Never Give Up, Never Quit (NQM002)
SSgt Travis Mills (US Army, ret) is the founder of the Travis Mills Foundation, a non-profit focused on helping injured service members and their families recalibrate to a new life at home. He was critically injured by a pressure-plate IED in Afghanistan in 2012 ultimately costing him both his legs and arms. He is one of 5 quadruple amputees (edit: re-calibrated warriors) to survive from the Afghanistan/Iraq campaigns.
A short video from the New England Revolution YouTube channel highlighting some of Travis’ work.
His book "As Tough As They Come" is an incredible read and highly suggested. It details not only the events surrounding the injury but the recovery process, both physically but especially mentally. Also available on DVD, Amazon, and Netflix is Travis' documentary, which gives you an intimate insight into his life and recovery process. They did a great job compiling home-video with high quality re-enactments. This docu allows you to put things into perspective to understand exactly what it means to face challenges in life.
Although medically retired from the US Army, Travis' is continuing his service to this great nation through the Travis Mill Foundation, providing retreats to military service members and their families free of charge. At the retreats the families learn how to adapt to their new lifestyle, and the military service members learns all kinds of adaptive activities that they can continue at home even after the retreat is over. The foundation is donation based, so please consider helping out this great initiative by spreading the word or by providing a financial contribution (more information can be found here).
Jocko Podcast 90 w/ Travis Mills
Travis Mills appeared on Jocko's podcast episode 90 to talk about physical and mental fortitude, the importance of strong support groups, and quiet simply the never quit mindset. A couple of highlights from the podcast:
"The backpack touching the dirt was all it took. My world erupted. I saw a flash of flame and heard a huge explosion. Hot jagged pieces of explosives ripped through me. I cartwheeled backward end over end and hit the ground hard. i smelled burning flesh, my own. Dirt fell everywhere through the air. I dont remember rolling over but i must have, because i rolled to my side and saw that my right arm was completely gone. I caught a glimpse of my left armed covered in blood and shattered. I looked down and saw that my right leg was also gone. The bottom of my left leg was still attached but held only together by a few strings of skin."
"I felt confusion but no panic. My first thought was that of my guys. I flopped my remaining arm to my microphone clipped to my carrier plate and somehow managed to push the button. I am not going to make it, i said, go take care of my guys. I yelled my guys' names like roll call to see if they were ok."
"Then you come to a realization that you know what, sometimes bad things happen to good people, it is what it is. You cant change it you might as well keep pushing forward"
"Sure if i could have changed things, i wouldnt be in the situation i found myself in. But i coudnt change things. Being a quadruple amputee is my new reality. I could quit for good, and will myself to die. Or i could fight forward and keep on living."
On the last line in the book: "Believe in Freedom, to go forward, to make something of your life. to never ever give up, to never quit. That is the definition of success." This probably makes Travis one of the most succesfull people to walk this planet.
Travis Mills on the Team Never Quit Pocast
Another great group of podcasters, The Team Never Quit guys, had Travis on the podcast to talk about his mindset and mental fortitude. Travis talks a lot about perspective, detailing his first encounter with Corporal Todd Nicely (USMC, ret), the second quadruple amputee from the Afghanistan/Iraq conflict, that kick-started Travis' recovery and passion for giving back.
Travis also shares two great nuggets that will help people overcome challenges everyday
1) Dont dwell in the past. Keep pushing forward
2) you cant always control your situation, but you can always control your attitude.
