You’re in the stand. A mature buck materializes through the timber—heavy-racked, cautious, perfect. Your heart hammers. Your breath goes shallow. And your brain screams: “Don’t blow this.”
That voice? That’s the real enemy.
I learned this during Hell Week at BUD/S — SEAL training’s crucible — 40 hours into the most brutal physical and mental gauntlet imaginable. My body was wrecked. My mind begged me to quit. But in that frozen, exhausted moment, I discovered something: Once you control your thoughts, you control your reality.
The same principle applies whether you’re in combat, in the C-suite, or in a tree stand. The fiercest fight doesn’t begin at first light. It occurs inside your own head.
Thought Control Pillars
Through Trident Mindset — my mental performance program for operators, athletes and hunters — I’ve taught thousands that thought control rests on three pillars:
- Awareness: You can’t control what you don’t notice. Most people tend to live on autopilot. The first step is catching when your mind drifts into fear or doubt.
- Reframing: Flip limiting thoughts. Instead of “I can’t make this shot,” try, “I haven’t made it yet.” Instead of “This is impossible,” ask, “What would make this possible?”
- Replacement: You can’t simply stop negative thoughts—you have to replace them with something stronger.
I’ve seen people freeze not because they lacked skill, but because their head betrayed them. Thought control is the map, the patrol and the guard post all rolled into one.
The Five-Second Rule
Try this drill. When a negative thought appears, you have five seconds to reframe or replace it. Miss that window and it hardens into your reality.
Example: “I’m going to blow this shot.” Within five seconds, override it: “I’ve made this shot a hundred times in practice.”
I worked with a bowhunter who consistently froze on mature bucks. After six weeks of this drill, he arrowed a 150-class 10-pointer—calm and clean. The difference? He trained his mind like he trained his shot.
Anchors Under Pressure
When adrenaline spikes, you need anchors: cues that snap you back to control:
- Box breathing: Inhale four counts, hold four, exhale four, hold four.
- Micro-goals: Break the sequence: draw, anchor, settle, squeeze.
- Trigger word: One practiced word that pulls you present: “Steady.” “Execute.” “Flow.”
Tie your visualization to these anchors. When chaos rears its ugly head, the cues bring you back on target.
Thought Hierarchy: Be The General
Your brain runs dozens of narratives—“Don’t miss.” “They’ll judge me.” “I look like a fool.”
Without discipline, they all fight for control. Establish a chain of command:
- Tier 1: Mission mindset - “I will execute what I’ve practiced.”
- Tier 2: Tactical thoughts - Wind, distance, form.
- Tier 3: Noise - Fear, doubt, distraction.
Every time Tier 3 tries to hijack the mission, intercept it. Don’t argue, don’t debate, simply override it. Be the general, not the soldier.
Parting Thoughts
The people who thrive aren’t those who never have negative thoughts. They’re the ones who have trained to manage those thoughts. I’ve seen it work in combat zones, boardrooms and deer stands alike.
Start small. Catch one negative thought today and reframe it. Tomorrow, catch two. Build this muscle gradually, and you’ll carry one of the most powerful tools for success that exists.
The outdoors will always test us — that’s why we love it. But master the battlefield between your ears, and you won’t just hunt better — you’ll live better.
Next time you’re in the stand and doubt creeps in, remember: That buck doesn’t care about your thoughts. But your shot will.
The strongest weapon you’ll ever carry isn’t in your hands. It’s in your head.
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