Soldiers with this trait are survivors in life and war
If you are ever captured by the enemy, one thing determines your chances of survival more than anything else.
It’s not if you’re wounded or in good physical condition. It’s not your age or how much training or experience you have.
It’s whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist.
During the Vietnam War several thousand American servicemen were captured by the North Vietnamese, and taken as prisoners of war (POWs). They were held in tiny cells where they were tortured, beaten and starved. Some were kept for years in solitary confinement. At the end of the war, only 591 returned home.
Why did those 591 survive when all the others died? Medal of Honor recipient Commander James Stockdale was later asked who hadn’t made it out of the camps. “That’s easy. It was the optimists.”
It turns out there is something about being a pessimist that gives you critical tools to cope when the worst happens.
The good news is you can use these insights to build your mental fortress. It’ll increase your chances of surviving and making it home. But it’s not just for combat. It’s a mindset you can use to confront the toughest tests of daily life.
