There Is No Shortcut | Iron Leader Team Deal For AFCA Members
September 23, 2025
“To each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” — Winston Churchill
The Moment That Tested Everything
August 2009 — Afghanistan.
I was a young U.S. Marine Commander preparing to step off in the middle of the night for one of the largest joint missions of the war. Our target: an enemy-controlled position in the middle of a mountain valley that no friendly forces had ever penetrated.
The uncertainty was real, the complexity was severe, and the nerves were building. My confidence never wavered. It came from the preparation we had invested in as a team. We had earned the unwavering confidence to enter any arena and own it.
Back home, on our company HQ wall, we had a simple reminder:
“Let no man’s ghost ever return to say, ‘Had I only been trained.’”
If you want to be a great competitor, there is no shortcut. Our team had made every sacrifice in training to ensure that when our moment came, we were ready to dominate.
As a leader, my job is to accomplish the mission and take care of my people – in that order. As we were building an elite team in preparation for our deployment, many of my decisions leading up to combat required sacrifice, excellence and were often demanding everything the team had to offer. It wasn’t easy and, at times, often unpopular. However, deep down, the men knew our preparation had to be different, difficult, and realistic. They met the moment.
Preparation: A Leader’s Non-Negotiable
Proper preparation is a non-negotiable for any leader. One of my mentors often instills in me:
“Success comes at the intersection of opportunity and preparation.”
When leaders fail in critical moments, it’s often because they were unprepared. In today’s world, we’re surrounded by “life hacks” and shortcuts — but those are lies. Your team doesn’t need hacks. They need a leader who’s prepared and ready to turn potential into performance and build the ultimate competitors.
Three Non-Negotiables to Build Relentless Competitors
- Train Emotional Control
Your team will mirror your composure and intensity. Know when to get excited, but more importantly, know when to be calm. Create uncertainty and stress in training so leaders can practice controlling their responses under pressure.
- Develop Leaders and Thinkers at Every Level
Rotate leadership reps in practice. Make small unit leaders think critically, communicate clearly, and solve problems without you stepping in.
- Do something hard every single day
Greatness isn’t for the chosen few, it’s for the few who choose. Identify the skills you need to be great at and repeat them at a high level under pressure to train your mind to win.
The Competitive Advantage
Massive success doesn’t come from one big moment. It comes from small, relentless commitments to development that compound over time. Many skip this step. That’s why it’s your edge – on and off the field.
The Forge is where elite coaches and leaders sharpen that edge. It’s a community dedicated to connecting with peers, accessing on-demand training without wrecking schedules, and staying accountable so they’re ready when the moment comes. This isn’t a bland online course. This is your leadership proving ground, where you train in short, high-impact bursts, stay sharp all year, and lead with the kind of edge that wins when it matters most.
AFCA Exclusive:
Building leaders isn’t optional—it’s the difference between teams that break under pressure and teams that win. That’s why we created The Forge—a leadership development community designed to be your command center for leadership growth and excellence.
Because of our partnership with AFCA, current members get access to The Forge at an exclusive AFCA rate. This 30% discounted rate is only available for a limited time and only for AFCA members.
Access your exclusive Forge membership here: https://the-forge-by-iron-leader-team.mn.co/plans/1825157?bundle_token=468d44648667aae50e8beac3b78cf463&utm_source=manual
Exclusive AFCA Access Code: AFCA30
Don’t wait. The future belongs to the leaders who prepare for it.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
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“To each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.” — Winston Churchill
The Moment That Tested Everything
August 2009 — Afghanistan.
I was a young U.S. Marine Commander preparing to step off in the middle of the night for one of the largest joint missions of the war. Our target: an enemy-controlled position in the middle of a mountain valley that no friendly forces had ever penetrated.
The uncertainty was real, the complexity was severe, and the nerves were building. My confidence never wavered. It came from the preparation we had invested in as a team. We had earned the unwavering confidence to enter any arena and own it.
Back home, on our company HQ wall, we had a simple reminder:
“Let no man’s ghost ever return to say, ‘Had I only been trained.’”
If you want to be a great competitor, there is no shortcut. Our team had made every sacrifice in training to ensure that when our moment came, we were ready to dominate.
As a leader, my job is to accomplish the mission and take care of my people – in that order. As we were building an elite team in preparation for our deployment, many of my decisions leading up to combat required sacrifice, excellence and were often demanding everything the team had to offer. It wasn’t easy and, at times, often unpopular. However, deep down, the men knew our preparation had to be different, difficult, and realistic. They met the moment.
Preparation: A Leader’s Non-Negotiable
Proper preparation is a non-negotiable for any leader. One of my mentors often instills in me:
“Success comes at the intersection of opportunity and preparation.”
When leaders fail in critical moments, it’s often because they were unprepared. In today’s world, we’re surrounded by “life hacks” and shortcuts — but those are lies. Your team doesn’t need hacks. They need a leader who’s prepared and ready to turn potential into performance and build the ultimate competitors.
Three Non-Negotiables to Build Relentless Competitors
- Train Emotional Control
Your team will mirror your composure and intensity. Know when to get excited, but more importantly, know when to be calm. Create uncertainty and stress in training so leaders can practice controlling their responses under pressure. - Develop Leaders and Thinkers at Every Level
Rotate leadership reps in practice. Make small unit leaders think critically, communicate clearly, and solve problems without you stepping in. - Do something hard every single day
Greatness isn’t for the chosen few, it’s for the few who choose. Identify the skills you need to be great at and repeat them at a high level under pressure to train your mind to win.
The Competitive Advantage
Massive success doesn’t come from one big moment. It comes from small, relentless commitments to development that compound over time. Many skip this step. That’s why it’s your edge – on and off the field.
The Forge is where elite coaches and leaders sharpen that edge. It’s a community dedicated to connecting with peers, accessing on-demand training without wrecking schedules, and staying accountable so they’re ready when the moment comes. This isn’t a bland online course. This is your leadership proving ground, where you train in short, high-impact bursts, stay sharp all year, and lead with the kind of edge that wins when it matters most.
AFCA Exclusive:
Building leaders isn’t optional—it’s the difference between teams that break under pressure and teams that win. That’s why we created The Forge—a leadership development community designed to be your command center for leadership growth and excellence.
Because of our partnership with AFCA, current members get access to The Forge at an exclusive AFCA rate. This 30% discounted rate is only available for a limited time and only for AFCA members.
Access your exclusive Forge membership here: https://the-forge-by-iron-leader-team.mn.co/plans/1825157?bundle_token=468d44648667aae50e8beac3b78cf463&utm_source=manual
Exclusive AFCA Access Code: AFCA30
Don’t wait. The future belongs to the leaders who prepare for it.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
