Building a Never Quit Mindset is Possible… https://www.stewsmithfitness.com/products/the-never-quit-mindset-book

With this action plan, you'll learn to understand the growth process required for physical and mental toughness. You'll enjoy the liberation from the fear of failure and the freedom to move forward and through obstacles, setting you on a path whereby your growth knows no limits.

Defeat Self-Doubt and Embrace Never-Ending Progress

- Step-by-Step Growth Process: Transformations don’t happen in a day, but with the right blueprint, you can ignite the spark within and foster continuous success.

- Expert Tactics for Resilience: Take a methodologically proven path to becoming unfazed by challenges—straight from a former Navy SEAL and Tactical Fitness Coach helping operators prepare for decades.

- Comfort Zone Expansion: Effectively step beyond limitations and explore new territories of potential.

- Stress Coping Mechanisms: Equip yourself with tailored strategies that make stress, failure, and doubt manageable—not debilitating.

- Mindset Mastery: Leverage mental practices that redefine self-belief, focused on winning and competing and never even thinking about quitting.

Master Your Mindset with Stew Smith, Tactical Fitness Pioneer / Spec Ops Coach

A Stoic approach is something that concisely concludes each chapter of the book. Here is one of the great teachers of Stoicism Epictetus: From Slavery to Stoic Wisdom

How Ancient Teachings Inspire Motivate and Build the Never Quit Mindset
We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
True freedom is internal and comes from controlling one’s own will and judgement not from external factors like power or wealth. Even a friend of Caesar is a slave if their happiness depends on the ruler’s favor.


Epictetus was born around 50 AD in Hierapolis, present-day Turkey. He spent his early years as a slave in Rome. Despite this challenging start, he gained his freedom and devoted his life to philosophy, becoming one of the most influential voices in Stoicism. Epictetus's journey from slavery to respected teacher highlights the transformative power of focusing on what we can control.

The Core of Stoicism: Control Over Response, Not Circumstances
Stoic philosophy teaches that while we cannot always control what happens to us, we can control how we respond. Epictetus emphasized that our true power lies in our thoughts, beliefs, and actions—not in external events. This idea forms the heart of Stoicism and serves as a foundation for personal resilience.
TWO Categories: What Is Up to Us vs. What Is Not
• Up to Us: Our opinions, choices, desires, thoughts, and actions.
• Not Up to Us: Other people’s actions, external events, weather, and other’s opinions.
Epictetus encouraged asking, “Is this within my control?” This simple question helps us focus energy on what we can influence, reducing anxiety and frustration.

Exploring the Relentless Spirit Behind Human Flight and Space Exploration
The "Never Quit Mindset with Human Innovation Since Wright Brothers" podcast takes listeners on an exhilarating journey through the history and future of human flight. We quickly discuss the pivotal moments that have shaped our ability to soar, from the Wright brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk to the age of supersonic jets, the dawn of rocketry, and humanity’s bold steps onto the lunar surface.

Hosted by the creator of the Never Quit Mindset, Stew Smith, the show celebrates the innovators, engineers, and dreamers who refused to accept limits and never quit trying and innovating.

Whether you’re fascinated by early aviation, the race to break the sound barrier, the marvels of modern jet aircraft, the excitement of the Space Race, or the ongoing quest to explore Mars and beyond, this podcast brings you the human stories and technological breakthroughs that define our relentless pursuit of innovation.

Tune in for a mix of history, inspiration, and a look at what lies ahead in the world of human innovation. Perfect for anyone who believes that no dream is too big—and that quitting is never an option.

Thomas Edison's "Never Quit" story is a legendary example of perseverance and turning failure into success. Throughout his career, Edison faced numerous challenges, particularly in his pursuit of inventing the practical incandescent light bulb. He famously conducted thousands of experiments, each failure bringing him closer to his goal.

When asked about his repeated failures, Edison is quoted as saying, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” For Edison, negative results were just as valuable as positive ones, because they guided him toward the solution.

Imagine facing each day with unshakable confidence that quitting is no longer a consideration. This is the Never Quit Mindset Action Plan!

Let’s cut to it—you're tired of the cycle of self-doubt undermining your progress. The solution? A mindset transformation rooted in mental and physical resilience. This action plan isn’t just a pamphlet—it's your gateway to living a life where quitting ceases to be an option.

Our Never Quit Mindset action plan delivers the tools necessary to conquer doubt, manage stress, and ultimately thrive under pressure. By stepping outside your comfort zone, you'll build resilience, harness an unstoppable mindset, and inch closer to living a life where “never quit” is your mantra.

Building a Never Quit Mindset is Possible… https://www.stewsmithfitness.com/products/the-never-quit-mindset-book

Time to finish strong with the last month of summer. Can you progress into higher mileage, higher reps, faster times (run, ruck, swim)? That is our plan for the last month of summer - THEN once we peak, we will do a week of mobility days. It is going to be awesome!

Summer peak - https://www.stewsmithfitness.com/blogs/news/summer-training-plans-by-stew-smith-stfp-system

Mobility day - https://www.stewsmithfitness.com/blogs/news/dont-skip-moblity-day

See more at https://www.stewsmithfitness.com

This is our first Never Quit Mindset Show, where we explore some of the incredible stories of people who embody the "never quit mindset" to such an extent that we feel compelled to share and learn from them. After the quick story, you can jump on to share more comments about the person or ask a related/unrelated question if you prefer.

Cliff Young was a 61 year old potato farmer who set the endurance running world on fire in the early 1980s with his style of slow and steady and pure grit.

I wanted this to be open to LIVE discussion vs. a taped video show, as it adds some interesting dialogue. My plan is to do one of these types of shows once a week - primarily on the weekend, but they may also get bumped to a weekday depending on my schedule.

For more info about the Never Quit Mindset, Check out https://www.stewsmithfitness.com for the book, ebook, and 5 hour video course. The audiobook can be found on Amazon.

So let's get this done!

I realized I half answered this question about faster 4 mile timed runs yesterday. When I stated you need to run more 4 miles timed runs to get better at running 4 mile timed runs - that is true. BUT I left out the other runs of the week you should also do:

Hill runs, sprints, should be a training day.
Goal pace 400m 800m and mile repeats should be a training day
Beach running (if available) should be a training day.
- Add a 4 mile timed run to a mobility day and work on your 4 mile running strategies (pace, fuel, hydration, etc)

We were already doing these workouts and he asked if he should just do more. I said no - just add a 4 mile timed run each week and watch it come down each week. And it works. For more ideas on training see:

https://www.stewsmithfitness.com

The old saying is that if you want to get big, you must eat big and lift big. The science behind this agrees, but it is more complicated than simply eating more. It does matter what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat, and how you exercise. It is not as simple as just getting on the SEE-food diet.
Recent research shows that even with a calorie surplus and resistance training, mainly gaining lean muscle mass is no easy feat. See more at https://www.stewsmithfitness.com

The Science of Weight Gain
Be Patient: A recent study on weight gain for athletes and military personnel found that a 1-pound weight gain per week is a reasonable and optimal goal. To gain weight healthily, aim for a target gain of ½–1 lb. per week. Any faster, and you’re likely packing on fat rather than muscle. This process requires an additional 1,750 to 3,500 surplus calories at the end of the week or 250-500 extra calories a day.

You need good, healthy meals with extra portions of protein, carbs, and fat, plus snacks, to gain this kind of weight. Remember that the surplus required is in addition to the calories you burn just being alive (BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate) and the calories you burn through physical activity. Together, you will find your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). See the BMR Calculator and TDEE Calculator links for good ballpark figures of both. Reaching 250-500 calories above this will likely put you in the 4,000-calorie-per-day range, depending on your sex, body size, and level of physical activity. Ideally, these additional calories should come from nutrient-dense, energy-rich foods, such as peanut butter (or other nuts), dried fruit, and healthy liquid calories. Shakes and smoothies are easier to consume, but they do not satisfy you as much as solid food.

Train Smart: Muscle growth occurs across a spectrum of rep ranges from 12 to 20 reps, but training volume is the key factor. Mix it up, train to failure occasionally, and hit total rep targets (30–60 reps per exercise or three sets of 12-20 reps). To build more muscle, add 1-2 minutes of rest between sets. (Study on rest periods)

Check out latest podcast with Nick Barringer (PhD Nutrition) on overcoming the "Hard-Gainer" Life many of us had when starting out.

So I decided to start a new podcast and make it a LIVE QA session on top of discussing The Never Quit Mindset. With guests and without focused on those important moments in our lives when we decided to get tougher and not quit. Standby for more information, but I wanted to get a quick discussion on another potential change that is occuring within Air Force Special Warfare.

For more info on AFSW training check out: https://www.stewsmithfitness.com/products/ebook-mil-air-force-pararescue-special-tactics-cct-past-workout

Air Force IFT Clinic: https://www.stewsmithfitness.com/blogs/news/air-force-past-test-clinic-crush-the-past-by-creating-a-strategy-for-success