Foxhole Friday: Vol. 9

The Two-Week Rule: Win the Pause, Then the Plan

I flew to Boston for a functional fitness race (HYROX Mixed Pro Doubles) believing we were ready. My partner is a beast—disciplined, prepared, the kind of guy you want in your lane. But injuries don’t care about intentions. He tried to push through; we lost. Frustration followed me into the hotel elevator that night.

There was an older guy inside, maybe 55, holding a first-place flag from his division. He asked how the race went. I muttered something about not wanting to talk about it, then told him anyway. He listened and said, “Take it from an old head: Don’t do anything for two weeks. Think about your goals. Think about your perfect partner—their goals, their commitment, their training, and their dedication to you as a team.”

It landed. Not because it fixed the race, but because it reframed the response.

In fitness—and in marriages, business partnerships, and friendships—we’re tempted to react fast. Fire an email. Swap a partner. Burn down a plan. But speed isn’t always leadership. Sometimes leadership is restraint.

The pause is not passive. It’s tactical.

Navy SEALs train “tactical breathing” for the moment before the chaos hits: inhale, hold, exhale, hold. That tiny reset lets them step off the firing line, assess, then move with intention. Same principle here. Take two weeks. Breathe. Then ask:

• Do my choices match my goals?

• Is this raising my average—or lowering it?

• Is this partnership aligned on outcome, workload, and honesty with myself and those involved?

• Am I reacting to pain or responding to data?

That elevator moment reminded me: losses aren’t verdicts; they’re diagnostics. The goal isn’t to avoid discomfort,it’s to convert it. Sit still long enough to tell the truth, then act with a plan you can defend.

So here’s my Foxhole Friday: when things go sideways, don’t panic-buy a new life. Win the pause. Clarify the goal. Choose the people who can carry it with you. Then move—with clean breath and a clean plan.

John J. Radzwilla
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Guest Excerpt
from Chriss Smith
The Trident Mindset

Trident Mindset: Don't self-select out.

If you want something, go for it. Ask for it. Try.
If it isn't possible, let someone else tell you no. Don’t tell yourself no.

Most people fail before they begin, not because they’re incapable, but because they disqualify themselves in advance. They don't try because they're afraid it won't work. But by failing to try, they ensure it doesn't work.

I recently walked by a fire station with a friend and her two kids. As we walked by, one of them - seven years old - asked the firefighters outside the station if he could see inside the truck. The firefighters smiled, opened the door, and let him sit in the driver’s seat and turn on the sirens. It made his day.
Most adults never do this, just ask someone for something they want. They’d assume the answer was no, or worry it would be weird, or embarrassing, or rude. So they don’t try., and they miss the opportunity.

When I started my career, I used to just cold reach out to senior people I admired and ask if they'd grab a beer or coffee to chat about their careers and paths. Almost all of them said yes. Those conversations gave me mentorship, insights, and opportunities that changed the trajectory of my life.

Each week is full of opportunities. Chances for you to:

• Ask someone you admire if you can shadow them Ask someone out Ask for a raise or a new role Apply for a job you're not certain you're qualified for Try something totally new

For most of these opportunities, we don't get rejected - we forfeit them by not even trying. We self-select out because we think it might not work out, it's rude to ask, or it would be embarrassing to fail.

I think we all need to be more like the kid at the fire station. If you want something, just ask.

It's better to risk failure by trying than ensure failure by self-selecting out.

Shooters shoot.

Who dares, wins.

What are we reading?

Cameron Hanes: Undeniable 

You become the best you can be by learning from others. That is how bowhunter and ultramarathoner Cameron Hanes approaches each day in his pursuit of greatness in this essential guide to finding success.

“I like people who put themselves in a position to become undeniable at what they do. You might not like me, but you cannot deny the work I put in and the results to show for it. You can say whatever the f**k you want, but I want to be undeniable and how it makes you feel is no factor.”