The Chase: Moving Violently to the Six
Joey Stutson
I enjoy Interviewing Thought Leaders on LinkedIn and sharing their business success with others.
If you decide to chase after internal things—chasing purpose and the version of you that you want to become—then you have everything you need to live a meaningful life, regardless of what external circumstances you might face.
I met Jason Belford through a bond only infantrymen understand.
We both served, both carried rifles, both chased a mission greater than ourselves. But Jason’s chase took him to the highest levels—75th Ranger Regiment, Special Operations, 12 combat deployments, and enough accolades to mark him as one of the most decorated snipers in the Army. He was trained to move, adapt, and execute under pressure without failure.
Yet, there came a moment when even he was lost.
One night, with the weight of war and life pressing down on him, Jason raised his weapon and pulled the trigger. But at that very moment, something happened. He describes it as if God Himself stepped in and released him from all his pain. The chase that had felt meaningless suddenly had purpose. He had been lost, but now he was found.
That was the moment Jason committed his life to Violent Six.
The Chase: Necessity vs. Devotion
A while back, Jason and I had a conversation that stayed with me.
“This is just who I am,” he said. “I can’t stop moving and working. It’s like—if I stop, I’ll lose something.”
I nodded. I knew that feeling all too well.
“That’s the thing about the chase. At first, it’s about proving something—to yourself, to the world. But at some point, it has to become something deeper than performance. It has to be about purpose.”
Jason exhaled, shaking his head.
“I chased my career, my calling, my mission for years. But when I hit rock bottom, when I had nothing left to prove, I realized I needed to move for a different reason. Not out of obligation—but out of devotion.”
His words stuck with me. Because there’s a difference between chasing out of necessity and chasing out of devotion.
Necessity Keeps You Moving
Necessity is what keeps you moving when the pressure is high, when failure isn’t an option, when duty calls. It’s the internal engine that won’t let you quit.
It’s powerful—but it’s not enough. Because necessity alone can grind you down.
Devotion is Greater than Necessity
There’s something greater than necessity—devotional love.
Devotion is when the work you do is aligned with the dream in your heart. When the tasks you have to do match the vision you carry. It’s when your mission isn’t just about external performance but an inward loyalty to the purpose God put inside you.
That’s what Jason found when he hit rock bottom. He didn’t need more discipline, more pressure, or more necessity. He needed devotion.
Violently Moving to the Six
In the world of Special Operations, operators live in a 360-degree battlefield. They use the tactical clock to track threats:
“Covering the six” means watching your back, staying vigilant, never letting your guard down. But when the call is made to “move violently to the six”, everything changes.
It’s a command to reclaim momentum, take control of the battle, and ensure mission success—no matter the cost.
Jason was lost in his chase. He thought he had nothing left to fight for. But the moment he was released from his pain, he knew his mission wasn’t over. He moved violently to his six—not to retreat, but to recover what was behind him:
? His life. ? His purpose. ? His will to fight again.
And this is where The Chase becomes more than just a pursuit forward. Sometimes, it’s about turning around, reclaiming what you lost, and making it matter.
Jason and I connected deeply over this. Because in different ways, we both learned that the chase isn’t just about running toward something—it’s about knowing when to turn around and fight for what matters.
We are lifelong friends because of our shared experiences as infantrymen—as men who have seen darkness but chose to move forward.
What About You?
Will you stop chasing when things get hard?
Or will you move violently to the six, reclaiming what’s behind you and pressing forward with purpose?
Because the truth is—life will demand it of you. And when the moment comes, you’ll have to decide.
Reflection Questions
1?? What’s an area of your life where you need to stop running and start reclaiming what’s behind you?
2?? Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? What pulled you back?
3?? How can you apply the “ViolentSix” mindset to your own struggles?
4?? Who is someone in your life who has covered your six when you needed it most? How can you be that person for someone else?
Every day is another chance to take back control. Every day is an opportunity to complete the mission.
The PTG Principle: Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) & A Leader’s Path Forward
Great leaders don’t just endure hardship—they transform it.
Research on post-traumatic growth (PTG) shows that adversity has the power to refine us, not define us. Those who face life’s toughest battles often emerge with a renewed P.T.G.—Perspective, Tenacity, and Giving.
But let’s be real—before growth comes the struggle.
Leaders don’t get a free pass from failure, frustration, or uncertainty. Many have faced:
?? Getting laid off or feeling stuck in a job that barely pays the bills
?? Financial pain, mounting debt, and the weight of providing for their families
?? A career that feels unstable—constantly shifting roles, companies merging, or office politics making progress difficult
?? Sales slumps, losing key clients, or watching their business struggle while competitors thrive
?? The deep sting of comparison—seeing others succeed while they feel left behind
?? Marriage struggles, from growing distant to full-blown divorce
?? The pain of parenting—when teenagers rebel, or home feels like a battlefield instead of a refuge
?? Wrestling with self-doubt, wondering, Am I even making a difference?
These struggles are real. And they can break people.
But for those who choose to chase purpose, these struggles can also be the refining fire that transforms them.
The question is—will you let adversity define you, or refine you?
Your mission isn’t over. Move violently to the six. ????
Closing:
"The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests." – Epictetus
Watch my friend Jason Belford's story here. Your friend joeystutson.com