Now that we have a working definition of life from a Marine’s perspective, we can start to examine the various attributes of life and how to overcome them or their effects. The first attribute, again from MCDP 1, is Friction. Friction is the strange force that opposes action, both yours and your enemy’s. Clausewitz described it as “the force that makes the apparently easy so difficult. In the fast paced environment of your own personal clash between opposing wills friction can come from many sources. Recognition and anticipation of these sources is how to continue on with the mission despite everything going wrong all around you.
Friction can be created inside your mind or it can be part of the world around you. It can come from outside forces or it can be self-inflicted. Mental friction is the slowness of thought that delays reaction. It’s the force that leaves you standing there wondering what the heck happened and makes you wake up at night with the perfect comeback for an argument six hours earlier. It’s beaten through repetitive training that allows you to act first and think things through later. By the way, Marines don’t apologize for this and neither should you. (In fact, provided nobody dies, we usually get awards for it.)
Physical friction is more commonly referred to as Murphy’s Law. If something can go wrong, it will. Marines have a popular saying, “Murphy is alive and well and he owns the battlefield.” Given this, train yourself to not be surprised when he exerts his influence.
Friction from outside forces comes primarily from enemy actions as they make moves and countermoves designed to bring about your total destruction, defeat and withdrawl, or acceptance of brussel sprouts as the vegetable choice that evening. Self-inflicted friction is your own stupidity and lack of planning coming around to bite you. There are probably numerous examples of self-inflicted friction in your daily life if you sit back and look at things objectively.
Friction. It gums things up and slows things down. It turns dreams into nightmares and sunny days into downpours. But remember, it’s also acting on your enemy. Victory comes to the one who can either eliminate or best cope with the friction that comes your way.
