"Surrender to mortality to perform under pressure James Jones, a WWII veteran who fought at Guadalcanal and later wrote From Here to Eternity, observed that front-line soldiers must undergo a profound internal shift to function effectively. Jones said "the evolution of a soldier in front line action requires an almost surrendering to the idea that you're going to live" — meaning soldiers become accustomed to the likelihood of death. This counterintuitive acceptance is what allows them to act decisively rather than freeze; as the speaker notes, "if you're too concerned about your own life, you become less of a good guy at your job." Anyone facing high-stakes situations — a surgeon, a firefighter, an entrepreneur — can apply this: rehearsing the worst realistic outcome in advance frees you to act with full commitment rather than paralyzed hesitation. Source: Dan Carlin, Hardcore History, Combat-themed episode"