“Embrace the suck” began as a military expression.
It acknowledges the unavoidable adversities associated with the Armed Forces, yet encourages members to accept them as a means of overcoming them.
This phrase, along with its variations, is often used in both military and civilian contexts.
It’s a reminder to willingly accept suffering, hardships, and inevitable difficulties in order to make the best of the circumstances.
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Table of Contents
#1. “Embrace the Suck” History
Though “embrace the suck” originated as a military term, the philosophy behind it can be linked to Stoic, Buddhist, and Taoist principles.
This specific phrase can be traced back to Operation Iraqi Freedom, launched in the spring of 2003 and beginning the War in Iraq.
“Embrace the suck” began as a military phrase but has become known in common usage as well, outside a military context.
In the military, it’s an acknowledgment of a terrible, unavoidable situation.
It is also an implied order among service members to face such situations with conscious acceptance.
#2. What Is “The Suck”?
In a military context, “the suck” refers to any undesirable conditions, painful experiences, or difficult situations faced by service members.
This can include everything from unpleasant duty tasks to traumatic war events.
Terms such as “the suck” are considered warrior slang.
This type of communication among service members indicates a sense of shared suffering and discipline, strengthening camaraderie and military units as a whole.
Knowing that others are aware of “the suck” and have been there before or are currently in it is important.
It helps military members get through the tough and grueling challenges that they face daily in their service.
#3. Why Embrace the Suck?
For military members, embracing the suck can be an effective mental tool.
It can mean accepting a situation as it is and either working to change it or developing the perseverance to get through it.
This is helpful in that the service person is not asked to deny or ignore their circumstances.
Instead, they are encouraged and advised to embrace it.
This is by accepting current discomfort for future success or confronting what is uncomfortable to overcome it.
#4. What Are the Benefits of Embracing the Suck?
“The suck” implies a condition or situation that will eventually end.
Therefore, there are benefits to embracing the suck rather than struggling or fighting against it.
These benefits include:
- Discipline: This phrase can strengthen discipline among individuals and units so that they have the drive and motivation to overcome challenges and hardships.
- Mental toughness: This idea can encourage service people to push past barriers, both psychological and physical, to remain determined and resilient.
- Perseverance: This concept can foster an attitude of continuing forward and never giving up.
- Adaptability: This phrase can inspire people to understand that others have gone before them so they can improvise and adapt without giving in.
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#5. “Embrace the Suck” Variations
There are variations of the phrase “embrace the suck,” but they all reflect similar meanings of the same concept.
- Suck it up
- Welcome to the suck
- Suck it up and deal with it
These remarks are all slang variations that indicate a similar principle of accepting hardships and difficulties as they are and making the best of them.
Ultimately, “embrace the suck” is part of the military culture.
It indicates that hardship and pain are inevitable in military service.
Yet it also is an encouragement to find the strength to keep moving forward.
Born and raised in Woodbridge, NJ, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute Of Technology with an MBA in eCommerce.His hobbies include beach volleyball, target shooting, and lifting.
Rob is also a Commercially rated pilot and Certified Flight Instructor (CFI), with over 1,500 hours of flight time.
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