to work in high-risk and high-profile

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operations that affect not only their own country but the whole world.

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The Special Forces training is the toughest training and testing platform in

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the Military. It is a year-long process that is designed to break even the

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toughest soldiers. In fact, it is so difficult to pass that only 15% of the

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candidates successfully finish the entire process.

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Once you enter the training, you only have three options—to quit, get

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injured, or outlast—and of course the third option is the only option if you

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want to become a member of the Special Forces group. You are probably

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wondering how can an individual survive such training if it is designed to

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break even the toughest person. Keep in mind that the human body is a

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wonderful machine and can adapt in almost all kinds of situation—heat, cold,

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pain, and stress. Someone who is tough means that his body and also his

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mind and emotions are highly adaptable and does not easily give up because

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he knows that it is possible to successfully complete the training. More often

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than not, it is mind over matter.

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The training also puts a lot of emphasis on mental strength aside from

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physical strength. If the body is strong enough to withstand pain and

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discomfort, it becomes easy to develop mental strength.

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● The right mindset

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Members of these Special Forces Units are highly self-disciplined because

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they have the right mindset. Self-discipline has more to do with mental

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toughness than physical toughness, although mental toughness becomes

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easier to achieve if the body is also strong. If you want to be successful in

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life, you have to stick it out until the end even when things become too hard

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to handle. This is something that the Special Forces have—when the going

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gets tough, they still continue doing their mission, something that the rest of

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the society should learn.

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The world you live in today is filled with softies who get offended at the

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smallest things and if you develop mental toughness like the Special Forces,

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then you have an advantage over all these people. You are setting yourself

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up for success when you have the mindset to stick it out while the rest is

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giving up.

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● Physical training

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The Special Forces Units have to undergo intensive physical training, as you

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already know by now. The kind of physical training that they do require a lot

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more than being strong and healthy. To be able to successfully do all the

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physical tests, you have to have commitment and self-discipline. Principles

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included in the training are work capacity, calisthenics or gymnastics,

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resistance training, and endurance, to name a few.

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This kind of training gives Special Forces soldiers a strong and athletic body

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that is well-rounded and can perform well in any kind of weather and

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environment and even in extremely stressful situations.

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You do not necessarily need to follow the difficult trainings of the Spartans

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and the Special Forces Units and you do not need to train at that level

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because you are just an ordinary person who wants to improve your life by

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obtaining self-discipline. However, the information and facts shared in this

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chapter will at least give you an idea how the Spartans and Special Forces

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train that greatly improves their self-discipline, and you can use what you

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have learned to greatly improve your self-discipline. At least you know one

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thing now—being successful takes a lot of hard work and effort on your part.

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It is not a walk in the park.

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