“The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday” — The Brutal Navy SEAL Mindset That Can Change Your Life

In partnership with

Good morning Grinder,

Happy Memorial Day 😄 

Every year around Memorial Day, I find myself thinking deeply about sacrifice, discipline, courage, and the mindset required to keep moving forward when life becomes difficult. While most people spend the holiday enjoying time with family, food, and a long weekend, I believe it is also important to reflect on the meaning behind this day and the men and women who gave everything for this country.

And strangely enough, every Memorial Day, I always end up going back to the same place for motivation.

Navy SEAL BUD/S training videos.

Whenever I feel mentally exhausted, discouraged, overwhelmed, or close to quitting on something important in my life, I rewatch BUD/S videos that have impacted me for years. I am going to share three short ones with you today.

These videos are more than military motivation. They are lessons about human endurance, discipline, fear, suffering, and personal transformation. Every single time I watch them, I walk away reminded of one quote that has become one of my favorites of all time:

"The only easy day was yesterday."

That quote comes directly from Navy SEAL culture and BUD/S training, and once you truly understand what it means, it changes the way you look at life forever.

What Is BUD/S Training?

BUD/S stands for Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. It is the elite selection and training process designed to create U.S. Navy SEALs, one of the most respected special operations forces in the world. The training is infamous for its extreme physical and mental demands. It pushes candidates into freezing cold water, endless physical exhaustion, sleep deprivation, long-distance runs, ocean swims, boat carries, log exercises, and relentless pressure designed to break people mentally.

Most people assume the training is simply about strength and athletic ability, but former SEALs often explain that the real purpose of BUD/S is psychological. The instructors are not just testing whether someone can run fast or do pushups. They are testing whether someone can continue operating while tired, cold, afraid, uncertain, and uncomfortable.

The numbers are staggering. Many BUD/S classes start with well over one hundred candidates, yet often only twenty or thirty make it to graduation. In many classes, around 70% to 85% of candidates quit before the training is complete.

What makes this even more fascinating is that many of the people who quit are physically capable of finishing. Some are elite athletes. Some are incredibly strong. Some are faster than the graduates.

So why do they quit?

Because eventually the body is no longer the biggest obstacle.

The mind is.

The Bell That Ends the Pain

One of the most symbolic parts of BUD/S training is the brass bell that sits where every trainee can see it. At any moment during training, if someone decides they have had enough, they simply walk over, ring the bell three times, and quit.

Immediately, the suffering ends.

No more freezing water.

No more carrying heavy boats.

No more exhaustion.

No more pain.

Just ring the bell.

That image has stayed in my mind for years because life has its own version of that bell. Entrepreneurs hear it when business becomes difficult. Salespeople hear it after constant rejection. Parents hear it during overwhelming seasons of responsibility. People trying to improve their health hear it when results take longer than expected. Anyone pursuing a meaningful goal eventually hears that internal voice whispering:

"Quit."

"Take the easy path."

"Stop suffering."

And that is why those Navy SEAL motivation videos hit so deeply. They remind us that most battles in life are won or lost internally long before the external results appear.

"The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday"

The famous SEAL quote, "The only easy day was yesterday," represents a mindset of continuous challenge and growth. In BUD/S training, every day is intentionally harder than the previous one. Yesterday's pain was preparation for today's difficulty. There is no comfort zone. There is no coasting. Every new day demands more discipline, more endurance, and more mental toughness.

That idea applies far beyond the military.

The next level of your business will demand a stronger version of you.

The next level of leadership will require greater patience and emotional control.

The next level of success will demand sacrifice most people are unwilling to make.

Growth has never been comfortable.

And perhaps that is why so many people stay stuck. They want the rewards of growth without the discomfort required to achieve it. But BUD/S teaches the opposite lesson. It teaches that suffering, pressure, and adversity are often the environments where transformation happens.

Why People Really Quit

One of the most powerful lessons from studying BUD/S training is understanding why people actually quit. Most people do not quit because they physically cannot continue. They quit because they mentally convince themselves the suffering will never end. They become emotionally overwhelmed by temporary pain.

That lesson applies directly to life.

Many people quit businesses too early.

Many people quit goals too early.

Many people quit relationships too early.

Many people quit on themselves too early.

The difficult chapter convinces them the story is over when in reality it may simply be the part of the process where growth is taking place.

Tim Kennedy said something in his speech that stood out to me deeply. He explained that everybody experiences fear. Fear is universal. Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is functioning despite fear. The people we admire most are not fearless people. They are people who continue moving forward even while feeling afraid.

That perspective alone can change someone's life.

A Memorial Day Reminder About Sacrifice

As we celebrate Memorial Day, I think these lessons matter more than ever. This holiday is not just about remembering military history. It is about honoring sacrifice, resilience, courage, and the willingness to endure hardship for something greater than oneself.

The freedoms we enjoy today came from people who did not quit when things became difficult.

And maybe that is the reminder all of us need right now.

Life is difficult for many people. Business is difficult. The economy is uncertain. Stress levels are high. Many people are tired mentally, emotionally, and financially.

But before you ring the bell on your goals, your dreams, or your future, remember this:

Temporary pain does not mean permanent defeat.

Sometimes the breakthrough comes right after the moment you wanted to quit.

Sometimes the strongest people are simply the ones who stayed in the fight longer than everyone else.

So this Memorial Day, honor the sacrifices of others by refusing to waste the opportunities in front of you. Continue building. Continue improving. Continue growing. Continue showing up even when motivation disappears.

And if you ever feel like quitting, maybe go back and watch those BUD/S training videos again.

I know I will.

Because every time I hear that quote, it reminds me exactly who I need to become:

"The only easy day was yesterday."

Happy Memorial Day to you and your family.

N. Amadeus

How High Are Art Prices Today? The Latest from Spring Auctions…

Let’s check out the latest auction highlights…

$85,800,000 for Rothko
$98,385,000 for a ANOTHER Rothko
$107,585,000 for a Brancusi sculpture
$181,200,000 for a Pollock

Sounds crazy, but those masterpieces were once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for the ultra-rich buyers.

Postwar contemporary art’s scarcity is largely what’s driven price appreciation that’s comparable to the S&P over the last thirty years.*

This trend has made art investing out of reach for most people.

But since 2017, Masterworks has taken a data-driven approach to investing in art, making it accessible to individual investors.

Masterworks members have the opportunity to invest in shares of artworks by legendary artists like Rothko, Basquiat, and Warhol. When a piece sells, they get a share of the proceeds.

Over $1.2 billion has been deployed across over 500+ artworks.

And over the last six months, seven of those have sold. Overall, 29 exits to-date have delivered net annualized returns like 16.5%, 17.6% and 17.8% on works held longer than one year, not including those unsold.

To see Masterworks track record of sold works and inquire for membership, my subscribers can use this unique link.

^{*According to Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.}