Ignore & Override
For the days you want to quit but don’t.
I first heard the phrase “Ignore and Override” while watching the show SEAL Team. It wasn’t some dramatic moment, no bullets flying or explosions. It was quiet. One of the characters (Jason Hayes), in the middle of a tense situation, said it almost like a whisper: “Ignore and override.”
And something about it just stuck.
I paused the episode. Rewound it. Played it again.
It felt like a command. But not from someone else. It felt like a message I needed to tell myself.
Like, “Yo, I know your head is spinning, your body’s panicking, and your doubts are screaming—but ignore and override.”
Since that moment, this phrase has echoed in all kinds of places in my life.
In business. In moments of anxiety. In messy relationships. In the middle of chaos, or boredom, or fear.
It became one of those weird mantras that shows up not when things are going well but when you’re on the edge of something that matters.
This post is me unpacking that phrase. It’s not polished. It’s not perfect.
Let’s see where it takes us.
The Phrase That Hit Like a Punch
Okay, so what does this actually mean?
“Ignore” sounds harsh at first. But it’s not about being cold or heartless. It’s about filtering the noise. We live in a world where everything is constantly pinging for our attention - notifications, fears, people’s opinions, our own self-doubt, the craving to be liked, the fear of missing out.
You can't respond to everything. You’d drown.
So the first part is about saying:
“This voice, this feeling, this reaction? Not useful right now. Not real. Not me.”
Ignore it.
The second part, “Override,” is where the action happens.
This is the choice to move in a different direction than your instinct wants. It’s your deeper self stepping in. It’s the pilot grabbing the controls back from autopilot.
Override is courage. Override is clarity.
It’s saying:
“Yeah, I’m scared. But I’m doing it anyway.”
“Yeah, I want to react. But I’m going to respond instead.”
It’s not easy. Actually, it’s damn hard. But it’s the difference between staying stuck and moving forward.
And it’s something you can train, like a muscle. Most of us have been trained the other way: react, complain, spiral. But “Ignore and Override” is a different path. It’s a quiet kind of strength.
Lessons from History
Turns out, this isn’t a new idea. It’s ancient.
Let’s start with the Spartans. These warriors were trained from the age of 7 to withstand pain, hunger, and fear without flinching. You think they didn’t feel fear? Of course they did. But they learned to override it. To act despite it. Because that’s what survival and strength demanded. Not because they were heartless, but because they were focused.
In the Roman Empire, soldiers were drilled not just to fight but to follow orders even in chaos. It wasn’t blind obedience; it was conditioning - a kind of trust in discipline that helped them override the storm inside.
And then there’s the Stoics, Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher-king, journaling to himself:
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
That’s "Ignore and Override" right there.
Ignore the things beyond your control. Override your impulses. Choose how you respond.
In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna is on the battlefield, full of doubt. He’s ready to walk away from war, from duty, from destiny. Krishna doesn’t scold him. He reminds him: this battle is part of who you are. Override the fear. Step into it.
Even World War II fighter pilots were trained to override their survival instincts. To fly toward danger, not away. Because turning your back meant doom for the mission and for others.
Across time, cultures, and philosophies, this idea shows up in different clothes.
It’s not about being emotionless. It’s about having emotions and still choosing your direction.
Isn’t that wild?
How this one small idea keeps showing up again and again across centuries?
Old Brain, New Battles
Let’s bring it down to the ground.
This isn't just for warriors, philosophers, or startup founders. This is about us. You. Me. Everyday life.
You wake up feeling like shit. No motivation. No energy. That voice in your head says, “Take it easy. You don’t need to show up today.”
Ignore and override.
You get up anyway. Brush your teeth. Sit down to work.
You're in a conversation with someone you love, and they say something that hits a nerve. Your body tenses. You want to snap, defend, maybe even hurt them back.
Ignore and override.
You take a breath. You ask a question instead of throwing a grenade.
You're working on something that matters - writing, building, pitching but doubt creeps in. That voice again: “Who do you think you are? You’re not good enough.”
Ignore and override.
You keep typing. You hit publish. You send the pitch.
The thing is, this isn’t about pretending you don’t feel things. It’s not about numbing out.
It’s about recognizing that not every thought or feeling deserves control of the steering wheel.
There’s a version of you that wants comfort, validation, safety. And then there’s a deeper version of you - the one that knows what really matters.
Ignore and override is how you let that deeper part drive.
Startups Are War, But Softer
If you’ve ever built something, anything, you already know how loud the noise gets.
Startups are like emotional rollercoasters strapped to rocket fuel. One day you feel like a genius. The next, like a total fraud. Some days you’re pitching investors. Some days you’re just trying not to burn out. It’s intense. It’s messy. And that’s why Ignore and Override is a founder’s secret weapon.
Let’s break it down:
Ignore the noise:
Twitter hot takes.
Negative feedback from people who don’t get the vision.
Doubts from others (and yourself).
The market panic. The hype. The valley of despair.
Ignore doesn’t mean don’t listen—it means filter with intention. Know what to absorb and what to let pass.
Override the instinct:
The urge to quit after a bad week.
The temptation to copy someone else’s model because it seems easier.
The fear of launching something that might flop.
The hesitation before making that uncomfortable hire/firing decision.
Startups are built by people who can override short-term emotions in service of long-term clarity.
Not perfectly. Not every day. But often enough to keep going.
Even the greats struggled.
Steve Jobs got fired from Apple. Elon Musk’s rockets blew up.
They weren’t immune to fear or failure—they just learned to override the noise when it mattered.
You don’t need to be a genius. But you do need to learn when to trust yourself more than the chaos around you.
And that’s what “Ignore and Override” is. Not ego. Not arrogance. Just a refusal to let fear run the show.
The Mind Is Loud, But You Don’t Have to Listen
If this phrase feels powerful, it’s because it taps into something deep in our wiring.
Let’s get into some nerdy stuff—but keep it simple.
System 1 vs System 2 – Daniel Kahneman
Your brain has two systems:
System 1 is fast, instinctive, emotional.
System 2 is slow, deliberate, logical.
Most of us live in System 1 all day. We react. We scroll. We argue.
“Ignore and override” is your way of waking up System 2.
It’s that pause before you lash out.
It’s the moment you choose instead of react.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT says: your thoughts aren’t facts.
You can notice them... and then choose whether to believe or act on them.
This is literally “ignore and override” in psychological language.
Feel the fear? Acknowledge it.
But maybe you still take the call. Still make the move.
Stoicism
We talked about Marcus Aurelius earlier. But the Stoics, in general, were early adopters of this mindset.
“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” – Seneca
Ignore the imagined doom. Override with calm action.
Discipline Equals Freedom – Jocko Willink
A Navy SEAL mantra.
The more you train yourself to override your impulses, the more control you gain over your life.
Not in a rigid way. In a freeing way.
So yeah, “Ignore and Override” isn’t some pop psychology trick. It’s deeply wired into the way humans grow, learn, and lead. It’s been said a thousand different ways, across thousands of years.
We’re just giving it a name that feels real, now.
Override Is Not Suppression (Read This Twice)
Let’s be real for a second.
“Ignore and Override” can sound dangerous if misunderstood. Like you’re just bulldozing over emotions, red flags, or reality. That’s not what this is.
So here’s what it’s NOT:
❌ It's not suppressing your emotions
This isn’t about bottling up sadness, fear, anger, or pain. Those emotions are real. They have messages for you. But you don’t have to let them drive. You can say:
“Hey, I see you. But I’m not going to let you run the show today.”
That’s emotional maturity. Not suppression—discernment.
❌ It's not ignoring red flags
In relationships, in business, in life—sometimes the discomfort is real and pointing at a deeper truth. Ignoring those signs blindly is not brave—it’s reckless.
“Override” doesn’t mean override everything. It means override the unhelpful impulses, not your intuition.
❌ It's not pretending to be invincible
You’re allowed to be human. You’re allowed to break down, to rest, to feel lost.
“Ignore and Override” doesn’t mean you have to keep going all the time. It means when it matters, you have the power to choose differently.
And that choice? That’s where your growth is.
So yeah, don’t turn this into some toxic hustle mantra. It’s not about being superhuman.
It’s about being human… on purpose.
Whisper It When No One’s Watching
Look, life is messy.
You’re going to have days where nothing makes sense.
You’ll lose people. You’ll disappoint yourself. You’ll feel stuck, unsure, small.
And in those moments, some part of you will whisper:
“Just stop. This isn’t worth it.”
Or...
“Go back to what’s safe.”
Or...
“You’re not ready.”
And maybe that part is trying to protect you.
But maybe… just maybe… that’s the exact moment to pause, breathe, and say:
Ignore and override.
Not with force. Not with ego.
But with that quiet, calm kind of power. The kind that comes from knowing deep down that you’re not your thoughts, or your fears, or your failures.
You’re something deeper. Something that gets back up. Something that chooses.
This isn’t a phrase you shout. It’s something you murmur to yourself in the dark.
Before the pitch.
After the heartbreak.
During the breakdown.
In the middle of your comeback.
So the next time life throws chaos your way, and your mind starts spinning…
Remember:
You get to choose what to ignore. You get to decide what to override.
And sometimes, that’s all it takes to move forward.
No hacks. No hype. Just a quiet superpower, hidden in plain sight.
Thanks for reading.
If this resonated, let it sit with you. Don’t try to master it. Just notice where it shows up in your life. And next time it does - maybe give it a shot.
Ignore. Override. Repeat.
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