Embrace the Suck

Today’s Good Friday. But I want to separate the day from the date.

Today, April 15, is “National That Sucks Day.” Yes, there really is such a thing!

Here’s how the Days of the Year website describes “National That Sucks Day”: “You can’t be cheery and optimistic every day. Sometimes, it really does just suck: that’s the point of National That Sucks Day, a time when you don’t have to pretend.”

Well, okay then.

But why April 15? It’s Tax Day. That sucks. It’s the day the Titanic went down in 1912. That sucks. It’s also the day when Abraham Lincoln died in 1865. That sucks, too.

Today’s observation of "National That Sucks Day" reminds me of a saying that has its roots in military-speak. I first heard the saying when I was in the Naval Reserves participating in exercises at Fort Snelling in St. Paul, Minnesota.

I particularly didn't like training in the Naval Reserves, and I honestly couldn't wait until the day I received my discharge order.

"Embrace the suck," my commanding officer would always tell me. "Embrace the suck."

Translation: To consciously accept or appreciate something that is extremely unpleasant but unavoidable.

In other words, the situation may be bad, but learn to deal with it.

As you’re preparing for summer bar prep, you might be thinking that it's going to suck.

But try to embrace the challenge. The reward at the end will definitely be worth it.

I haven’t checked out this book yet, but it’s the next one I will download on Audible so I can listen to it during my drives: “Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way to an Extraordinary Life.”

Check out the description:

Get into the Navy SEAL mindset with this raw, brutally honest, in-your-face self-help guide that will teach you how to thrive on adversity.

During the brutal crucible of Navy SEAL training, instructors often tell students to “embrace the suck.” This phrase conveys the one lesson that is vital for any SEAL hopeful to learn: Lean into the suffering and get comfortable being very uncomfortable.

In this powerful, no-nonsense guide, Navy SEAL combat veteran turned leadership expert Brent Gleeson teaches you how to transform every area of your life — the Navy SEAL way.

Can anyone develop this level of resilience? Gleeson breaks it down to a Challenge-Commitment-Control mindset. He reveals how resilient people view difficulties as a Challenge, where obstacles and failures are opportunities for growth. Next, they have a strong emotional Commitment to their goals and are not easily distracted or deterred. Finally, resilient people focus their energy on the things within their Control, rather than fixating on factors they can't impact.