Why You Should Start Now from The Patriot’s Creed by Kris Paronto
My Benghazi experience is a story about six guys fighting with some serious disadvantages and overcoming some long odds. The politics of the events of September 1, 2012, got a lot of headlines, but the story went far beyond politics. I have come to realize that the idea of our overcoming is an important part of the story. My story has resonated with many people because we all struggle.
Every day, each one of us has to get up and move forward. Some days are harder than others. The truth is that life will eventually improve, but you have to take steps to make that happen— even if you can only take baby steps.
As simple as that sounds, I know it isn’t always easy. It is possible to take a step in the wrong direction, and it is possible to fall down. Moving forward requires that you get back up when you fall. In order to move forward, you need to stay focused on the present and on the future. Moving forward means not wasting your time getting mad about some perceived injustice that occurred in the past. Sometimes moving forward requires removing people from your life who are toxic or removing yourself from situations that bring you down. Moving forward means you will continually try to improve.
The guys you are going to read about in this book have faced some dramatic obstacles. Some of them are carrying scars on their bodies that let you know they have been challenged. It might be easier to understand a physical challenge than to appreciate one that is primarily mental or emotional. You can see someone who has lost his arm or watch a guy learn to walk again.
You can’t see depression or anxiety. But those are real struggles, too. My confidence has been badly shaken, I’ve been scared, I have felt weak and full of self- doubt.
But I did not quit.
You need to have clarity about your values. Once you have identified the values that are important to you, you can set goals and align your choices and your actions with your goals and your values. It’s that simple— and it’s that hard. Because it can be day to day, even moment to moment, and you have to be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.
Values are the unifying web beneath those choices, and values are what will give you the motivation to keep moving toward your goal.
“Never quit” is one of my mantras. But in order to use “never quit,” you need to get started. Reflect on the Army Values, do an honest assessment of what you want and need to change, set goals that are meaningful to you, and go after it, piece by piece.
