Failure is a tool

[@JT-xt2wd]

my dude, good to hear from you. will you be reattempting SFAS? guard side maybe?

[@JohnS677]

I honestly really considered it, but I'm doing a lot on the civilian side that I'm excited about. Unless WWIII breaks out (which it totally could) I probably won't be reenlisting.

[@floored3078]

@@JohnS677 I recommend going through an aviation maintenance school (12-18 months), and apply to Delta for Atlanta Georgia. They’re hiring fresh graduates constantly due to older retiring. $39hr starting pay, pay progression every 6 months until you reach $62hr (currently) at 6.5 years. $62hr in Georgia, is like earning $88hr in San Francisco. Really great money. With overtime at $39hr, you can do 120k/yr and by mid 3 years, hit $150k and by 6.5 be at $200k/yr. Just giving you a solid option for success. Also, coming from someone who isn’t military, being a green beret or ranger is cool just like seeing a state trooper is cool. Driving a Lamborghini, vacationing anywhere, owning a 5,000sqft home? Is even cooler. Also fedex/ups are 5 years $75hr. Insane. One in Kentucky, other in Memphis. You’d live like a king. I’m 29, it’s been so worth it.

[@quickfeed7592]

You know, I had a rough time with this concept up until I was over 30 years old. Can't tell you when exactly, but it clicked one day. Coupled with the piss poor parenting job my parents did where they treated any mistake and lack of knowledge as a complete failure, on my part, from the youngest age I really beat myself up over any small mistake or felt like I was just plain stupid for not knowing how to do things. Since then I just giggle when I do dumb things or make mistakes because there isn't a single human alive that doesn't. It's how we learn, all of us. For anyone to try to persecute or judge others because of these is just insecurity and projection, along with that individual themselves likely being stupid. The worst "men" I've encountered are all similar "alpha" types who always turn out to be incredibly weak both mentally and emotionally. Something that really put it in perspective for me, and something I communicate to others that I see beating themselves up is a phrase that goes something like, "You're not dumb, you just did a dumb thing." It's just a few words, but it really shifts the mindset from, "Oh, I'm a failure and stupid." to "Well, haha, that was really stupid, I shouldn't do that again. Moving on.". I've been juggling with enlisting 18x for a few months now and after seeing your videos and other channels focused around SF, I'm pulling the trigger on it. Failure and mistakes have made me into a much tougher and resilient individual than the people who criticized me for any of it. I'm unphased by things that ordinary people freak out over, I don't jump to conclusions without information, I know how to continue pushing myself mentally when physically my body tries to convince me it's time to give up, I'm always looking to do better and learn more, etc. I wish there were better mentors out there for young men, especially in the military, to help grow them into good, strong men without thinking they need to break them and insist they shouldn't ever be "weak". The "alpha" men are almost always just overly aggressive, immature and stupid, however, they fake it enough to trick the young guys into second guessing themselves and believing the BS that spills out of their mouths. I hope that guys who find you really listen and then THINK about the message you're sending here. I know sure as hell if I met you as a younger man I would've been way better off than listening to the "alpha" types, as I did. America needs men like you that understand this and can communicate it properly. Thank you.

[@JohnS677]

Thanks for the encouragement, and I'm happy to know another man who also made it out of that "failure is unacceptable" mentality. I am excited to hear your story on the other side. Good luck and God bless.