In Navy SEAL training, there’s an exercise called drownproofing, where trainees’ hands are bound behind their backs, their feet are tied together, and they are dropped into a nine-foot pool. The goal is to survive for five minutes. While this exercise is incredibly challenging, it teaches two crucial lessons that are not only essential for Navy SEALs but also for life.
1. The Paradoxical Lesson of Drownproofing
1.1 Letting Yourself Sink
The first lesson is paradoxical: the more you struggle to keep your head above water, the more likely you are to sink and drown. The trick is to let yourself sink to the bottom of the pool and then push off the bottom to come back up for a breath. This cycle continues until the five minutes are up.
1.2 Avoiding Panic
The second lesson is that panic leads to burning oxygen and energy, increasing the likelihood of falling unconscious. The exercise turns your survival mechanisms against you, teaching the ability to relinquish control under extreme stress.
2. Effort and Reward in Life
2.1 The Linear Curve
Most people assume that effort and reward have a one-to-one relationship. This is true for simple, repetitive tasks where working twice as long results in twice the output.
2.2 The Diminishing Returns Curve
However, most activities in life are complex and emotionally demanding, operating on a diminishing returns curve. The more you experience something, the less rewarding it becomes. For example, working eight hours is not necessarily twice as productive as working four.
3. The Inverted Curve of Effort
3.1 The Inverted Curve Explained
The inverted curve is where increasing effort towards an experience makes it worse. Drownproofing is an example, as is meditation, dancing, or trying to impress people. The more effort you put into these activities, the less successful you become.
3.2 Psychological Experiences
The inverted curve is significant for experiences within our own minds. Pursuing happiness, confidence, or love intensely often leads to the opposite outcome. The desire to be free from constraints can itself become a constraint.
4. The Backwards Law
4.1 Aldous Huxley’s Insight
Aldous Huxley wrote about the paradoxical art of doing and not doing. Proficiency and results come to those who combine relaxation with activity.
4.2 Desiring Positive Experiences
Desiring a positive experience is a negative experience, while accepting a negative experience is a positive one. Wanting happiness reminds us of our unhappiness, while wanting confidence reminds us of our insecurities.
Conclusion
Understanding the inverted curve and the paradoxical nature of desire is crucial for navigating life’s challenges. By relinquishing control and accepting that many efforts may result in failure, we can find peace and success. The key is to let go of things beyond our control and continue striving, even when the outcome is uncertain.
FAQs
What is drownproofing in Navy SEAL training?
Drownproofing is an exercise where trainees’ hands and feet are bound, and they are dropped into a pool to survive for five minutes. It teaches the importance of relinquishing control and avoiding panic.
How does the inverted curve apply to life?
The inverted curve suggests that increasing effort towards certain experiences, especially psychological ones, can lead to worse outcomes. Understanding this helps in managing desires and expectations.
What is the backwards law?
The backwards law states that desiring positive experiences leads to negative experiences, while accepting negative experiences leads to positive outcomes. This paradox is crucial for mental well-being.