--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The bad news motivated the drill…" description: "\"The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.\" — R. Lee Ermey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/r-lee-ermey-13937_bad-news_the-bad-news-motivated-the-drill-instruc_2948443.jpg" --- # The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more. ![“The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.” quote by R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/r-lee-ermey-13937_bad-news_the-bad-news-motivated-the-drill-instruc_2948443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/r-lee-ermey-13937_bad-news_the-bad-news-motivated-the-drill-instruc_2948443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/714/r-lee-ermey-13937_bad-news_the-bad-news-motivated-the-drill-instruc_2948443.jpg) > “The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.” [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The harsh reality of war motivates drill instructors more intensely, using negative news as a catalyst for stricter training. **In simple terms:** Bad news fuels harsher training. Key Takeaway Channel adversity into disciplined effort. Themes military motivation discipline Mood intense serious Type military motivational When to use this quote - boot camp - combat preparation - team cohesion - stress management Key Concepts psychology of stress leadership Questions to Reflect On - How does adversity affect training effectiveness? - What are ethical limits of using fear? A Different Perspective Harsh methods can cause trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Instructors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instructors/) [News](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/news/) ## Related quotes > [Drill instructors worked seven days a week, fifteen to seventeen hours a day in many cases, with no time off in between platoons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/drill-instructors-worked-seven-days-a-week-fifteen-to-seventeen-hours/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Back in those days intimidation was the greatest tool the drill instructor had. Without that tool, he would not have had control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-those-days-intimidation-was-the-greatest-tool-the-drill/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [“Any Marine veteran can reach back thirty or forty years and summon the names of his drill instructors. Flying in a Marine jet over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-ricks-2/any-marine-veteran-can-reach-back-thirty-or-forty-years-and-summon/) [Thomas E. Ricks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-ricks-2/) > [The drill instructor must have total and complete control. Mindless obedience is what he's after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/the-drill-instructor-must-have-total-and-complete-control-mindless/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [“Since you’re obviously in need of something to do, instead of shouting at me through this whole drill, isn’t there some tree you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-james/since-you-re-obviously-in-need-of-something-to-do-instead-of-shouting/) [Julie James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-james/) > [I love pressure. I don't know why, but I love the pressure of, 'oh it's third-and-five' or it's the two-minute drill and someone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-sanu/i-love-pressure-i-don-t-know-why-but-i-love-the-pressure-of-oh-it-s/) [Mohamed Sanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-sanu/) > [“A WOMAN SHOULD HAVE … a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra... ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-redmond-satran/a-woman-should-have-a-set-of-screwdrivers-a-cordless-drill-and-a/) Pamela Redmond Satran > [Two-minute drill my rookie year was horrible. That was dreadful. I was going to sleep, and I was like, 'Man, we got two-minute tomorrow.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-kamara/two-minute-drill-my-rookie-year-was-horrible-that-was-dreadful-i-was/) [Alvin Kamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-kamara/) > [Basketball is a full court game, so every drill must be done full court.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-knight/basketball-is-a-full-court-game-so-every-drill-must-be-done-full-court/) [Bobby Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-knight/) > [Why would even I say we can't stop drilling in the Gulf? Because we have no alternatives. Whether or not we drill in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-safina/why-would-even-i-say-we-can-t-stop-drilling-in-the-gulf-because-we/) [Carl Safina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-safina/) > [Drill your soldiers well, and give them a pattern yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-suvorov/drill-your-soldiers-well-and-give-them-a-pattern-yourself/) [Alexander Suvorov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-suvorov/) > [The combination of landing the biggest interview of my career and having a drill in my back reminds me that God only gives us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-roberts/the-combination-of-landing-the-biggest-interview-of-my-career-and/) [Robin Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-roberts/) > [I often attribute my screenwriting to journalism because they drill in the who, what, when, where and why - but we really need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-brock-akil/i-often-attribute-my-screenwriting-to-journalism-because-they-drill/) [Mara Brock Akil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-brock-akil/) > [“NormnAl, "Like, Share, Follow and subscribe" - The typical cliche drill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deyth-banger/normnal-like-share-follow-and-subscribe-the-typical-cliche-drill/) Deyth Banger > [Drill in exact translation is an excellent way of disposing the mind against that looseness and exaggeration with which the sensationalists have corrupted our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-weaver/drill-in-exact-translation-is-an-excellent-way-of-disposing-the-mind/) [Richard M. Weaver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-weaver/) ## More by R. Lee Ermey > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Without discipline, there is no Marine Corps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/without-discipline-there-is-no-marine-corps/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [What is your major malfunction?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/what-is-your-major-malfunction/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I always love to come to Austin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-always-love-to-come-to-austin/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Back in the old Corp, we weren't training those privates to infiltrate into the peacetime Marine Corp. We were training those privates to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/back-in-the-old-corp-we-weren-t-training-those-privates-to-infiltrate/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [You'd be surprised how many kids and young people come to the website and send me email that they are actually going into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/you-d-be-surprised-how-many-kids-and-young-people-come-to-the-website/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [America's trying to do the best for its veterans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/america-s-trying-to-do-the-best-for-its-veterans/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [It's my firm conviction that when Uncle Sam calls, by God we go, and we do the best that we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/it-s-my-firm-conviction-that-when-uncle-sam-calls-by-god-we-go-and-we/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [When you try to find funding for a VVA function, it doesn't seem like it's any trouble at all. People come out of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/when-you-try-to-find-funding-for-a-vva-function-it-doesn-t-seem-like/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I got to write most of everything I said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-got-to-write-most-of-everything-i-said/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I play well with everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-play-well-with-everybody/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [For me, it's an honor for the military to ask me to go to Iraq, Afghanistan, or GITMO. I'm happy to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/for-me-it-s-an-honor-for-the-military-to-ask-me-to-go-to-iraq/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I'm never, like I say, I'm never happy, I'm never satisfied, it's never good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-m-never-like-i-say-i-m-never-happy-i-m-never-satisfied-it-s-never/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I've never had to spend any time in the VA hospital, so I really can't speak for those guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-ve-never-had-to-spend-any-time-in-the-va-hospital-so-i-really-can-t/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [I hate to hear 'Less is more.' It's a crock of crap.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/i-hate-to-hear-less-is-more-it-s-a-crock-of-crap/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) [Explore all 48 R. Lee Ermey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) ## More Bad news quotes > [In the wake of such bad news, it was heartening to know that what 'Sense8' stood for meant so much to so many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-j-smith/in-the-wake-of-such-bad-news-it-was-heartening-to-know-that-what/) [Brian J. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-j-smith/) > [“I remember a man, a very lonely man, coming up to me at the end of a reading and looking into my face and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-howe/i-remember-a-man-a-very-lonely-man-coming-up-to-me-at-the-end-of-a/) [Marie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-howe/) > [In the business world, bad news is usually good news - for somebody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-surowiecki/in-the-business-world-bad-news-is-usually-good-news-for-somebody-else/) [James Surowiecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-surowiecki/) > [You never want to have to give your child bad news of any kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dee/you-never-want-to-have-to-give-your-child-bad-news-of-any-kind/) [Jonathan Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dee/) > [If there's one thing you should know about me it's that I'm utterly unsuited for bureaucracy. I don't know my passwords to anything. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/if-there-s-one-thing-you-should-know-about-me-it-s-that-i-m-utterly/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [I seem to thrive by destroying the last thing I did, in a kind of cartoon Nietzsche way. Emerson says in "Experience" something like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chiasson/i-seem-to-thrive-by-destroying-the-last-thing-i-did-in-a-kind-of/) [Dan Chiasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chiasson/) > [“The bad news is that, measured in terms of geologic time, if the Earth’s history is an accurate guide, glaciers will soon return to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bernstein/the-bad-news-is-that-measured-in-terms-of-geologic-time-if-the-earth/) [Andrew Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bernstein/) > [I love an underdog. No, I don't necessarily mean the cartoon. I mean like David, as in Goliath, or the Bears, as in The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-lublin/i-love-an-underdog-no-i-don-t-necessarily-mean-the-cartoon-i-mean/) [Nancy Lublin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-lublin/) > [The good news is that economists are intelligent, engaging and often charming folks. The bad news is their work is often of little use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/the-good-news-is-that-economists-are-intelligent-engaging-and-often/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [The flatter the corporate hierarchy, the more likely it is that employees will communicate bad news and act upon it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/the-flatter-the-corporate-hierarchy-the-more-likely-it-is-that/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [For a long period of time, the media covered rap music and hip hop the same way they cover a lot of black people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-d/for-a-long-period-of-time-the-media-covered-rap-music-and-hip-hop-the/) [Chuck D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-d/) > [“Shifting from a superior/inferior paradigm to a strength-in-difference paradigm was kind of a good news/bad news situation. On the downside, I had to admit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debby-irving/shifting-from-a-superior-inferior-paradigm-to-a-strength-in/) [Debby Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debby-irving/) > [“The best way to mess with the head of your reader is to strategize the delivery of bad news.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-percy/the-best-way-to-mess-with-the-head-of-your-reader-is-to-strategize/) [Benjamin Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-percy/) > [“The real secret, though, is that nobody belongs, whether they are natives or not. After expulsion from paradise all humans are in exile. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-codrescu/the-real-secret-though-is-that-nobody-belongs-whether-they-are/) [Andrei Codrescu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-codrescu/) Browse all 691 Bad news quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The bad news motivated the drill instructors that much more.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. 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