This Navy SEALs technique helped me control my nerves.
3,167 meters up Mont Blanc. Midnight. In a cramped mountain hut.
Sleep refuses to come.
My 16-year-old daughter is sleeping peacefully in the bunk above.
While my mind races below.
The final summit push awaits at dawn.
And my thoughts spiral:
“What if something goes wrong?”
“Why did I bring her here?”
“What kind of father am I?”
Every parent’s fear, but amplified by thin mountain air.
My heart races.
Adrenaline spikes.
Sleep feels impossible.
And I need rest. Desperately.
The mountain won’t be forgiving tomorrow.
Then I remembered: This Navy SEALs technique I had used before.
Ever notice how tension builds before something important?
Good. That’s exactly what should happen.
Your body’s getting ready.
Your senses sharpen.
Your focus narrows.
But here’s the thing:
Nerves are like a wild horse. Powerful when controlled. Dangerous when not.
Most people let nerves control them.
Elite performers do the opposite.
This is what Navy SEALs use: Box Breathing.
It’s ridiculously simple:
• Breathe in → 4 seconds
• Hold → 4 seconds
• Breathe out → 4 seconds
• Hold → 4 seconds
• Repeat 4 times
That’s it.
But here’s what’s happening inside:
Your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in. (Think: calm, focused, controlled)
It’s like hitting your body’s reset button:
• Stress hormones drop
• Emotions stabilize
• Focus sharpens
• Memory improves
Within minutes that night, I was sleeping like a rose.
The next morning?
We summited. Together. Safely. Stronger.
Same technique:
• Works on mountains
• Works in combat zones
• Works in daily life
It’s biology hacking at its finest.
But here’s the crazy part: 99% of people never use this superpower.
They let their nerves run wild.
They fight their biology.
They lose before they start.
Want to be in the 1%?
Practice this. Make it automatic. Turn nerves into rocket fuel.
Because you already know tension will always come.
But now you decide: Does it control you? Or do you control it?
Own your performance.
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