Military training teaches life skills that work well beyond the battlefield into everyday living.

Slow, rhythmic breathing delivers composed presence, focus, and performance.

A calm voice communicates self-control and effective leadership, and brings composure to others.

Warfare is what many people think of when reflecting on the military. That association can block the recognition of the life lessons that can be learned without ever serving in the armed forces.

Skills connected with military training can benefit all of us—including athletes and other performers—for dealing with the difficult, stressful circumstances we all encounter.

A few of those life lessons are explored herein. The link between military mental training and the approaches used in athletic and clinical psychology settings will be made, especially with Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), a methodology used by performance psychology specialists to train military personnel and athletes.

Deliberate (Tactical) Breathing

Central to many military-trained skills is effective breathing.

Defined as slow, rhythmic breathing, deliberate (tactical) breathing is a skill trained for the maintenance of calm composure and the ability to be in the present moment. These are key components during stressful and life-threatening conditions experienced by the military.

Tactical breathing can also be of assistance for athletes. While sports may not be quite as dangerous as a military context, they can be stressful. Deliberate breathing can assist in not letting........

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