Holding our line in a wild world

Is it fair to say that 2026 has started with a few wild swings?

When things feel shaky and unsteady, it’s easy for us to question whether staying true to our values is worth the struggle. Are we prepared to stand up for what we believe is right, or do we prefer to stay quiet and focus on survival?

Sometimes, the most enduring stories of resilience come from people who make simple, steadfast choices based on who they are at their core, no matter what is at stake. This is one such story belonging to a quiet man from Virginia during World War 2. His courage under fire (in more ways than one) showed the world what resilience truly looks like.

The unarmed warrior

Desmond Doss was born in 1919 and raised with the devout belief that life was sacred. That meant that killing another human (even in war) was never justified. When the USA entered WW2, Doss enlisted in the army, but he insisted that he would not carry a weapon and would serve only as a medic. He was determined to help his country, but with a stance rooted in moral and religious convictions.

It was a costly and radical commitment. The army wasn’t happy with his decision, citing his refusal to pick up a weapon as “disobeying orders”. There were court marshal threats, he was called a coward by his fellow soldiers, and his superiors tried several times to have him discharged. He faced violence, isolation, and pressure to conform, but he never wavered from his commitment to serve his country. For Doss is was simple, he couldn’t concede because his identity wasn’t negotiable.

He made it through training, and soon he found himself in the heart of the war.

Hell on earth: Okinawa in 1945.

Early in 1945, Doss’s unit was ordered to take the Maeda Escarpment. It was a sheer cliff later known to American soldiers as Hacksaw Ridge. The fighting was ferocious and became one of the bloodiest battles of the Pacific.

When American forces were forced to pull back, wounded soldiers were left stranded on that bloody cliffside, unreachable without risking certain death. That’s when Doss went into full hero mode.

Without any weapons, Doss crawled repeatedly into the battlefield under enemy fire. One injured soldier at a time, he treated and evacuated the wounded, lowering them down the rock face to safety. He did this time and time again, across hours of combat, and over a sheer cliff face.

By the end, Doss had saved an estimated 75 men, some of whom had been the ones to taunt him through his training. He was a genuine hero and became the first conscientious objector in US history to receive the Medal of Honor from the President.

An incredible story of bravery! Firstly, for holding firm in his beliefs. And secondly, to risk death over and over to help save the lives of 75 men.

Upholding our values lightens the mental load

When we act in a way that aligns with what we believe, dopamine kicks in and reinforces that alignment, giving us a genuine sense of satisfaction, momentum, and purpose. But if our actions contradict our values, this system becomes less active, which shows up as stress, fatigue, and inner friction. In other words, we quite literally feel heavier when we betray what matters to us.

So there is a real foundation of neuroscience for what Doss lived in the most extreme conditions imaginable. When we hold the line on what matters, even when it is hard, we’re being brave, but we’re also engaging the brain’s resilience systems that create steadiness in tough circumstances.

Four tools we can use (no battlefield required)

Whether we’re leading teams, navigating this pressure-cooked world, or just trying to make decisions that honour who we are, these tools help activate that same resilient wiring:

1. Clarify core values. When we know what we stand for, decision-making becomes simpler and less conflicted. What are our 3-5 values that matter most to us? And then, before big decisions, we should ask whether each choice aligns with these values? This primes our thinking brain to guide action toward reward, not regret. It means that we know what our integrity in pressurized situations is going to look like, and we trust that we will behave as such, no matter who is being an asshole around us.

2. Values habits. These are small choices daily that reinforce who we are. We’re looking for consistent actions that align nicely to our values. A simple example is, if we want to be sociable at the office, making a conscious choice to greet people each morning is a basic and consistent step. If we want to be calm, we practice breathing. We need to find one value-aligned act to do each day and, over time, this helps us stay true to who we are.

3. Stress as signal, not an enemy. When we feel stress in the moment, we can treat it as information that something important is at stake. This matters, so let’s slow our breathing and identify the feeling. By doing that, we reduce our emotional reaction and allow our rational brain lead.

4. Debrief with purpose. This is like athletes watching tape of the game. At the end of the day or week, we should try to make time to reflect not just on what we did but why we did it. How did our actions reflect our values? What did we learn and what might we do differently? Reflection strengthens purpose circuits and builds resilience over time.

The world often rewards conformity and compliance, but meaningful work that really matters usually emerges from those willing to be themselves. Doss knew who he was more than anyone else, and he showed up as that person every single day.

In a messy world, staying true to our values can often clarify our path through anything.

Until next time friends, stay resilient.

Carré @ Resilient Minds

PS - there’s an excellent film of this story called “Hacksaw Ridge” starring Andrew Garfield that you might be interested in.

PPS - if your team is already struggling with the pressure of 2026, don’t delay the chance to help them build the skills to thrive. A team workshop is an excellent way to reduce team stress and practice ways to navigate the craziest of chaos.