In his book, Good To Great, author James C. Collins describes a conversation he once had with the late Vice Admiral James Stockdale. For those unfamiliar with Stockdale's story: in 1965 he ejected from an A-4E Skyhawk over North Vietnam and was taken captive. He spent seven years in the Hoa Lo prison, where he was held in metal leg restraints and often locked in a bath stall. He was beaten and tortured on a routine basis.
When speaking to James Collins, Admiral Stockdale described his coping mechanisms during captivity. "I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade." *Note: He chose to make this torturous captivity the defining experience of his life.
Collins then asked about prisoners who had the most problems or did not make it out: "Oh, that’s easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart."
"This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
Collins describes this mentality as "The Stockdale Paradox." In short, the Paradox includes a clear objective coupled with realistic discipline. For me, Stockdale's choice to make captivity and torture a defining experience is unbelievable and awe-inspiring.
For more on Admiral Stockdale's story, check out the book In Love and War by James and Sybil Stockdale.
When speaking to James Collins, Admiral Stockdale described his coping mechanisms during captivity. "I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade." *Note: He chose to make this torturous captivity the defining experience of his life.
Collins then asked about prisoners who had the most problems or did not make it out: "Oh, that’s easy, the optimists. Oh, they were the ones who said, 'We're going to be out by Christmas.' And Christmas would come, and Christmas would go. Then they'd say, 'We're going to be out by Easter.' And Easter would come, and Easter would go. And then Thanksgiving, and then it would be Christmas again. And they died of a broken heart."
"This is a very important lesson. You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end—which you can never afford to lose—with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
Collins describes this mentality as "The Stockdale Paradox." In short, the Paradox includes a clear objective coupled with realistic discipline. For me, Stockdale's choice to make captivity and torture a defining experience is unbelievable and awe-inspiring.
For more on Admiral Stockdale's story, check out the book In Love and War by James and Sybil Stockdale.
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