The Harsh Reality
This episode Cary Kolat and Matt Dernlan discuss Ch. 8 “Rise to the Occasion” and Ch. 9 "Give People Hope" from the book Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven. Ch. 8 deals a lot with giving respect to those soldiers who don't make it home, the realities of war, and the true dangers involved. Kolat and Dernlan don't entertain the idea that this is comparable to wrestling. They move on to Ch. 9 that covers a topic many people are fascinated with when it comes to SEAL training, Hell Week. Kolat relays what some of his SEAL friends have told him about Hell Week and that is that Hell Week is actually not the hardest part of BUD/S but getting through the entire 6 months of being wet, cold, and sandy is. 

Hell Week (8:50)
Dernlan talks about how wrestling programs draw from the idea of a "Hell Week". You have to make sure the athlete understands what they're getting into entering a collegiate program right away. The worst thing for both the program and the individual would be if they had a false reality of what they were getting into and end up quitting. Everyone's going to question if going through this is really worth it, or if they're getting out what they're putting in but that's normal. Dernlan would remind his athletes this and tell his team to lift up their teammates when they're on the edge or ready to give up. Admiral McRaven talks about how it only takes one individual to be the change in everyone's attitude, morale, and motivation. This is true in wrestling as well. Kolat says one guy becoming a national champ can motivate the entire program to be great and achieve their goals. It also only takes one guy to quit to allow others to rationalize in their head to quit.

You're Always Under Attack (17:20)
Kolat speaks on how you're always going to be mentally tested. Who you surround yourself with is extremely important. If you're serious about your goals surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals is crucial for your success.