10 Life Lessons I Learned in the U.S. Marine Corps
By Warren Wong
Fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a real life ninja warrior had its ups and downs. Not knowing what I truly signed up for, I would later come to be incredibly grateful for the many life lessons that I learned while serving in the United States Marine Corps.
In no particular order, these 10 life lessons I learned in the U.S. Marine Corps is something I try to perfect each and every day.
1. Win the morning, win the day.
Waking up early never came naturally for me. I was the kid that rolled out of bed in his PJs to early morning lectures. What the Marine Corps instilled in me, and I’m afraid it will never leave me, is the psychological win of waking up early.
By waking up early, I get the satisfaction knowing that when everyone else is waking up at 6, 7 or 8 AM in the morning, I’ve already been up and started my day, ahead of the competition.
2. Lead from the front.
Lead from the front or lead by example. This is a mantra that Marine Officers have beat into their heads from the first day of Officer Candidate School. How can you lead or teach others when you don’t practice what you preach?
Simply put, it’s the reason why I’m never satisfied with where I’m at. I’ll be a lifelong student.
3. Leaders eat last.
While in the service, officers followed this mantra, that as leaders, we eat last. It means exactly as it sounds; that officers always eat last, and allow the junior Marines to eat first.
Metaphorically it applies to all aspects of leadership; we take care of others in our charge before ourselves. It means taking care of your parents, helping the less fortunate, and giving back to the community.
It is a tall order, I know. It’s something I try to be better at everyday. Leading isn’t a glamorous role, it’s a tough burden with little thanks, but it is definitely rewarding.
4. Embrace the suck.
Between the 15 mile weighted hikes or the 100+ hour work week during a field exercise, you learn to embrace the suck.
There used to be a guy in my platoon that would sing and hum during long hikes, and we would all wonder how the heck he could be in such a good mood all the time; but he had done something special. He embraced the suck or in other words, he welcomed the pain, and in that sense he won psychologically.
Your mind will quit long before your body will. This life lesson will stay with me forever, whether I like it or not.
5. Have a thick skin.
Don’t mistake having a thick skin for a thick skull. If there’s one thing that is a constant in the Marine Corps, is that there is a lot of testosterone in the air.
You will get made fun of, the competition is fierce, and you will get occasionally hip thrown. Whether in the military or the corporate office, there’s going to be insults, criticisms, and light jabs thrown at you, be prepared, learn from it if its’ applicable, and keep moving forward.
6. Explain the “why”.
There is a huge misconception that leading in the military just involves giving orders and that they will be executed seamlessly. That is hugely false!
Like anywhere else, you will find different personalities that clash, personal issues in the workplace, and bad communication.
That is why explaining why things are done and listening to your teammates is so important. Replace “Because I said so”, with “let me show you.”
7. People first, people always.
Whether you’re a General in the Marine Corps or a Fortune 500 company CEO, one thing is constant, they’ve stood on the shoulders of giants.
However far we’ve gone in life, we’ve had the helping hand of so many who have gone before us: our parents, friends, teachers, and strangers on the internet.
I will never forget those who gave me much needed advice, and was there for me during the difficult times, to them, thank you, from the bottom of heart.
8. Perception is reality.
Another mantra the Corps beat into me; perception is reality. People perceive us through our appearance, demeanor, actions, and yes, inaction forms others’ opinions of us from the second we meet someone to even the day you die.
What’s the take away? Be yourself, but always strive to be better, don’t be satisfied with mediocrity, and do the right thing, even when no one is looking.
9. Phone a friend.
If I had a nickel for everytime I called up a buddy or a mentor to get advice, I’d be a very rich man. Life lesson number 9, is to phone a friend when you need help. Don’t be afraid of looking dumb, ego is the enemy.
All the answers to your life’s woes are out there. Someone knows the answer, but are you willing to ask the question?
10. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you will still lose.
Life lesson number 10 and my favorite and hardest lesson I learned is: sometimes you can put in 100% max effort, prepare weeks in advance, but still fail. That’s life.
The only thing you can do is evaluate where it went wrong and move forward. You can’t change what’s done, but you can be better.
Jim Rohn said it best, “Don’t wish it were easier, wish you were better.”
P.S. First and foremost, thank YOU for taking the time to read. I wrote this for myself as much as for my faithful readers. I learned these life lessons through the Marine Corps, but they will stand as a constant reminder for the rest of my life. I hope some of these life lessons resonate with you and carry you towards your hopes and aspirations.
