I will start by saying this article is not about any type of sexy gear or firearms, but about the first thing that needs to happen in order to be successful on the battlefield overseas or the battlefield of life. You need to be able to take ownership of everything that happens in your life, deal with the issue at hand and assault forward.

During this month we are covering many aspects of readiness and preparedness; mostly covering the gear and skills needed when facing natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other violent situations. All that sexy gear and the firearms are not going to do you a damn bit of good unless your mindset is in check. You need to take ownership of what needs to happen and how it will get done, before stepping off at the beginning of each day.

Jocko Willink has a routine he follows every morning in order to start the day off victoriously. To start he promptly wakes up at 0445 every day, takes care of the normal morning stuff and then starts his workout. By doing do, he is establishing a baseline of success for the day. He is also taking ownership of simple tasks which give him the motivation and drive to kick each and everyday in the nuts; no matter what.

As you evaluate your readiness and preparedness, break down the tasks that need to happen, develop the proper mindset and get shit done.

Photo courtesy of DVIDS