Determination In the Community
vs. faintheartedness
Overcoming obstacles in order to reach my goal
To practice Determination, I will: 
- set goals that are right for me
- avoid distractions
- not allow others to discourage me
- face problems head-on
- see obstacles as a challenge
“Get Over Being a Sugar Cookie”
A ‘sugar cookie’ is when a SEAL trainee must wet themselves down in the surf fully clothed and booted and then roll in the sand on the beach, covering every surface, nook, and cranny with sand. It is ordered for an infraction during training. Once covered, the trainee completed the rest of the day’s activities as a ‘sugar cookie’. Can you imagine going through your typical day, wet and covered in sand? This is no day at the beach.
When the Admiral, then a trainee, had returned to his instructor having made himself enthusiastically into a sugar cookie, the instructor asked him if he knew why it was ordered. He replied that he did not. The instructor told him, “Life isn’t fair, and the sooner you learn that the better.” Sugar cookies could be ordered at the whim of the instructors.
The Admiral continues his story by telling about a time later, when both he and the instructor, known as Moki, were assigned together. His respect and admiration for this man were intense. Moki was a superb SEAL and a phenomenal triathlete. His swims were strong, his runs were powerful, but he excelled on the bike. Every morning, he rode for 30 miles along a path that paralleled the Pacific. Early one morning, he was involved in a head-on collision with another cyclist. The other cyclist walked away. Moki did not. The crash left him paralyzed in both legs and with limited movement of his arms. Life certainly was not fair to Moki, but he did not let that stop him. From his wheelchair or on prosthetic legs, he continued to excel at whatever he tried.
We have all faced unfair circumstances. Determination helps to overcome obstacles that are predictable and expected and those that just are not fair. If we have practiced Determination in the little things, then our response in unfair and difficult circumstances will have a deep well of Determination upon which to draw. The Admiral closes this chapter with, “Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, no matter how good you are, you still end up as a sugar cookie. Don’t complain. Don’t blame it on your misfortune. Stand tall, look to the future, and drive on!”
This month, how will you use the image of the Sugar Cookie to deepen your Determination?
(All the essays this month are based on the book, Make your bed: little things that can change your life…and maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven (U.S. Navy retired). It is about the lessons he learned in Navy SEAL training that served him well his whole career. The training is beyond brutal to weed out the weak and give confidence to the strong. It takes strength and the ultimate Determination to make it to graduation.)
The Links below will take you to Resources you can use with the family or within community organizations
to teach the Character Quality of Determination.
The following activities are related to dates this month and can relate to any character quality or good character in general.
September Character All Month
See NationalToday, AndTodayIs, NationalDayCalendar or DaysOfTheYear for more information on these and other holidays to celebrate this month. Day in September Holiday How to Commemorate with Character 2 Labor Day On #LaborDayWeekend, we are #Grateful for the benefits...
First Day Of Autumn
Make a Character Tree to identify character-based behavior on which you can focus. You can either draw or print a picture of a tree. Write suggestions of good behaviors on cutouts of leaves. If you write in a bold black marker, the children can color them with fall...
Day of Encouragement
Day of Encouragement (Sept 12) was started in 2007 by a group of Searcy, Arkansas teenagers who felt that encouragement could help many teens face their problems. The Mayor of Searcy proclaimed September 12, Day of Encouragement. A similar proclamation was made by the...
Our other Pillars have resources that can be used in a community or family setting.
Visit Determination in School>>
Activities
No Matter How You Say It
Curriculum Connections
Croskey’s Corner
Visit Determination in Business>>
Teambuilding
Power Up with Character
Interview Questions
Adult Business Books
Visit Determination in Faith>>
Christian Family Activity
Bible Verses
Christian Poster
Prayer and Reflections
Archived Resources