Podcast Summary
Embrace the miracle of everyday life: Recognize the value of each day, invest in personal growth, and make the most of downtime.
Every day is special and a gift, regardless of any external factors or milestones. Jocko emphasizes this during the 52nd episode of his podcast, reflecting on the importance of recognizing the miracle of life. He shares his experiences of training in martial arts while deployed, highlighting the importance of making the most of downtime. Instead of wasting it on unproductive activities, Jocko encourages investing time and energy into personal growth and development. This mindset, applied to every day, makes each day special and worth living to the fullest.
Soldiers find relief and improvement through creative activities: Soldiers improved their skills and morale through video games and martial arts during deployment
Even during deployment and in the midst of intense training for combat, soldiers found creative ways to relieve stress and improve their skills through activities like video games and martial arts. For instance, a group of special operations soldiers held a Halo tournament, with two participants managing to win an impressive 50 deaths to 2 in the finals. Meanwhile, another soldier used his downtime to teach jujitsu to his fellow soldiers, leading to significant improvements in their skills upon their return. These activities not only provided a mental break but also a physical outlet, enhancing their overall performance and morale. So, whether it's through video games or martial arts, finding time for activities that help you relax and grow is essential, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Effectively Communicating with Leadership: Build a strong relationship with your boss, choose battles wisely, and maintain open communication to maximize impact and productivity.
It's important to find ways to effectively communicate with your leadership, even if it means attending mandatory meetings without compensation. Building a strong relationship with your boss can lead to greater impact when raising actual concerns. Additionally, it's essential to choose your battles wisely and not overuse your voice to avoid being ignored. The speaker's decision to attend the meetings and participate was seen as a smart move, as it allowed him to understand the leader's vision and potentially suggest more productive uses of time in the future. However, it's crucial to distinguish between building a relationship and kissing ass, as the latter can be perceived negatively. Overall, maintaining open communication and respecting the chain of command can lead to better outcomes for both parties.
Be an active and engaged professional: Embrace tasks and projects, shift negative mindset, communicate clearly, and build confidence for personal and professional growth
Instead of trying to kiss up to your boss or conform just for the sake of popularity, it's more beneficial to be an active and engaged professional. While it may be tempting to adopt a negative attitude towards tasks or projects, shifting your mindset and embracing the cause can lead to a positive outcome. This approach not only pleases your boss but also boosts your confidence and professional growth. The discussion also touched upon the importance of confidence and speaking up for yourself. For instance, in military training like officer candidate school, yelling everything you say is a technique used to build confidence and ensure clear communication. This skill is essential in professional settings, where clear and assertive communication is crucial. Ultimately, adopting a positive attitude, being an active participant, and embracing challenges can lead to personal and professional growth. Remember, your boss and colleagues appreciate a dedicated and engaged team member, so be down for the cause and make things happen.
Turning challenges into enjoyable experiences: Embrace challenges with a positive attitude and adaptability to find joy and success in various leadership roles
Maintaining a positive attitude and embracing challenges can lead to enjoyable experiences, even in seemingly unpleasant situations. The speaker shares anecdotes from military training, where they turned unfavorable tasks into opportunities for fun and camaraderie. This mindset can apply to various careers, particularly those involving leadership. For instance, the speaker mentions their failed attempt to become a signals officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. Instead of being disheartened, they could explore similar careers in communications or technology sectors, bringing their resilient attitude and problem-solving skills to the table. Other potential careers include emergency services, law enforcement, and management roles. Ultimately, having a positive attitude and a willingness to adapt can help individuals thrive in various leadership positions.
Alternative career paths for military disqualifications: Despite military disqualifications, individuals can pursue fulfilling careers in law enforcement, intelligence, cybersecurity, and various service-based professions. Success depends on identifying interests, strengths, and skills, and dedicating oneself to excelling in the chosen field.
There are numerous opportunities available for individuals who may not be able to join the military due to certain disqualifications. These opportunities range from law enforcement and intelligence agencies to cybersecurity and various service-based professions such as construction, software engineering, and automotive repair. The key is to identify one's interests, strengths, and skills, and then pursue a career that aligns with them. Even if the job doesn't involve directly fighting terror or saving lives, it can still have a significant impact and provide a sense of fulfillment and pride. It's essential to find something that one enjoys doing and then work hard to excel in that field. Ultimately, success comes down to dedication, hard work, and taking pride in one's work.
The Power of Passion in Business and Life: Passionately approaching work or goals increases success, finding enjoyment combats burnout, and prioritizing tasks helps manage demands.
Having a passionate attitude towards one's work or goals, no matter the industry or demands, is crucial for success in business and life. Meeting individuals who approach their businesses with intense dedication and vision, even in seemingly mundane industries, can be inspiring. Furthermore, finding enjoyment and making tasks fun can help combat burnout and increase productivity. As for swearing, it's a personal choice and can depend on the context. In professional settings or recording, it may be best to avoid it. To combat burnout, prioritizing tasks, setting time constraints, and finding enjoyment in daily activities can help make demands feel more manageable.
Maximizing jiu jitsu training with dedication and prioritization: Dedicate time and prioritize jiu jitsu training, even with limited hours. Find creative ways to fit training into your schedule and put in the effort for growth.
Dedication and prioritization are key to making the most of your jiu jitsu training, even if you have limited time. The speaker shares his personal experience of learning valuable techniques late in class and emphasizes the importance of rolling as the most impactful part of training for him. He suggests prioritizing your activities and finding creative ways to fit training into your schedule, such as during lunch breaks or by adjusting your work schedule. The speaker's anecdote about evaluations in the Navy illustrates the importance of putting in the effort and maximizing opportunities for growth, even if it requires sacrifices. Overall, the message is that with determination and effective time management, you can make significant progress in your jiu jitsu journey, even with limited hours.
Finding balance and taking breaks for personal growth: Prioritize self-time, family, joyful activities, take breaks to recharge, and incorporate loved ones into personal pursuits for long-term success and commitment.
Finding balance and taking breaks are essential for personal growth and maximizing productivity in various aspects of life, including work, hobbies, and relationships. The speaker emphasizes the importance of prioritizing time for oneself, family, and activities that bring joy. He also shares the benefits of taking breaks from certain activities, such as training or music, to return with renewed energy and focus. Furthermore, incorporating loved ones into personal pursuits can add an extra layer of enjoyment and motivation. Lastly, maintaining a positive attitude and enjoying the challenges of one's work or hobbies can lead to long-term success and commitment.
Balance focus and detachment for growth: To achieve success, balance focus on tasks with mental rest for new ideas, communicate time constraints, and value all aspects of tasks
Achieving success in any area of life, be it work or personal pursuits, requires a balance between focus and detachment. Just as athletes need to train hard and rest to see improvement, individuals should dedicate time and effort to their jobs while also giving their brains space to think and come up with new ideas. This can be achieved by finding ways to overlap tasks, such as working out after work instead of going home first, or by focusing on the parts of a task that yield the most learning or growth. It's important to communicate openly with instructors or supervisors about any time constraints and to ensure that all aspects of a task, including warm-ups or preparatory work, are valued and understood. By maintaining a balance between focus and detachment, individuals can maximize their potential for growth and success.
Navigating Unique Situations: Martial Arts and Professional Communication: Effective communication and ignoring unwanted labels can help individuals navigate complex situations in martial arts classes and professional environments.
Effective communication is key in navigating unique situations. In the context of a martial arts class, the speaker shares an experience where he could only attend at specific times and was unsure if he could just roll without attending the lesson. He expresses concerns about potentially being perceived as skipping lessons, but Greg Chaney, his instructor, encourages students to roll if they feel they're getting more out of it than the lesson itself. The speaker also mentions the importance of asking questions to catch up on missed information. In a professional setting, the speaker discusses being treated differently due to his past military background. He suggests ignoring the situation and not answering to the nickname given to him, as continuously acknowledging it could reinforce the behavior. The speaker also mentions the presence of many veterans in the oil and gas industry. Overall, the takeaway is that clear communication and ignoring unwanted labels can help individuals navigate complex situations, whether in a martial arts class or a professional environment.
Stay true to values despite annoyances or temptations: Ignore petty annoyances, align goals with values, and consider carefully before compromising values for short-term gains.
It's important to keep emotions in check and maintain values, even when faced with annoyances or temptations to compromise. The speaker draws an analogy from his experience in the SEAL teams and his family, emphasizing the importance of ignoring petty annoyances and not showing reactions. He also emphasizes the importance of aligning goals with values and not compromising them for short-term gains. The speaker uses examples from various contexts, including martial arts, business, and personal health, to illustrate this point. He also acknowledges that there might be situations where compromising values is necessary for achieving a goal, but encourages careful consideration before making such a decision. Overall, the message is to stay true to one's values and not let emotions or short-term gains sway from the long-term vision.
Balancing values and logic: In complex situations, balance core values with context and long-term goals. Compromise temporarily to achieve greater good or protect higher values, but remember life's not black and white, and there's a gray area where values and logic intersect.
Values are important, but they need to be balanced with reason and logic, especially in complex situations. While it's essential to hold onto core values, it's also necessary to consider the context and long-term goals when making decisions. Compromising values temporarily might be required to achieve a greater good or to protect higher values. It's crucial to remember that life and leadership aren't black and white, and there's often a gray area where values and logic intersect. Ultimately, aligning values with goals and using thoughtful decision-making is the key to navigating these challenges. It's not about having a rigid set of values on a dinner plate, but rather a hierarchy of values where some take precedence over others.
Understanding the difference between true winning and an illusion: Training and practice help us overcome the fight or flight response, allowing us to align responses with true values and achieve long-term success.
We all have a hierarchy of values, and in certain situations, we may need to compromise those values to survive or appear to win. However, it's essential to understand the difference between true winning and an illusion of it. The ability to assess and dictate our response to danger, such as the flight or fight response, comes from training and getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. By being aware of our thoughts and reactions during these situations, we can adjust and recalibrate our responses to align with our true values. Whether it's public speaking, rock climbing, or facing other fears, training and practice can help us overcome the fight or flight response and ultimately lead us to long-term success.
Handling uncomfortable situations: Addressing uncomfortable situations directly can help resolve issues and prevent them from worsening. Recognizing emotional triggers and practicing control through activities like jujitsu can make confrontations easier to handle.
Confrontation and other uncomfortable situations can trigger strong emotional responses, similar to the fight or flight response. These situations can feel like a barrier that we don't want to cross, but addressing the problem head-on is the best solution. Holding grudges or avoiding confrontation can be detrimental and may even make the situation worse. Jujitsu, or any physical activity, can help make confrontations easier to handle by reducing anxiety and providing a sense of control. It's essential to recognize these triggers and not let them prevent us from addressing and resolving issues.
Shifting mindset for overcoming personal barriers: Embrace potential outcomes, set achievable goals, and focus on process to overcome personal barriers
Overcoming personal barriers, whether in confrontations or personal projects, requires a mindset shift. It's not about avoiding confrontation or never getting upset, but rather becoming comfortable with the potential outcome. In the speaker's experience, this mindset helped him navigate a professional disagreement and keep working on his YouTube channel despite setbacks. Regarding the friend who struggles with following through on projects, the indirect approach could involve setting achievable goals and celebrating small victories together. Sharing personal experiences and offering encouragement can also help build motivation and accountability. By focusing on the process rather than the end result, the friend may be more likely to stick with their project and see it through to completion.
Bringing ideas to life through execution: Ideas without execution are worthless. Help your friend bring his ideas to life by getting involved, setting deadlines, and delivering on your commitments. If he fails to meet his end, take the lead and execute on the idea yourself.
Ideas alone are worthless without execution. Your friend may have a lot of great ideas, but without following through and bringing them to life, they remain just that - ideas. To help your friend, consider getting involved in a project with him, setting deadlines, and delivering on your end. By doing so, you can create something together and give him the feeling of satisfaction that comes with bringing an idea to life. However, if he fails to meet his commitments, you may need to take the lead and execute on the idea yourself. It's essential to understand that ideas without execution are worthless, and the goal is to create something tangible. If your friend is arrogant and unwilling to help, it may be challenging to work with him, and eventually, you may need to move on and execute on your own. Overall, the execution of ideas is what brings them to life and creates something valuable.
Ideas only gain value through execution: Execution brings ideas to life, making them valuable. Initial steps towards implementation are crucial, even when excitement wanes.
While ideas may seem worthless on their own, they gain value only through execution. The speaker emphasizes that buying a domain name or taking initial steps towards implementing an idea is essential, even if the excitement of the potential can wane as the hard work sets in. The speaker also shares a personal anecdote about selling contact lenses online as an example of successful execution. Regarding the question about starting a child in jujitsu, the speaker advises considering the child's maturity and having them train with peers to make the experience enjoyable. The idea's worthlessness and the importance of execution form a dichotomy, as ideas only gain value when brought to life through hard work and dedication.
Introducing kids to jujitsu: Make it enjoyable and age-appropriate: Introduce kids to jujitsu through fun games and exercises, find the right instructor, respect their pace, and encourage enjoyment for long-term success.
Introducing children to jujitsu at a young age can be beneficial, but it's crucial to make the experience enjoyable and age-appropriate. The jujitsu classes should not be overly intense or forceful, as this may deter the child from continuing. Instead, instructors should use games and fun exercises to teach the basics, making the learning process enjoyable. It's essential to find the right instructor who can effectively teach children and handle their unique needs. Some children may not be ready for jujitsu at a particular age, and it's essential to respect their pace and development. Additionally, it's important to remember that consistency is not always necessary for long-term success. Allowing a child to try jujitsu at their own pace and only encouraging them to continue if they genuinely enjoy it will lead to a more positive and lasting experience. The story of a friend's son illustrates this point, as he initially disliked jujitsu but eventually came to love it when he was older and more prepared for the experience.
Encouraging a love for jiu-jitsu in children: Allow children to explore jiu-jitsu at their own pace, keep things fun and familiar, and respect their preferences to foster a lifelong love for the sport.
Forcing children into activities they're not ready for or don't enjoy can have negative consequences. Instead, parents should encourage a love for the activity by keeping things fun and familiar. Using the analogy of a biker bar from the movie "A Bronx Tale," if parents make jiu-jitsu feel like an unwelcome or claustrophobic experience, their children may develop a negative attitude towards the sport. Instead, parents should allow their children to explore the activity at their own pace and only encourage participation when they show genuine interest. This approach can help foster a lifelong love for jiu-jitsu and other activities. Additionally, parents should remember that children, even as they grow older, may have their own preferences and interests, and it's important to respect those choices while still encouraging healthy habits and physical activity.
Joining a new environment or situation: Is it a good fit?: Consider readiness before joining new environments or situations. If not a good fit, observe and prepare instead of forcing participation. Bravery involves confronting fears and taking action to learn and grow.
When it comes to joining a new environment or situation, such as a gym class or starting a new project, it's important to consider if you and the situation are a good fit. If not, it may be best to wait until you're ready. In the case of a gym class, if a child is disruptive or not ready, they should not be allowed to attend. Instead, parents can bring them to watch and get familiar with the environment. Bravery, on the other hand, requires taking action despite fear or doubt. It's important to step towards your fears and confront them head-on to learn and grow. In terms of supporting this podcast, one way to do so is by checking out the supplements available on onit.com/jocko, which are known for being effective and high-quality.
Supporting Joint Health with Supplements: Incorporating krill oil, Shroom Tech, Alpha Brain, and Warrior Bars into a fitness routine can enhance workouts and promote faster joint recovery
Our joints don't receive as much blood flow as muscles do, leading to slower recovery. To support joint health, the speaker recommends taking krill oil, which can help improve joint function and provide strong bones. Another supplement mentioned is Shroom Tech, which aids in utilizing oxygen during workouts, allowing individuals to push harder for longer periods without reaching their limit. The speaker also mentioned Alpha Brain and Warrior Bars as additional supplements that can benefit overall health and performance. In essence, incorporating these supplements into a fitness routine can enhance workouts and promote faster recovery for joints.
Supporting the Jocko Podcast: Listeners can support the Jocko Podcast by purchasing products, using Amazon click-throughs, and writing detailed reviews.
Supporting the Jocko Podcast can be done in various ways, including purchasing high-quality products through OnIt.com/jaco or using the Amazon click-through feature. These small actions make a significant difference and allow the podcast to continue without running advertisements. Writing detailed reviews is also an excellent way to support the show and engage with the community. Even a simple "great podcast, 5 stars" review is valuable, but longer, more detailed reviews provide more insight and help the creators improve. Ultimately, the podcast thrives on the daily discipline and dedication of its listeners, and every action, big or small, contributes to its success.
Supporting Content Creators: Share time-stamped clips, buy merchandise, or purchase directly from creators to support them. Even small actions make a difference.
Supporting your favorite podcasts and influencers can be as simple as sharing a time-stamped excerpt or purchasing merchandise from their store. During a conversation, it was suggested to make this process easier by providing the podcast number and time stamp to a friend or loved one who wants to share a specific clip. Additionally, the importance of buying merchandise, such as rash guards or shirts, was emphasized as a way to support the creators and get a high-quality product in return. The conversation also touched upon the high demand for certain items, like chocolate white tea, which may experience logistical delays but will eventually be restocked. Overall, the key takeaway is that there are multiple ways to support content creators, and even small actions like sharing a time-stamped clip or purchasing merchandise can make a big difference.
Learn from Jocko Willink and Leif Babin at the Extreme Ownership Muster: Attend the Extreme Ownership Muster in NYC to learn, network, and meet like-minded individuals, and put the information into action every day.
You can order the "Get After It" mugs and tea on Amazon, and Jocko Willink and Leif Babin will be in New York City for their Extreme Ownership Muster on May 4th and 5th, where they will be signing books and interacting with attendees. It's important to register and attend the event to learn, network, and meet like-minded individuals. Additionally, Jocko encourages everyone to put the information they learn into action and make every day count. The mugs and tea are available on Amazon, but stock may run out eventually. The Extreme Ownership Muster is not just an opportunity to listen, but to engage and learn from Jocko and Leif in person.
