After reading the non-BTDT posts here, I decided it'd be safe to post my own.
As I put in my intro when I joined the site, I live in Phoenix, I'm currently in DEP and I have a SWCC contract that will take me to Coronado assuming all goes smoothly during RTC. My journey has been quite different than everyone else who has posted here.
I did not come into this world thinking/knowing that my place was in the military. My dad and his brother both served in the USAF. My step dad was an O and flew B-52s. I had a few buddies who enlisted right after high school but I never really considered it. I went to college after high school and started to "hear the calling"...so I joined ROTC during what would have been my Jr. year. Along with ROTC, I was taking 16 credit hours and worked 2 jobs. I got burnt out and took a semester off. Never made it back. My brother enlisted in the USAF in '05. I got to see him graduate from Basic Training a few months before I moved to PHX.
Fast forward 5 more years in retail management and I decided it was time to finish my degree. My idea at the time: enlist in the USAF, let them pay for my school, finish my degree, apply to OCS. I did some reading on their website and found out the the cutoff age for enlistment is 27 years old. I was 28 at the time. A few friends said the AF will give out waivers for just about anything, so I went and talked to the recruiter. I had chosen a few jobs that interested me but age waivers weren't being given out for those jobs. If I even wanted to be considered, I would have to sign on as a CCT, SOWT, PJ or TACP. I was not thrilled about jumping out of a plane to get to work, but I did some soul searching and some research into the jobs and I decided SOWT was the way to go. The research I did regarding these jobs is what really started to get me interested in the SOF world. These "snake eater" jobs, as my brother described them, really peeked my interest. I went back to the same recruiter 2 weeks later to be told that age waivers were no longer being offered, period. SHIT. More soul searching and more online research followed.
The Navy's age cutoff is 35 years old, the Army's is 41. Now I had to decide between wanting to be a SEAL or a Ranger...and what options I would have if I was not successful in my chosen pipeline. I found myself at the Navy recruiting office getting information on what I had to do to get to BUD/S. I already knew all the physical requirements and (so I thought) what would be involved when/if I got there. I read Lone Survivor, I knew what Hell Week was all about.

I went down to MEPS, scored in the 99th percentile on my ASVAB, read some eye charts, had some blood drawn, spread my cheeks and on 20100510 I signed on the dotted line to be Aircrew. NSO/NSW contracts had to be earned while in DEP.
Minimum PST requirements for a SEAL contract are:
500 yard swim - 12:30 mins
42 Push Ups
50 Sit Ups
6 Pull Ups
1.5 Mile run - 11:00 mins
My first PST yielded the following:
500 yard swim: DNF
36 Push Ups
42 Sit Ups
4 Pull Ups
1.5 mile run - 17:28 mins...Yes, that's over 17 minutes
I set out to lose 20 lbs (I was 210lbs at the time, currently around 185lbs) and improve everything. I learned the Combat Side Stroke and started making progress on all other aspects as well. Fast forward some more and with my 29th birthday approaching and my run times not below the 11 minute mark yet, I had a decision to make. I decided to start trying for a SWCC contract. The age cutoff for SEALs is 28 at the date of accession, 30 for SWCC. I thought about saying I wanted to go SWCC the entire time, but that's not the way it happened. If anyone wants to hand out a rash of shit, feel free. I made the decision and I haven't looked back once. After a few passing PST scores I finally got my SWCC contract.
Now, here I am, exactly 2 weeks away from shipping to RTC. I took my 14 day PST last night.
500 yard swim - 10:03
57 Push Ups
63 Sit Ups
12 Pull Ups
1.5 mile run - 10:48
I don't think I've ever been more anxious about anything. As per the advice of LL, I'm enjoying my last 2 weeks of freedom. I keep beer in the fridge, ice cream in the freezer and I no longer get knots in my stomach when wondering if I've prepared myself enough.
Some deciding factors in my decision to enlist:
-I've always held the highest amount of repsect for the men and women who wear this country's uniform, regardless of what capacity. They always get a hand shake and "thank you for your service" from me. I've even bought a few fast food meals...
-Emails from my brother while he is on deployment
-A sense of duty
-Gaining a sense of accomplishment that I've never had before
I guess that's all for now. Cback, I hope this is along the lines of what you were looking for.
-Blake