Special Forces

THE ELITE

Training to be in the special forces - it requires so much more than purely physical strength. It takes more than courage.

When qualifying as a soldier for the elite military services, the selection process is designed to test the strength & stamina of the recruits with tough physical/psychological challenges but ultimately, it's the strength of one's character that the crack core team are looking for. 

Being in a theatre of war with the threat of bullets, bombs, death and destruction coming from all around you, there needs to be an iron will for getting the job done in the face of adversity and when the chances of survival are greatly compromised. It takes a certain type of person to do this. 

Looking at the different character traits of the 30 people taking part in the selection process on the Channel 4 TV show, it appears that those who will be best suited to this role are the ones who have a less-inflated ego of themselves. The selectors are looking for confidence - not arrogance. The right balance of humility and valour signs up the less than 10% who take up this challenge.

The 40% Rule
If there's ever such a great test of a man (or woman?) where the training itself can break (or even kill) those being pushed to their absolute limits - it's the SAS selection process. And if there was a way for us all to take a mental/physical toughness test where the end result was not warfare, but the making of a more confident, tougher and resilient individual, we would all be able to live closer in tune with our truer selves. Maybe it's time to reinstate national service in the UK once again.