Men in the Arena: Sam Blair

Way of the Heart Podcast

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a Navy SEAL? How do SEALs stay the course under the most brutal circumstances and what can we learn from them as men living in our own arenas? In this episode, Jake and Brett sit down with Sam Blair, a trained and experienced SEAL who shares the importance of being called to your work, how excellence comes down to training, and why knowing your why is the secret to persevering when things get tough.

Guiding Quote:

He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how. - Viktor Frankl

Key Points

• Sam’s connection with mutual friends of Jake’s, the Benzinger family
• Sam’s experience of a call to join the Navy SEALS
• The importance of feeling called to your line of work instead of doing it to prove your worth
• Why excellence simply comes down to training
• When things get hard, you have to be confident in your why
• After you complete a phase in training or the spiritual life, you can expect to feel like a beginner again
• Healthy outlets for dealing with adversity
• How knowing your ‘why’ can prevent you from giving in to temptation and distractions
• Stepping into the arena vs being an armchair quarterback

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out to you in this episode?
2. When adversity strikes, what are your outlets? Are they healthy or unhealthy?
3. What is your ‘why’ in the arenas of your life?
4. Where do you currently feel like a ‘beginner’ in your work, spiritual life or vocation? Could it be because you have entered into a new phase?

Resources

• Sam’s Interview with Matt Fradd on Pints With Aquinas
• The Frassati Company

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Audio editing by Forte Catholic