Military Mottos

How sayings used by the military can have everyday value

Coming from a family with no military tradition, I have always been slightly sceptical of the army, with its rigid discipline, “beasting” of recruits in the belief that this somehow brings out the best in people, and the expectation of unquestioning obedience of authority.

Yet all the same, I have worked in teams of colleagues in office jobs, when some have come from previous backgrounds in the armed forces, and always been impressed by how motivated they are, with self-discipline and confidence that is sometimes lacking in other team members.

One thing the army seems to excel at is slogans! These pithy sayings often capture an important message. Of course, there are probably many which are not so good, but I have picked out a few which strike me as particularly useful and applicable in life outside of the military.

“Train hard, fight easy”

The theory behind this saying, is that if you have done enough training for different scenarios, then when a real situation arises, you are fully equipped and ready to deal with it. The training often involves repeated exercises doing the same thing over and over, until something becomes an ingrained habit, perhaps with accompanying muscle memory. Of course, the training we may do outside of the military won’t be for combat, but it could be equally as vital such as an emergency evacuation drill for an office building, or first aid at work or at home.

“Look after your kit, and your kit will look after you”

This is a slightly trite and facile-sounding expression, but it contains considerable wisdom. Whatever your kit is, whether it is just a waterproof, a pair of boots, a set of tools, camping gear, a first aid kit, if you look after it and make sure it is in good condition, things will go much more smoothly when you need it.

“Be prepared”

This is actually a motto of the cub scout movement in the UK, which in many respects was modelled on the military. The motto makes complete sense: that if you are fully prepared for all eventualities, you have a much better chance of things going well. This may involve checking the weather forecast before a journey, knowing how to change a tyre, carrying a spare phone charger, keeping ICE (in case of emergency) contact details on your phone, or having a first aid kit. You name the situation, it is far more likely to have a successful outcome if you have done some planning or taken precautions.

“Winners never quit, and quitters never win”

This is another one of those sayings which can be a bit trite but again carry some wisdom nonetheless: as a general rule, you don’t succeed in any venture in life if you quit. Of course, there are occasions when it can make sense to quit, for example if you are injured or incapacitated in some way, and you have the option of retiring to recuperate and fight another day. However the message that sometimes you just have to dig deep and keep going, and push through, can be an admirable quality if it encourages persistence and hard work.

“Courage, kindness, and never give up”

Part of this saying links with the previous one, about not giving up. It is actually the slogan adopted by the former SAS (Special Air Service) adventurer turned survivalist, TV presenter and Chief Scout Bear Grylls. One of the things I like about it is the reference to kindness, something not readily associated with the military. However they do sometimes help out with disaster relief situations, so it is not only about being trained to kill. The kindness part of the motto probably comes from Bear Grylls’s Christian faith, which is a guiding principle alongside his military training.

So it can be seen that these military sayings can have real value, not only in their context of the armed forces, but in wider life, and can be applied to many situations to achieve better outcomes at home, in the workplace, or in leisure situations.

Do share any similar helpful sayings you have come across in the comments.