The Reality Of War

“You can't control who gets hit or who doesn't or who falls out of a chopper or why. It ain't up to you. It's just war.”
‘Hoot’ - Black Hawk Down

October 3rd 1993. Somalia.

The day everything went wrong. 

US Rangers & DELTA Force soldiers are approaching the city of Mogadishu in Blackhawk helicopters.

The mission is to capture warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid and his lieutenants. 

The US soldiers are highly trained, well armed and confident.

According to the plan – Aidid should be in custody within 60 minutes. 

Instead – it will be 18 hours of hell.

Within minutes of deployment every single part of the plan falls apart:

15:35: Private First Class Todd Blackburn from the U.S. Army Rangers falls from a helicopter. 

He loses his grip on the fast rope while descending – and falls 70 feet to the street below.

He needs an emergency casevac. 

15:42: The lead Black Hawk (Super 61), piloted by Chief Warrant Officer Cliff "Elvis" Wolcott, is struck by an RPG.

 As Rangers and Delta Force operators assault the target building the Black Hawk loses control and crashes. 

Wolcott and his co-pilot ‘Bull’ Briley are killed on impact. 

Those that survive are isolated and come under militia attack. 

15:40: The second Black Hawk (Super 64), piloted by Chief Warrant Officer Michael Durant is also hit by an RPG. 

It spins out of control and crashes in another part of the city. 

Both pilots and two soldiers are killed on impact. 

The rest share the same fate as Super 61 – cut off from support with the enemy closing in. 

After hearing of the downed helicopters, 90 U.S. Rangers and Delta Force operators load into armoured Humvees and try to reach their trapped comrades.

But the resistance is so fierce they end up first getting stopped - and then encircled. 

Now they are in the same situation.

The mission has failed. Now it’s about survival. 

In the most desperate situation imaginable, the soldiers fell back on a crucial military mindset skill. 

“You’re in the middle of it, and you can’t be thinking about all the things that are going wrong. You just focus on what you can do right then and there.”
Sergeant Keni Thomas (Black Hawk Super 67)

They couldn't escape. They couldn't control when rescue would arrive. 

But they could secure the crash sites. They could set up perimeters. They could fight like hell. 

The soldiers focused on what they could achieve, minute by minute, decision by decision.

It’s a mindset technique fundamental to success: Control, Influence, Accept. 

Whenever you face a difficult situation…

To stop overwhelm and get focused on constructive actions – ask yourself the following questions:

1. What can you control?
2. What can you influence?
3. What do you need to accept?

It’s a mindset shift to let go of resistance and avoid wasting energy on ‘what if’s’.

By ruthlessly applying that mindset - the US soldiers defended the crash sites through the night. 

In the early hours of October 4th a rescue convoy broke into the city and led the survivors to safety. 

If this mindset works in war it will work in your life with one caveat…

It requires constant practice to make it your default response.

It’s earned, not given.

Control, Influence, Accept doesn't let you escape a situation. 

But it will make you stronger, more decisive and more effective no matter what you face.