Turn Failures into Opportunities: What Gibbs from NCIS Teaches Us About Mindset Rule 11
- Bruce Schutter
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
The other day, I found myself in a cozy diner — the kind where the coffee’s always hot, the pie’s always fresh and the regulars know each other by name. I was minding my own business, about to dig into breakfast, when I heard a voice behind me say, “Mind if I borrow the salt?”
I turned around, and to my surprise, it was none other than Gibbs from NCIS — Leroy Jethro Gibbs himself, the stoic, rule-bound leader of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
He looked a little worn down — the kind of tired that comes from years of chasing criminals, carrying hard cases and living with the weight of things that didn’t go the way they should have.
“This is a great diner,” he said, sprinkling salt on his eggs. “But man… I’m beat. The work never stops. And neither do the mistakes.”
That caught my attention.
Then Gibbs looked at me and said, “But I’ve been reading your book, 53 Mindset Rules of a Mental Health Warrior. And I get it now — these aren’t rules in the traditional sense. They’re reminders of certain truths in life… truths we can use to stay grounded, focused and in charge no matter what life throws at us.”
He paused, then gave a small nod.
“And one that’s really stuck with me is Mindset Rule 11: Your failures can be your greatest lessons if you’re not afraid of them.”
The Warrior Story
I nodded. “You know, Gibbs, that sounds a lot like my own battle with mental health. I spent 20 years fighting Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. It left me so lost and powerless that I even tried to end my life.”
He gave me that classic Gibbs stare — the one that says, I’m listening. Keep going.
“But in that darkest moment,” I continued, “I realized something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.”
“And with that realization, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge, so you can take control of your emotions, triumph over challenges and build the life you really want.”
Gibbs nodded slowly. “So you took your failures, learned from them, and built a Warrior path other people can follow.”
“Exactly,” I said.
And just like that, Gibbs shared three NCIS-tested lessons on how to live Mindset Rule 11 — and turn failure into fuel for growth.
Lesson 1: Trust Your Instincts
“Sometimes, I’ve trusted my gut and gotten it wrong,” Gibbs admitted.
He leaned back. “There was a time I followed my gut about a suspect. I was convinced he was guilty. Everything in me said he was the guy. But I was wrong. We lost critical time and the real criminal almost got away.”
He shook his head.
“That was a tough one. But those mistakes taught me how to sharpen my instincts — not abandon them.”
Our Turn:
When something doesn’t go the way you hoped, don’t rush to tear yourself apart. Step back and ask:
What was my instinct telling me?
How did I act on it?
What can I learn for next time?
That shift changed everything for me.
When I was battling Bipolar and Anxiety, my instincts were buried under self-doubt. Every mistake felt like proof I couldn’t trust myself. But once I started treating mistakes as feedback instead of failure, I began rebuilding that trust — one small choice at a time.
Because wisdom isn’t built from getting it right every time. It’s built from having the courage to learn when you don’t.
Lesson 2: Lean on Your Team
Gibbs continued. “I’ve learned the hard way that going it alone doesn’t always work. My team has my back, and I’ve had to learn to rely on them — even when I’d rather do everything myself.”
“There was a time I didn’t trust my team enough. I went off on my own to follow a lead and walked straight into an ambush. If McGee and Ziva hadn’t been tracking me, I wouldn’t be here today.”
He shook his head.
“That day taught me something big — it’s not weakness to lean on others. Together, you can learn from the mistake and grow stronger.”
Our Turn:
For years, I fought my battles in silence, convinced that asking for help made me weak. But the truth is, that silence nearly broke me.
It wasn’t until I reached out — to friends, family and fellow Warriors — that I realized support isn’t surrender. It’s a Warrior strategy.
Your team might look different. It could be a trusted friend, a family member or even a loyal four-legged companion who somehow knows when the day is heavy.
Whoever they are, let them in. You don’t lose strength when you lean on others — you multiply it.
Lesson 3: Every Failure Has a Lesson
“Even the cases that don’t go the way I want teach me something,” Gibbs said, finishing his coffee. “Every failure, every success — it all helps me get better.”
“We had a cold case that haunted me for years. Every time I thought we were close, something fell apart. At one point, I almost shelved it for good. But instead, I went back and studied every misstep, every dead end — and that’s when it clicked.
What I thought was a dead end… was actually a clue in disguise. That failure became the breakthrough.”
Our Turn:
Failure doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re learning.
Every setback gives you information. It shows you what didn’t work, so you can move closer to what will.
I learned that the hard way in my own battle with Bipolar and Alcoholism. There were many times I thought I had failed for good. But every stumble became a roadmap to the next right step.
Because being a Warrior isn’t about never falling — it’s about rising with more wisdom every time you do.
Wrap Up
As our conversation wound down, I handed Gibbs a copy of my book, 53 Mindset Rules of a Mental Health Warrior. He flipped through a few pages, then looked up with that rare, approving half-smile.
“You know, Bruce,” he said, “next time, I might need to borrow more than the salt. These rules… they could come in handy.”
That moment reminded me of something powerful: mental strength is for everyone.
Whether you’re a seasoned NCIS agent or someone quietly battling your own mind, the challenges may look different — but the mission stays the same: Face it. Learn from it. Rise stronger.
So the next time life knocks you sideways, remember Mindset Rule 11: Your failures can be your greatest lessons if you’re not afraid of them.
Then put it into action — because that’s how we triumph over our challenges, one day at a time!
Bruce Schutter ⚔️
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
Comments