They more I hear the “I can’t” attitude that seems pervasive these days the more I recall lessons I learned long ago. Two lessons from basic training in 1964 come to mind.
The obstacle course always presents a challenge, but a lack of attention, creativity and innovation can make any obstacle more difficult. Standing at the starting line you look at a daunting array of stone walls, fences, gullies and barbed wire. You are instructed to overcome the obstacles and reach the other end as fast as possible. The only rule is you must stay within the boundary markers.The majority of recruits charge off over the first stone wall heading toward the barbed wire while the more observant realize the boundary markers are three feet on either side of the obstacles and the quickest and safest route is to run up either side. Thus those who looked for alternatives to overcome the obstacle reached their goal sooner and unscathed.
Another course requires crawling under barbed wire and avoiding bunkers containing explosives while machine guns fire live ammunition over your head. This is especially nerve-racking at night when tracer bullets are used. The instructors tell the recruits the machine guns are pointed three feet above the highest point on the course. That is little comfort unless you look carefully at the pole rising six feet above the machine gun platform, the highest point on the course. In other words assuming the worst without assessing the full situation can be risky and inhibit your forward movement.
In today’s world we would probably blame someone else for not making all this clear before the start of the challenge. It’s just not fair that the more astute were able to take the less difficult route. No doubt that 1% of recruits hampered the others progress.
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