13: See It Through – Kenny Hill
The Mindset That Doesn’t Quit When Life Gets Hard
Kenny Hill served as a Navy SEAL for over 20 years. In those two decades, he learned what it takes to push through the most grueling physical and mental challenges on Earth. But when asked how everyday civilians can build resilience, grit, and a stronger mindset, his advice wasn’t about toughness for toughness’ sake—it was about clarity, purpose, and persistence.
Start With a Goal
“You really need to have something to focus on. I think a lot of people say they want it, but you got to really want it. And you’ll find out quick enough if you want it or not. Build your mindset; you have to have a goal. It's really hard to try to build something if you don't even know what you're building. Once you have a goal, it needs to be something you’re truly willing to sacrifice for. Have a goal. See it through.” (Kenny Hill)
Kenny doesn’t romanticize the path to resilience—it’s simple but not easy. It starts with knowing what you're after. Without a clear goal, you’ll have no reason to fight when the struggle hits. But when you have a goal that means something, you’re more willing to suffer, adjust, and endure for it.
Faith, Responsibility, and Grit
“You have to have faith that you're going to achieve it. You have to believe in yourself. And, and again, take responsibility for your actions, don't don't blame it on other people and don't leave it up to others to, see that you make it because then you're probably going to fail.” (Kenny Hill)
When the pressure builds, Kenny reminds us that faith in the goal—and in ourselves—is the difference between pushing through and giving up. You can’t outsource your outcome. The moment you blame others or expect someone to carry you, the mission falters.
Setbacks are inevitable. What matters is how you respond. (Read that line again!)
Adapt or Die Trying
“When those setbacks come, if you've if you remain focused on it, then have the belief that you're going to attain it no matter what, even if you burn ships or whatever. You're going to take it, you're going to get it or you're going to die trying. And you just have to have that mental fortitude and dedication to what you're doing… you have to put in the extra hours, you have to put in the extra work or whatever. That's what you got to do.” (Kenny Hill)
Kenny knows firsthand that things rarely go according to plan. That’s why the ability to shift gears quickly is vital:
“One thing I did learn in the teams was how to switch gears quickly and accommodate for the situation because nothing ever ends up like you plan it. Immediately, as soon as you start working on it, you're like, ‘oh, this is not what we we planned on, and now we're going to have to accommodate, we're going to have to switch gears, and we're going to have to figure out another way.’ Whenever you get thrown a curveball, you're going to have to accommodate and change your swing and do something to attain your goal despite everything else that that happens.” (Kenny Hill)
Lessons Learned
Kenny’s mindset is forged in grit and grounded in purpose. His advice cuts through the noise:
Start with a goal that matters enough to suffer for.
Take full responsibility—don’t leave your outcome in anyone else’s hands.
Believe in yourself, especially when things go sideways.
Adapt quickly. The plan will change. Be ready to shift and stay focused on the mission.
You won’t always get it right the first time. Some methods will fail. That doesn’t mean you give up—it means you figure out another way.
Takeaway for You:
If you want to build true resilience:
Know what you’re after. Without a clear goal, your grit will collapse the moment it gets hard.
Own the mission. Stop waiting for someone else to believe in you. Believe in yourself, and take full responsibility for the outcome.
Stay flexible. When the plan breaks, adapt and keep moving. The goal doesn’t change—just the route you take to get there.
Whatever it is you’re chasing—see it through.
Even if it’s hard.
Even if it hurts.
Even if you fail a few times along the way.
That’s how resilience is built.