Change Starts in Your Mind, not Anywhere Else

07 Mar 2025 #misc

Hollywood often glorifies Navy SEALs portraying them as indestructible and focused men.

Jocko Willink, the guy from American Sniper, and the guys from Lone Survivor are all portrayed of them self-disciplined tough men.

But that’s not always the case. And this isn’t a story of a self-disciplined man.

His name is Taylor Cavanaugh, an ex-SEAL.

After joining the Military, Taylor’s life was a disaster. Bad decision after bad decision kicked him out of the military and led him to escape to France to join the Foreign Legion.

He tells his full story here:

And here are my 3 favorite quotes from his story.

“If you feel like it’s the happiest you’ve ever been, be very careful”

Taylor’s breaking point was after graduating from his military training.

It was partying and living “la vida loca” that got Taylor into trouble. It was the feeling of making it.

My breaking point wasn’t when I was making minimum wage at my first job.

No! It was years later when I was making the most money I had made as a software engineer. It was when I had won a “reputation” and felt comfortable at work. That’s when I got into trouble. I burned out.

And if we aren’t careful enough in those happy moments, everything that goes up has to go down.

“You cannot get healthy in the same place that makes you sick”

Often we can’t afford moving to a new place.

That’s what Taylor did to change his life. He moved to France to join the Foreign Legion. A military unit that accepts foreigners and give them a new name and life, no questions asked.

But we can change our environment without leaving home by:

• cleaning our room,
• working out,
• making our bed,
• eating healthy food,
• ditching social media, and
• going to bed earlier.

It took me months to start getting out of that burnout episode. But, it all started with a 5-kg dumbbell and a YouTube video to work out before showing up to work and with the type of content I was consuming online.

Move to another place or create the right conditions around you to flourish.

“Anything you do starts with self development”

Nobody is coming to save you.

It was a little voice in my head when I hit rock bottom that helped me to get up. “If you don’t get up by yourself, nobody is going to do it for you.”

I had to believe it was possible. I started to read inspiring books and YouTube videos. I had to watch stories from other who overcame similar situations in their lives. All that to believe I could do it too.

Change has to start in your mind first.

Parting thought

After overcoming his messy life, now Taylor is a life coach.

Me? Well, I took almost a year off to continue taking care of my health. I adopted a simple habit: ditching my to-do list and doing something for my body, mind, and spirit every day. Every single day, without excuses.

And that last quote summarizes Taylor’s journey through recovery—and my journey too. It all starts in your mind with your beliefs. Because beliefs turn into actions, actions into habits, and habits into change.