logo
episode-header-image
May 2019
2h 39m

#55 - Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, ...

Peter Attia, MD
About this episode

In part 1 of this 2 part series, Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, discusses some of his most important lessons learned from his time commanding some of the world’s most expert special forces operators including the importance of understanding the objective and strategy (and then tactics) of a mission, why humility is the greatest trait a leader can have (and certain times when it’s not), as well as the necessity of having proper protocols in place to deal with whatever comes your way. We also talk about how Jocko prioritizes his military and family obligations with his love for jiu-jitsu, as well as how to decipher what really matters in life. Finally, we go through the US history with respect to various wars from World War I, all the way forward, and much much more. 

 

We discuss:

  • Objective, strategy, and tactics [6:00];
  • Training compared to actual combat [20:30];
  • The importance of humility in leadership, business, and life [33:00];
  • The dichotomy of human traits: Can you be too humble? [49:00];
  • Why many leaders lack humility [52:30];
  • Why Jocko wanted to be a Navy SEAL [55:00];
  • Jocko’s attitude toward death, and dealing with the death of a soldier [58:45];
  • The vital importance of protocols [1:03:45];
  • Protocol for losing a child (or anyone close to you) [1:15:00];
  • Protocol for getting dumped, and some relationship advice [1:18:00];
  • How to differentiate between things that matter and things that don’t [1:24:30];
  • Jocko shares his experience during BUD/S [1:35:45];
  • How Jocko prioritizes his family and SEALs obligations: Would Jocko come out of retirement and go back to war? [1:48:30];
  • America’s lost sense of connectedness and purpose since WWII [1:59:00];
  • How warfare has evolved over the decades since WWI [2:05:40];
  • Obeying orders and the obligation to dissent [2:09:00];
  • WWI and WWII, the beginnings of “decentralized command” [2:15:00];
  • The American warrior mentality, and the impact of freedom on a society [2:20:45];
  • What impact can an individual president really have? [2:25:00];
  • The Korean war [2:29:15];
  • Lessons learned from Vietnam [2:31:10];
  • First Gulf War, Iraq War, and The War in Afghanistan [2:35:45]; and
  • More.

Learn more at www.PeterAttiaMD.com Connect with Peter on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

In part 1 of this 2 part series, Jocko Willink, retired Navy SEAL, discusses some of his most important lessons learned from his time commanding some of the world’s most expert special forces operators including the importance of understanding the objective and strategy (and then tactics) of a mission, why humility is the greatest trait a leader can have (and certain times when it’s not), as well as the necessity of having proper protocols in place to deal with whatever comes your way. We also talk about how Jocko prioritizes his military and family obligations with his love for jiu-jitsu, as well as how to decipher what really matters in life. Finally, we go through the US history with respect to various wars from World War I, all the way forward, and much much more.

Up next
Jul 7
Navigating bone health: early life influences and advanced strategies for improvement and injury prevention (#214 rebroadcast)
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter In this episode from July 2022, Peter dives deep into the topic of bone health and explains why this is an important topic for everyone, from childr ... Show More
1h 31m
Jun 30
#355 – Skincare strategies, the science of facial aging, and cosmetic-intervention guidance | Tanuj Nakra, M.D. & Suzan Obagi, M.D.
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter Tanuj Nakra and Suzan Obagi, two leading experts in aesthetic medicine, join Peter to explore the science of facial aging and skin health as well as ... Show More
2h 57m
Jun 23
#354 – What the dying can teach us about living well: lessons on life and reflections on mortality | BJ Miller, M.D. and Bridget Sumser, L.C.S.W.
View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter’s Weekly Newsletter BJ Miller, a hospice and palliative care physician, and Bridget Sumser, a licensed social worker specializing in serious illness and end-of-life car ... Show More
2h 16m
Recommended Episodes
May 2021
Jocko Willink ON: Leading Like a Navy Seal & Taking Extreme Ownership of Every Problem in Your Life
Jocko Willink (@jockowillink) joins Jay Shetty to talk about extreme ownership and discipline, switching from a competition-based to a collaborative culture, building trust even in stressful situations, and mastering your self-discipline. He is a retired naval officer who served ... Show More
57m 52s
Dec 2022
Jocko Willink: How to Become Resilient, Forge Your Identity & Lead Others
My guest is Jocko Willink, a retired Navy SEAL officer and author of multiple books on effective leadership and teamwork, self-discipline and mindset, and host of the Jocko Podcast. We discuss how people can build and sculpt their identity and psychology through specific mindsets ... Show More
3h 59m
Feb 2024
420. What Moves You Will Move the World | Jocko Willink
Dr. Jordan B. Peterson sits down in-person with retired Navy SEAL, author, speaker, and podcaster, Jocko Willink. They discuss Jocko’s new speaking tour, the catharsis and upward momentum gained from genuine connection, the morality of a soldier, what a real leader is, and how to ... Show More
1h 53m
Jan 2024
Jocko Willink
Jocko Willink is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer, co-author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Dichotomy of Leadership, host of the top-rated Jocko Podcast, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he serves as Chief Executive ... Show More
1h 22m
May 2023
The Navy SEAL’s Guide To Never Being Lazy Again [MASTERCLASS] EP 1440
https://lewishowes.com/mindset - Order a copy of my new book The Greatness Mindset today!David Goggins emphasizes the importance of facing personal challenges and embracing discomfort to build confidence and find fulfillment. Nick Lavery shares the essential steps required to bec ... Show More
1h 26m
Mar 2023
Former Navy SEAL Teaches Team Resilience | Pete Naschak
Former Navy SEAL Command Master Chief, Pete Naschak, details what it means to be a resilience shepherd, how high performing teams operate, and the importance of an adaptable mindset. More:Pete served for 21 years as a Navy SEAL, where he held various operational & leadership posi ... Show More
1h 13m
Apr 2024
Coleman Ruiz: Overcoming Physical & Emotional Challenges
In this episode, my guest is Coleman Ruiz, a former Tier One U.S. Navy SEAL joint task force commander. He served in Afghanistan and Iraq and as a BUD/S training officer. He shares his journey from childhood through the Naval Academy to elite Navy SEAL special operations. He shar ... Show More
3h 13m
Mar 2023
Surviving War: Friendship, Manhood and Vulnerability with Major Tom Schueman
Major Tom Schueman, The Man Enough Podcast’s first war veteran and active duty military guest, discusses male friendship, positive masculine characteristics that are not binary or the property of men alone, how being trained to be alert all the time on the battlefield can make it ... Show More
59m 5s
Apr 2024
Special Forces Commander's Weird Trick For Overcoming Anxiety, "This Is The Reason People Quit", "Imposter Syndrome Is A Good Thing!"
Learn how to attack life with the same intensity as a member of the world’s most elite fighting force. Jocko Willink is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer and New York Times bestselling author, he is also the host of the Jocko Podcast, and co-founder of the leadership training orga ... Show More
1h 52m
Dec 2022
The Most Inspiring Story About Mindset & Perseverance You'll Ever Hear EP 1359
Nick Lavery, born and raised in Massachusetts, is an active-duty member of The United States Army Special Forces. Commonly known as the Green Berets, the Special Forces perform critical missions including direct action, counterinsurgency, foreign internal defense, special reconna ... Show More
1h 44m