The Way of the Seal: Think Like an Elite Warrior to Lead and Succeed
Mark Divine with Allyson Edelhertz Machate
Reader’s Digest Adult Trade Publishing (2018)

Hooyah!

The subject of non-conventional warriors has been of special interest to me since I began to learn about elite groups such as U.S. Army Rangers and Great Britain’s Special Air Service (SAS). This is an updated and expanded edition of The Way of the Seal, a book written by Mark Divine with Allyson Edelhertz Machate and first published in 2013. It seems to be the bestselling book among 672 that are by and/or about the U.S. Navy SEALs.

Divine focuses on eight core principles of leadership — that guide and inform personal growth and professional development — and devotes a separate chapter to each. He also offers an Afterword (“Lead with Your Heart”) and three appendices: “Focus Pans,” “Power Rituals,” and “The Way of the SEAL Reading List.” The emphasis is on mental and emotional as well as physical training, as during the formal training of all SEAL candidates, but is essentially self-directed. Each year, there are about 40,000 recruits and only about 5% (2,000) complete the training.

From the beginning, Divine establishes a direct rapport with his reader in the Contents section (“Principle 1: Establish Your Set Point”) and then in his prefatory “Note” (“I’m betting you’re tired of the same old self-improvement and leadership information rehashed and repackaged again and again”), adding “Let’s work together to cultivate the Way of the SEAL in your life, starting now. Hooyah!” That Way is based on the aforementioned eight principles.

Divine shares with his reader the details of a journey that began when he was 25. Although a CPA and had earned an MBA degree, he quit everything to fulfill his dream of becoming a SEAL. That was when he established his set point. His reader must do so, also, or there is no point in proceeding further. Divine agrees with Simon Sinek that everything must “begin with why.” At the conclusion of each chapter, Divine offers a set of “Key Takeaways” and EXERCISES to apply them.

Head’s Up: I urge each reader to highlight key passages (I use an optic yellow Sharpie) and keep a lined notebook near at hand (I use a Mead “Marble”) in which to record comments and questions as well as to complete exercises. Regularly review key passages and notebook contents and, whenever appropriate, supplement them.

Embracing and then strengthening “the Way of the SEAL” is not for dilettantes or dullards. Mark Divine does all he can to help set you up for great success but only you can achieve it. If you think the investment of time and energy to learn what he offers is too much, try ignorance.