How to start training for thru hike?

[4eyedbuzzard]

...This is also why 2/3 of CEO's come from military backgrounds and/or practice some form of martial arts. The mind needs to be trained just like any muscle. That's how Navy SEAL cadets/wannabes make it. They deal with it, whatever it is, including themselves instead of resorting to their previous narrow comfort zones. They additionally unconditionally with their lives support each other. Who will champion your hike? It's a narrow gate that not all enter to succeed attaining one's lofty dreams.

This is life talk not just thru hike talk. It'll serve well all through life.

Your data is a bit outdated. Back in the 1970-1980 era approx 60% of Fortune 500 CEO's had some military service in their background. That was not surprising given that many were young men during the WWII generation. Today the percentage of Fortune 500 CEO's with a military background is more in the 8% range and has been decreasing for some time. There has been a small recent uptick due to the gulf wars/Afghanistan. But the ratio largely follows the fact that only 3% or so of the population now typically serve in our military that has been voluntary since 1973. And I doubt the other missing 60% have black belts - other than perhaps in the Six Sigma sense.

There is a not so subtle point left out regarding prior military service. Those with prior military background who do become CEO's are mostly former officers, not enlisted. And while leadership roles are certainly present in the enlisted ranks, they are not the same. It is the educational requirements that lead to being commissioned as an officer that factor in here to a great degree. Are there exceptions? Of course. But they are few and far between. There are very few CEO's without advanced college degrees.

Success in managing a business, or even a civilian government agency, requires different skills and techniques than what works in a military structure. You can't manage a civilian workforce like soldiers. You will fail - monumentally - if you try. While there is obviously some crossover in hierarchical structure, both the goals and "troops" are very different. Those with prior military experience who succeed in the civilian world recognize the differences, and learn and apply knowledge and techniques that work in the civilian world. I work with, and for, both former military and life long civilians, and for the most part the similarities are much greater than the differences. It's more about the individual being able to do what is required in the current setting than it is any specific past learned leadership style. I've seen good - and bad - leaders from both walks of life.

Remember that only 25% of SEAL recruits successfully complete BUDS training and become SEALS. But the guys who don't make it aren't exactly snowflakes. Well, at least I wouldn't recommend that you call them that to their face. They might have a sore spot. And you might get one as well.

While it would be interesting to see if there is any correlation regarding AT thru-hike completion rates and prior military service, I think mining the data would prove very difficult. My guess though is that it's not a general predictor of success, and I would expect to see completion rates about the same as the general population. There are a lot of variables in play regarding thru-hiking that in my opinion are more predictive: The required time, finances, age, physical condition and limitations, motivation for hiking, outside responsibilities, etc. that apply equally to people both with and without prior military experience.