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Mental Health is a Learned Skill: How Gibbs from NCIS Puts Warrior Principle 11 into Action

  • Writer: Bruce Schutter
    Bruce Schutter
  • 6 days ago
  • 5 min read

Mental Health is a Learned Skill: How Gibbs from NCIS Puts Warrior Principle 11 into Action


Yesterday, I stopped by the local convenience store for a quick pick-me-up — a diet soda to power through the afternoon slump. The sun was shining, everything felt pretty routine, and I reached for my drink without a second thought. But then, standing right next to me in the beverage aisle, getting his afternoon coffee, was none other than Leroy Jethro Gibbs from NCIS!


There he was — the man himself — grumbling under his breath about the agonizing slowness of the coffee machine. “This thing’s slower than a cold case,” he muttered, tapping his foot impatiently.


But then, just as he was about to launch into another grumble, his sharp eyes landed on the book in my hand: I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior.


I smiled. “In this book, I lay out 15 Warrior Principles that help guide a Mental Health Warrior to build a strong foundation every day. One of the most empowering? Warrior Principle 11: ‘Mental Health is a learned skill, which means the future is yours to build.’”


His eyebrow lifted. “That’s something I can get behind. I’ve spent years in the field, seen things most people couldn’t handle — but I’ll admit… managing emotions? That hasn’t always been my strong suit.”


I could tell I’d struck a chord. “That’s what I love about this principle,” I said. “It means no matter how tough things get, or how overwhelming emotions may feel, we’re not at their mercy. Mental health isn’t some fixed state — it’s something we can learn and improve, just like any other skill.”


Gibbs’ eyes lit up. “You’re right. It’s not about being born with unshakable toughness; it’s about building it over time.”



The Warrior Solution 

I explained how, for 20 years, I struggled with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD — challenges that left me feeling so powerless I even tried to end my life. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.


With that insight, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program —a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge! So you can take charge of your emotions, rise above challenges and build the life you really want.


Gibbs nodded, which I took as a sign of approval. “SELF-HELP. I like that,” he said simply.


Then, with classic Gibbs efficiency, he leaned in and asked, “So, how do you apply that principle in your day-to-day?” But before I could answer — because, well, Gibbs is Gibbs — he jumped in with three examples of his own.

 


Example 1: Mental Strength is Learned, Not Born

Gibbs leaned against the counter, sipping his coffee. “Take it from me,” he began, “when you’re on a stakeout for hours, emotions creep up on you — frustration, boredom, anxiety.


The trick is, you’ve got to remind yourself that staying calm under pressure is a learned skill. No one is born with it. I’ve seen green agents freeze up on their first stakeout, but over time, they learn to manage that stress and push through.”


He glanced over at me, eyes sharp. “You can do the same when anxious thoughts hit. Remind yourself — you’ve faced this before. It’s not some unbeatable force. It’s just a skill to sharpen, like any other.”

 

Our Turn:

I nodded because I knew exactly what he meant. When I spent 20 years battling Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD, I used to believe emotions were these unstoppable forces — that they controlled me, not the other way around.


But Warrior Principle 11 changed that for me!


I realized Mental Health is a learned skill. It’s like training a muscle:

  • First time anxiety hits? It feels impossible.

  • Second time? You recognize it faster.

  • Tenth time? You’re responding instead of panicking.


And every moment you choose to respond — instead of freeze — proves that mental strength can be learned.

 


Example 2: Struggles Build Strength

Gibbs continued, his tone lower now. “There are times when I’ve faced loss — the kind that knocks the wind out of you. You never forget that kind of pain. But here’s the thing: pain changes you. It can break you, or it can teach you.


What I’ve learned over the years is that dealing with grief, with anger, with disappointment — it’s all part of building strength. It doesn’t happen overnight.


He took a long sip of coffee, eyes distant, then refocused on me. “I’ve buried friends. I’ve lost family. And I’d be lying if I said it didn’t leave scars. But scars don’t mean you’re weak — they’re proof you’ve been through hell and came out the other side tougher. That’s how strength is built.”

 

 

Our Turn:

I nodded because I knew exactly what he meant. For years, my emotions ran the show — Bipolar mood swings, anxiety spikes, PTSD triggers, the pull of alcoholism. It all felt impossible to control. I thought this is just who I am… this is how life will always be.


But Warrior Principle 11 shattered that lie. I learned that mental health is a skill — and skills can be trained. So I started treating every struggle like a rep in the gym:

  • First time anxiety hit — it flattened me.

  • Second time — I stood a little steadier.•

  • Tenth time — I responded with intention — not panic.


Every moment I chose to face what scared me, instead of running from it, I grew stronger. I proved to myself that strength wasn’t something I magically gained… It was something I built through my struggles. 



Example 3: The Future is Built on What We Learn

Gibbs leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice. “I’ve spent years mentoring agents — DiNozzo, McGee, Ziva. They didn’t become who they are because they were naturally unshakeable. Far from it. Each one had their own mess, their own insecurities, their own moments where they froze.”


He tapped his coffee cup thoughtfully.


“I didn’t give them toughness. I gave them tools. They took those tools, learned from every mistake and that’s what made them strong. They built their future one lesson at a time — not by being perfect, but by learning how to respond when things went sideways.”

 

 

Our Turn:

I nodded, because Gibbs had summed up the heart of my journey better than I could.

For 20 years, my struggles — Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders, PTSD — felt like they were dictating my future. Every setback felt permanent. Every bad day felt like a dead end.


But Warrior Principle 11 taught me something life-changing: My future wasn’t determined by what I suffered — it was shaped by what I learned.


Piece by piece, lesson by lesson, I stopped being shaped by my challenges and started shaping my future.


That’s the power of Warrior Principle 11: Mental health isn’t inherited. It’s built — through what we learn, practice and repeat.



Wrap Up

At that moment, the coffee machine finally sputtered to life, and Gibbs grabbed his cup — ever the man of action. “Looks like my coffee’s ready. Crime doesn’t solve itself,” he said with a grin.



“If you like Principle 11, wait until you see the other 14,” I said with a smirk. Gibbs gave me his signature nod before heading out — fully caffeinated and ready to take on the world.


So next time life throws a challenge your way, don’t see it as a setback — see it as training.


Lean into Warrior Principle 11 and turn today’s struggles into tomorrow’s STRENGTH — and keep building your new Warrior future!




Bruce Schutter


Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!

 

 

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