You want to wake up early in the morning to be more productive but you
Speaker:always end up pressing that snooze button on your alarm. You want to stop
Speaker:buying things that you don’t really need but you always find yourself maxing
Speaker:out your credit card. You want to lose weight and just become a healthier
Speaker:individual but you just cannot stop yourself from ordering at a nearby fast
Speaker:food. You really think you need to go to the gym and get in shape but you
Speaker:just find it so hard to spend an extra hour to exercise especially after work.
Speaker:Everything just feels so difficult to do.
Speaker:You know what you need? Self-discipline. And the good thing is you are not
Speaker:alone in this constant battle against temptations and impulses. Misery does
Speaker:love company. A lot of people suffer from the same predicament. They
Speaker:always have the best goals and objectives to make them successful in life
Speaker:but they always end up not doing it.
Speaker:Lucky for you, this book will be your companion and ally in your daily
Speaker:struggles of resisting temptations. It will tell you all about how inspiring and
Speaker:amazing groups of people, such as the Spartans and Special Operations
Speaker:Units, practiced self-discipline in order for them to achieve their goals and
Speaker:complete their missions. If you feel like giving up, always remember that
Speaker:these strong people had to face more difficult challenges but their discipline
Speaker:never wavered.
Speaker:This book will not only teach you how the Spartans and Special Operations
Speaker:Units trained that shows how they become the epitome of self-disciplined
Speaker:individuals, but also the science and psychology of self-discipline and how
Speaker:you can improve it to become successful in life.
Speaker:26 00:02:01,880 --> 00:02:01,880
Chapter 1 00:02:01
The Spartans and Special Operations Unit
Chapter 1 00:02:06
29 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:10,120 If you are searching for someone to look up to when it comes to improving
Chapter 1 00:02:10
your self-discipline, you can choose between the Spartans and the different
Chapter 1 00:02:14
special operations units, or you can choose both since both groups of men
Chapter 1 00:02:19
have exemplary self-discipline and willpower.
Chapter 1 00:02:24
The Spartans
Chapter 1 00:02:26
Sparta was an ancient Greek society that placed high value on its military
Chapter 1 00:02:31
prowess, with boys starting military training at the young age of 7. When
Chapter 1 00:02:37
Sparta defeated Athens, its rival city-state in the Peloponnesian War, it
Chapter 1 00:02:42
became one of the most powerful cities during its time. This can be
Chapter 1 00:02:48
attributed to the fact that the Spartan culture was mainly focused on military
Chapter 1 00:02:52
service and loyalty to the state. At the age of 7, young boys start their
Chapter 1 00:02:58
military training sponsored by the state. The followed the Agoge system
Chapter 1 00:03:03
which puts emphasis on endurance, duty, courage, obedience, and of
Chapter 1 00:03:08
course, discipline.
Chapter 1 00:03:11
Although there was no need for Spartan women to undergo military training
Chapter 1 00:03:14
like men, they were still highly athletic and physically strong. They were also
Chapter 1 00:03:20
more educated and enjoyed independence and higher status than the rest of
Chapter 1 00:03:25
women in Greece.
Chapter 1 00:03:27
Since men in Sparta spent all their lives training for the military to serve the
Chapter 1 00:03:31
state, and later on become professional soldiers, all manual labors that are
Chapter 1 00:03:37
necessary for the survival of any society were assigned to the Helots, a slave
Chapter 1 00:03:42
class in the city. Another group of people who lived in the city were the
Chapter 1 00:03:47
Perioeci, which literally means “dwellers-around”. These were the people
Chapter 1 00:03:52
who were neither professional soldiers nor slaves, and worked as traders
Chapter 1 00:03:57
and craftsmen. They were also the ones responsible for building the
Chapter 1 00:04:01
weapons used by the Spartan soldiers. This division in the society only
Chapter 1 00:04:07
shows that the state did not want its soldiers to be distracted by other
Chapter 1 00:04:11
things. They only wanted them to focus solely on their military training,
Chapter 1 00:04:16
which is no wonder why the Spartans, up to now, are known for their
Chapter 1 00:04:20
military strength.
Chapter 1 00:04:21
The Agoge system
Chapter 1 00:04:27
As mentioned previously, the Spartans followed a rigorous education system
Chapter 1 00:04:31
called the Agoge system which was mainly centered on self-control, courage,
Chapter 1 00:04:37
obedience, and endurance, to name a few. The word ‘agoge’ literally means
Chapter 1 00:04:43
‘rearing’ in English. Agoge was a controversial education system even during
Chapter 1 00:04:48
the ancient times because of how rigorous and intensive it was. However, it
Chapter 1 00:04:54
was a requirement for all Spartans for them to receive Spartan citizenship.
Chapter 1 00:04:59
The main goal of the agoge system was to have brave and strong soldiers
Chapter 1 00:05:04
who can protect the state in times of adversity.
Chapter 1 00:05:07
Unlike other Greek states, public education was provided by the Spartan
Chapter 1 00:05:13
government. Young children, both males and females, should complete said
Chapter 1 00:05:18
education, although they were taught and trained in different manners. Only
Chapter 1 00:05:24
the royal heirs were exempted from this requirement.
Chapter 1 00:05:26
To understand more about the Agoge system, here is a brief outline.
Chapter 1 00:05:33
● Birth to 7 years of age
Chapter 1 00:05:35
The Agoge values were instilled in the minds of the Spartans as early as
Chapter 1 00:05:40
infancy. After birth, the mother will bathe the infant in wine because they
Chapter 1 00:05:46
believed that wine will make a child strong. The infant had to undergo
Chapter 1 00:05:50
inspection by the elders of the city, called the Gerousia, t o determine
Chapter 1 00:05:56
whether the child is healthy and strong. They only wanted healthy and
Chapter 1 00:06:00
strong babies. If the infant passed the inspection with flying colors, he will
Chapter 1 00:06:05
be sent back home with his parents. If the elders found any kind of birth
Chapter 1 00:06:10
defect or deformity or signs that the baby will grow up weak, the parents
Chapter 1 00:06:15
had to abandon the baby at once. These babies were left to die alone or
Chapter 1 00:06:21
were rescued by strangers. Some even said that weak babies were thrown
Chapter 1 00:06:26
off a cliff, while others claimed that the babies were left alone on the cliff
Chapter 1 00:06:30
and if they survived, it means they were worthy to become a Spartan.
Chapter 1 00:06:35
Growing up, children were not cuddled and showered with TLC, which is
Chapter 1 00:06:41
what modern parents do to their children. Spartan children experienced
Chapter 1 00:06:45
tough love from their parents. Instead of bathing them with warm water, the
Chapter 1 00:06:50
children were bathed in wine. Instead of picking them up when they started
Chapter 1 00:06:55
to cry, the babies were often ignored. Instead of reading them children’s
Chapter 1 00:07:00
stories and singing them lullabies, the Spartan parents started to plant the
Chapter 1 00:07:04
seeds of the Agoge system in the minds of their young ones, telling them
Chapter 1 00:07:09
that they are not worthy of becoming a Spartan if they do not become the
Chapter 1 00:07:13
strongest and bravest men who can protect their city. Children were also
Chapter 1 00:07:18
taught that fear is a sign of weakness. This extreme parenting approach was
Chapter 1 00:07:24
known far and wide in ancient Greece, which is why elite families outside
Chapter 1 00:07:29
Sparta would often hire Spartan women to become caretakers of their
Chapter 1 00:07:33
children.
Chapter 1 00:07:33
● Age 7 to 20
Chapter 1 00:07:37
Officially, the Agoge system starts when a young boy turns 7, unlike today
Chapter 1 00:07:44
when kids are expected to leave their homes at the age of 18. When they
Chapter 1 00:07:48
start the Agoge system, they become under complete control of the
Chapter 1 00:07:53
government because the training and education is financed by the state. The
Chapter 1 00:07:58
boys were sent in groups and they had to live with a group of older men who
Chapter 1 00:08:02
will serve as their mentors.
Chapter 1 00:08:04
The children were housed in a dormitory and were educated in a communal
Chapter 1 00:08:09
barracks. The subjects ranged from academic and sports to hunting and
Chapter 1 00:08:14
warfare. Their education is military-oriented because they are basically
Chapter 1 00:08:20
grooming the children to become soldiers.
Chapter 1 00:08:22
When the boys reached the age of 12, they were given only one piece of
Chapter 1 00:08:27
clothing item, specifically a red cloak that they have to use no matter what
Chapter 1 00:08:33
the weather conditions were. The reason behind this was that they would be
Chapter 1 00:08:37
able to withstand even the harshest of weather conditions without being
Chapter 1 00:08:41
dependent on clothing, which would turn them into tough soldiers. They
Chapter 1 00:08:45
should also be barefoot when doing any kind of sports or physical activities
Chapter 1 00:08:51
such as gymnastics. Their food was also strictly rationed, much stricter than
Chapter 1 00:08:56
in modern-day prison because the Agoge system used hunger and thirst to
Chapter 1 00:09:01
promote self-discipline. You might think this is a little too much and can be
Chapter 1 00:09:07
considered inhumane in today’s standards. However, keep in mind that the
Chapter 1 00:09:11
intention was not to torture these children or to give them a difficult life but
Chapter 1 00:09:17
to prepare them for when they become full-fledged soldiers and scarcity of
Chapter 1 00:09:22
water and food while in a battle is a common occurrence. Feeding them less
Chapter 1 00:09:26
also makes their bodies leaner and more fit to endure hard physical
Chapter 1 00:09:31
activities.
Chapter 1 00:09:32
Young Spartan boys were also taught to make their own bed—literally. They
Chapter 1 00:09:40
had to get the materials such as straws and reeds from the banks of the
Chapter 1 00:09:45
Eurotas river without using a knife. Another interesting thing about the
Chapter 1 00:09:50
Agoge system is that the boys were encouraged to steal as long as they
Chapter 1 00:09:54
don’t get caught. If they are caught, they were given severe punishments.
Chapter 1 00:09:59
This helps develop stealth that can prove useful when it becomes necessary
Chapter 1 00:10:04
to steal supplies and provisions from the enemy.
Chapter 1 00:10:07
To bring out the toughness of these young boys, the elders in the barracks
Chapter 1 00:10:12
instigated fights among the young students. Whoever loses will be made fun
Chapter 1 00:10:18
of and ridiculed because they were seen as weak and cowardly. In fact,
Chapter 1 00:10:22
some records show that every year, adolescent students had to undergo an
Chapter 1 00:10:27
endurance test where many died. To honor those students who successfully
Chapter 1 00:10:32
passed the test, they were given wreaths, a symbol of victory in Greece in
Chapter 1 00:10:36
the olden times.
Chapter 1 00:10:37
Do not think that the Agoge system is all about physical strength and
Chapter 1 00:10:43
discipline. Other areas that were taught to the students include reading,
Chapter 1 00:10:47
writing, history, singing, dancing, war poems, and literature. They were
Chapter 1 00:10:55
even required to study the works of Homer. This makes it a little similar to a
Chapter 1 00:11:00
typical modern-day education system.
Chapter 1 00:11:03
When the boys reach the age of 18, they begin serving in the Spartan Army
Chapter 1 00:11:09
as military reserves. There are some who became members, specifically
Chapter 1 00:11:14
spies, of the Secret Police force of Sparta. They had to spy on the Helots, or
Chapter 1 00:11:20
the slave class, and report them to the authority if they are doing something
Chapter 1 00:11:24
against the government. They were also licensed to kill.
Chapter 1 00:11:28
● Age 20 to30
Chapter 1 00:11:31
The Agoge training officially ends when the male students turn 20 years of
Chapter 1 00:11:37
age. At this point when they were already considered as adults, they became
Chapter 1 00:11:42
official members of the Spartan Army and they had to undergo professional
Chapter 1 00:11:46
military training under the army.
Chapter 1 00:11:48
The men had to become a member of a syssitia, a military-style mess where
Chapter 1 00:11:55
they had to undergo training for war. The members of the mess, who were
Chapter 1 00:11:59
also Spartans, had to elect members from the newcomers. Aside from
Chapter 1 00:12:05
military training, the syssitia is also involved in the granting of citizenship. It
Chapter 1 00:12:10
is extremely important for the student to be elected and become a part of a
Chapter 1 00:12:15
mess if he wants to secure Spartan citizenship. The election all depends on
Chapter 1 00:12:21
the unanimous votes of the old members. When a man becomes a citizen of
Chapter 1 00:12:26
Sparta, he would be able to do things that non-citizens did not have the
Chapter 1 00:12:30
right to do such voting, marrying, and running for public office. Some
Chapter 1 00:12:37
soldiers married before the completion of the training, meaning before the
Chapter 1 00:12:41
age of 30, but they were banned from living in the same house as their wife.
Chapter 1 00:12:46
It was possible to not get elected into a mess. Men who were still not
Chapter 1 00:12:52
members of a mess even after 10 years of completing the Agoge, they
Chapter 1 00:12:55
would not be able to secure citizenship.
Chapter 1 00:12:58
The military training in the syssitia ends when a man reaches the age of 30.
Chapter 1 00:13:05
But a Spartan man had to be a soldier until retirement at the age of 60, or
Chapter 1 00:13:11
until the day he dies.
Chapter 1 00:13:12
Education for females
Chapter 1 00:13:16
Unlike other cities in Greece, Spartan women were highly educated.
Chapter 1 00:13:22
Although the State also sponsored their education, it was not as demanding
Chapter 1 00:13:27
and as rigorous as the education for boys, although focus was also on the
Chapter 1 00:13:32
military. If boys were groomed to become soldiers, girls were trained to
Chapter 1 00:13:37
become mothers of a true Spartan soldier. They did not need to go to a
Chapter 1 00:13:42
dormitory away from their family. They lived with their parents while
Chapter 1 00:13:46
attending school. They had subjects that would make them physically strong
Chapter 1 00:13:51
such as gymnastics, sports, and dancing. If they were strong physically,
Chapter 1 00:13:56
they would also be strong enough to give birth to strong babies. They were
Chapter 1 00:14:01
also taught subjects about war and combat.
Chapter 1 00:14:04
Females were also trained to help male students in their military training.
Chapter 1 00:14:08
What kind of help, you ask. The girls motivated the boys to do their best by
Chapter 1 00:14:15
teasing, humiliating, and ridiculing them in public if they were not
Chapter 1 00:14:19
performing well during a physical activity such as sports or exercising. The
Chapter 1 00:14:25
girls would create a list of the men who they thought were underperforming,
Chapter 1 00:14:29
so that they could shame and humiliate them to motivate them to be and do
Chapter 1 00:14:33
better. They were also taught typical school subjects such as poetry, history,
Chapter 1 00:14:39
and music.
Chapter 1 00:14:39
At the age of 20, the education of girls would be officially completed, and
Chapter 1 00:14:46
they were then expected to find a partner to marry. They were encouraged
Chapter 1 00:14:50
to find mates who were physically strong and courageous who could in turn
Chapter 1 00:14:54
help them bring out a future Spartan warrior into the world. Marriage was
Chapter 1 00:15:00
not seen as a union of two individuals who were in love, but rather as a way
Chapter 1 00:15:04
to produce warriors who are brave and strong and who can protect the State
Chapter 1 00:15:09
from enemies and invasion.
Chapter 1 00:15:11
As what can be observed, the Spartans had a do-or-die approach when it
Chapter 1 00:15:17
comes to their education and training, and also in everything they did.
Chapter 1 00:15:21
Mediocrity was not tolerated. It’s either they were the best soldiers or they
Chapter 1 00:15:28
had to leave. You are probably thinking right now that the Agoge system is
Chapter 1 00:15:32
too much and is kind of extreme especially in these modern times. However,
Chapter 1 00:15:37
you have to understand that the period when they lived was very different
Chapter 1 00:15:42
from today. It was a turbulent time where battles and invasions were a
Chapter 1 00:15:46
common occurrence in their daily lives. And if they were ill-prepared, they
Chapter 1 00:15:51
would not have a chance at all. Although the entire approach is no longer
Chapter 1 00:15:56
suitable to today’s standards, you can still learn a lot from how the Spartans
Chapter 1 00:16:00
trained their soldiers, especially when it comes to developing self-discipline
Chapter 1 00:16:05
and willpower.
Chapter 1 00:16:06
The Special Operations Units
Chapter 1 00:16:09
Today, what comes close to the Spartan way of training is the training of the
Chapter 1 00:16:16
Special Operations Units or Special Forces. Some examples of this elite
Chapter 1 00:16:21
group are the Special Air Service (SAS), Navy Seals, Green Berets, Special
Chapter 1 00:16:28
Boat Service (SBS), and US Marine Raiders. They are involved in high profile
Chapter 1 00:16:35
operations which is why their training is also more demanding than the
Chapter 1 00:16:40
regular military troops.
Chapter 1 00:16:42
In any military setting, discipline and obedience are an integral part of their
Chapter 1 00:16:48
day to day work routine if they want to successfully accomplish their
Chapter 1 00:16:52
missions. Following each and every step is crucial because it affects not only
Chapter 1 00:16:59
the entire military operations but also the civilians. Soldiers are taught to be
Chapter 1 00:17:05
obedient to authority and regulations at all times and also to always observe
Chapter 1 00:17:11
strict self-discipline that will result in excellent performance, which means
Chapter 1 00:17:16
minimizing dangers to both the soldiers and the civilians.
Chapter 1 00:17:20
Military discipline and self-discipline
Chapter 1 00:17:24
Soldiers were taught to be disciplined and obedient. They had to follow
Chapter 1 00:17:30
authority, commands, and rules without question. If they question the
Chapter 1 00:17:35
authority, then it becomes a problem. To be considered well-disciplined, the
Chapter 1 00:17:41
team has to follow orders whether they like it or not, and no matter how
Chapter 1 00:17:45
unpleasant and dangerous the task at hand is. Total compliance is required
Chapter 1 00:17:51
to achieve efficiency within the organization. Disorganization and
Chapter 1 00:17:56
disobedience in the team is dangerous and can put the lives of the other
Chapter 1 00:18:01
group members at risk. The survival of the military groups and special forces
Chapter 1 00:18:07
units depend a lot on the obedience of the team to a centralized command
Chapter 1 00:18:11
and the self-discipline of each and every member.
Chapter 1 00:18:15
Military self-discipline is achieved when the soldier starts to see himself as
Chapter 1 00:18:21
an integral instrument to achieve the organization’s mission. This
Chapter 1 00:18:27
internalization involves acceptance of regulation and obedience to a higher
Chapter 1 00:18:32
authority. Soldiers who are self-disciplined know how to control themselves
Chapter 1 00:18:38
and always make decisions based on how it will affect the entire
Chapter 1 00:18:43
organization. They also do not need to constant external supervision
Chapter 1 00:18:48
because they know how to keep themselves in line. When a soldier has
Chapter 1 00:18:54
self-discipline, obedience comes from within and not from coercion or other
Chapter 1 00:18:59
form of external force. Those soldiers who exhibit strong willpower and
Chapter 1 00:19:05
self-discipline are viewed by their superior as reliable. The higher-ups know
Chapter 1 00:19:12
that these soldiers can perform their duty correctly and willingly, without the
Chapter 1 00:19:16
need to use force or coercion. These highly disciplined soldiers are the ones
Chapter 1 00:19:23
who move up to become members of the highly elite special forces or special
Chapter 1 00:19:28
operations units.
Chapter 1 00:19:29
Special Forces Training
Chapter 1 00:19:33
Of course, the different units of the elite Special Forces have different kinds
Chapter 1 00:19:39
of training but they are more or less the same. They are all physically,
Chapter 1 00:19:44
mentally, and emotionally demanding, exhausting, and intensive. Their
Chapter 1 00:19:50
training is a lot more difficult than the training of regular soldiers. This is
Chapter 1 00:19:54
because they will be assigned to work in high-risk and high-profile
Chapter 1 00:19:59
operations that affect not only their own country but the whole world.
Chapter 1 00:20:03
The Special Forces training is the toughest training and testing platform in
Chapter 1 00:20:09
the Military. It is a year-long process that is designed to break even the
Chapter 1 00:20:14
toughest soldiers. In fact, it is so difficult to pass that only 15% of the
Chapter 1 00:20:21
candidates successfully finish the entire process.
Chapter 1 00:20:24
Once you enter the training, you only have three options—to quit, get
Chapter 1 00:20:31
injured, or outlast—and of course the third option is the only option if you
Chapter 1 00:20:37
want to become a member of the Special Forces group. You are probably
Chapter 1 00:20:42
wondering how can an individual survive such training if it is designed to
Chapter 1 00:20:48
break even the toughest person. Keep in mind that the human body is a
Chapter 1 00:20:53
wonderful machine and can adapt in almost all kinds of situation—heat, cold,
Chapter 1 00:21:00
pain, and stress. Someone who is tough means that his body and also his
Chapter 1 00:21:07
mind and emotions are highly adaptable and does not easily give up because
Chapter 1 00:21:13
he knows that it is possible to successfully complete the training. More often
Chapter 1 00:21:19
than not, it is mind over matter.
Chapter 1 00:21:22
The training also puts a lot of emphasis on mental strength aside from
Chapter 1 00:21:29
physical strength. If the body is strong enough to withstand pain and
Chapter 1 00:21:33
discomfort, it becomes easy to develop mental strength.
Chapter 1 00:21:37
● The right mindset
Chapter 1 00:21:41
Members of these Special Forces Units are highly self-disciplined because
Chapter 1 00:21:47
they have the right mindset. Self-discipline has more to do with mental
Chapter 1 00:21:52
toughness than physical toughness, although mental toughness becomes
Chapter 1 00:21:56
easier to achieve if the body is also strong. If you want to be successful in
Chapter 1 00:22:02
life, you have to stick it out until the end even when things become too hard
Chapter 1 00:22:08
to handle. This is something that the Special Forces have—when the going
Chapter 1 00:22:13
gets tough, they still continue doing their mission, something that the rest of
Chapter 1 00:22:18
the society should learn.
Chapter 1 00:22:20
The world you live in today is filled with softies who get offended at the
Chapter 1 00:22:27
smallest things and if you develop mental toughness like the Special Forces,
Chapter 1 00:22:31
then you have an advantage over all these people. You are setting yourself
Chapter 1 00:22:36
up for success when you have the mindset to stick it out while the rest is
Chapter 1 00:22:42
giving up.
Chapter 1 00:22:42
● Physical training
Chapter 1 00:22:46
The Special Forces Units have to undergo intensive physical training, as you
Chapter 1 00:22:53
already know by now. The kind of physical training that they do require a lot
Chapter 1 00:22:58
more than being strong and healthy. To be able to successfully do all the
Chapter 1 00:23:04
physical tests, you have to have commitment and self-discipline. Principles
Chapter 1 00:23:10
included in the training are work capacity, calisthenics or gymnastics,
Chapter 1 00:23:15
resistance training, and endurance, to name a few.
Chapter 1 00:23:19
This kind of training gives Special Forces soldiers a strong and athletic body
Chapter 1 00:23:26
that is well-rounded and can perform well in any kind of weather and
Chapter 1 00:23:31
environment and even in extremely stressful situations.
Chapter 1 00:23:35
You do not necessarily need to follow the difficult trainings of the Spartans
Chapter 1 00:23:41
and the Special Forces Units and you do not need to train at that level
Chapter 1 00:23:46
because you are just an ordinary person who wants to improve your life by
Chapter 1 00:23:50
obtaining self-discipline. However, the information and facts shared in this
Chapter 1 00:23:56
chapter will at least give you an idea how the Spartans and Special Forces
Chapter 1 00:24:01
train that greatly improves their self-discipline, and you can use what you
Chapter 1 00:24:09
have learned to greatly improve your self-discipline. At least you know one
Chapter 1 00:24:20
thing now—being successful takes a lot of hard work and effort on your part.
Chapter 1 00:24:34
It is not a walk in the park.