Episode 107 Jocko Willink

Summary

• Jocko Willink is a legend in the SEAL community, a Brazilian jiujitsu practitioner, and trains professional MMA fighters.
• He grew up in a small New England town, enlisted in the Navy after high school, and spent 20 years in the SEAL teams.
• He led SEAL Task Unit Bruiser in the battle of Ramadi and was awarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star.
• After that, he served as the Officer in Charge of Training for all West Coast SEAL Teams, designing and implementing some of the most challenging and realistic combat training in the world.
• He cofounded Echelon Front, a leadership and management consulting company, and wrote the book Extreme Ownership.
• He does not normally consume caffeine, but will have it on long drives or during long training briefs.
• His parents gave him the nickname Jocko and he weighed 174 pounds when he entered the SEALS.
• He has since gained 60 pounds of lean muscle.
• Jocko Willink was a Navy SEAL and has experienced a wide range of weight over the years, from 174 to 245 pounds.
• He suggests dead lifts and squats as the universal answer for adding lean mass.
• He was first exposed to jiujitsu in 1993 and trained with Fabio Santos.
• He and Dean Lister eventually opened their own gym, Victory MMA, in San Diego.
• He believes the complexity of any mission lies in dealing with human beings and their emotions, problems, issues, and egos.
• Jocko Willink grew up in New England and joined the military as a rebellious act.
• He enlisted in 1989 and went to Navy boot camp, then a school to learn a Navy trade, and then BUD/S.
• The Gulf War happened shortly after he started BUD/S and ended in 72 hours, leaving him disappointed.
• Boot camp is to turn a civilian into a military human, teaching attention to detail and basic structure of the military.
• BUD/S is a disqualifying phase, with an 80% attrition rate.
• To quit, one must ring a bell.
• Jocko was not great at anything in BUD/S, but was okay at everything, which was better.
• Those who made it through BUD/S did not necessarily perform best in the field, as BUD/S is more athletic.
• Jocko Willink was part of the SEAL Team Three Task Unit Bruiser, which was the most decorated special operations unit in the Iraq War.
• He attributes his mental toughness and drive to his father's mantra of not quitting at anything, as well as his exposure to hardcore music and war movies.
• The Battle of Ramadi was a sixmonth deployment in 2006, where the insurgents had been pushed out of Baghdad and Fallujah and had taken refuge in Ramadi.
• The city was terrorized by the insurgents, with 3050 enemy attacks a day and 710 IED attacks a day on Route Michigan.
• The enemy had a tactical advantage, with no rules and no regard for collateral damage.
• The SEAL Team was made up of 35 SEALS and 70 support personnel.
• Jocko believes that a good commander is one who can motivate and inspire their team, while a great commander is one who can do that and also make the right decisions.
• Humility is key for a great commander in a difficult environment
• Colonel Sean McFarland and the 11AD implemented a new strategy of "seize, clear, hold, and build"
• The strategy was risky and resulted in significant casualties, but was ultimately successful
• The strategy was to secure the populous, provide food and water, and get the local populous on the side of the coalition
• Objectives were set in the short and long term to focus efforts and sustain morale
• SEAL platoons were tasked with taking buildings and covering for the conventional units as they built combat outposts
• SEAL platoons consist of a single leader with subordinate leadership and various skill sets such as snipers, medics, breachers, riflemen, grenadiers, and point men.
• Groups sent out on missions would vary in size, from five SEALS with five Iraqi soldiers to an entire SEAL platoon with 4050 Iraqi soldiers.
• Good leaders must be humble and coachable, and able to balance opposing forces such as aggression and courage.
• Examples of good leadership include being able to admit mistakes, take criticism, and take notes.
• Jocko Willink explains that detachment is a critical skill for leaders to have in order to observe a situation objectively and without emotion.
• He experienced this himself when he was 22 or 23 years old and was in his first SEAL platoon on an oil rig.
• He taught this skill to others by putting them under extraordinary pressure where failure to detach from the situation would result in failure.
• He used laser tag guns and other exercises to simulate reallife scenarios and help people become aware of their own emotions and reactions.
• He also used examples from his own life, such as when his friend had a realization that it was easier to observe a situation when not in it.
• He also used the example of the Terminator movie, where the machines became aware.
• Jocko Willink discussed his experience in training for the SEALs and the commonalities between top performers in jiujitsu and the SEALs.
• Training for the SEALs involved desensitizing and conditioning people to handle pressure in difficult situations.
• Top performers in jiujitsu have a natural, Godgiven ability that is above and beyond normal human capabilities.
• Top performers in the SEALs have a certain level of focus, openmindedness, and dedication to the task and craft.
• Jocko's talents include taking complex things and making them simple, and being able to communicate that simplicity to other people, as well as detaching himself emotionally and mentally from situations.
• Jocko's morning routine includes waking up at 4:45, working out, and surfing if there are waves. The workout includes pullups, pushups, dips, dead lifts, squats, sprints, kettle bells, and burpees.
• Jocko Willink's daily routine includes strength training and metabolic conditioning in the morning, followed by business work and grazing on food throughout the day.
• His diet consists of steak, chicken, salad, and occasional indulgences.
• He defines success as those who bring light into darkness, citing his fallen comrades as his heroes.
• He struggles with the idea that nothing else matters as much as his time in the SEALs.
• He was unbalanced in his division of time between the SEALs and his family, but was okay with the risks of war.
• Jocko Willink, a former Navy SEAL, discussed how he compartmentalized his life while in the military in order to prioritize his mission and the lives of his men.
• Willink admires and learns from nonmilitary leaders, noting that they have the same faults and make the same mistakes as SEALS.
• Willink believes that every man should have the skills to provide food, shelter, and water for themselves.
• He also believes that three experiences make a man: learning how to fight, going into combat, and getting married and having children.
• Enn, a small trainer, demonstrated incredible strength and skill in a bar fight.
• Experiences with real danger can help condition people to fear and panic.
• Thinking about the second and tertiary effects of decisions can help people make more effective decisions.
• About Face by Colonel David Hackworth is a book Jocko Willink has gifted to a few people.
• Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy is a book Jocko Willink has read multiple times and finds gripping due to its darkness.
• People should consider how much darkness to voluntarily expose themselves to.
• Navy SEALS are not just obedient to orders, they must be led.
• Common misconceptions about the military include that it is easy to lead and that brawn is more important than brains.
• Movies such as Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Restrepo can help civilians understand the experiences of military personnel.
• Jocko Willink's mantra is "discipline equals freedom," meaning that the more disciplined one is, the more freedom they have.
• Taking ownership of one's world is a key concept in Jocko Willink's book, Extreme Ownership.
• This concept is based on the idea that one should take responsibility for everything in their world and not blame others.
• Willink learned this concept while serving in the SEAL teams and has since applied it to civilian companies.
• Willink believes that taking ownership of one's world leads to more freedom, both on an individual and group level.
• Tim Ferriss also believes that taking ownership of one's world is important, as it allows one to focus their creativity on the things that require it.
• Willink also believes that taking ownership of one's world can prevent one from becoming too needy and making their requests seem unimportant.
• Jocko Willink emphasizes the importance of building trust with one's boss and taking ownership of the relationship.
• Cover and move is a key principle that can be applied to businesses, where different elements must work together to achieve success.
• Two is one and one is none: have a backup to avoid single points of failure.
• The structure of the book is based on stories from combat that reflect a principle, followed by an explanation of the principle and a business story to show how it translates.
• People will identify with different chapters and take away different lessons from the book.
• Risk mitigation is an important topic discussed with SEALS, as there is no operation worth trading a life for.
• Jocko Willink believes that risk mitigation is essential in both business and combat.
• He looks up to David Hackworth, a peace advocate who lived in Australia.
• Most people are surprised to learn that Jocko is articulate and wellspoken.
• He is constantly striving to improve himself in all areas, including physical fitness, mental acuity, and wit.
• Jocko abstains from alcohol and caffeine and listens to heavy metal and hardcore music while working out.
• Jocko Willink is a 44yearold former Navy SEAL
• He grew up listening to punk rock and still listens to it today
• He also listens to modern music, such as the White Buffalo
• He recommends that his 25yearold self remember that he doesn't know everything and to always be open to learning
• He advises his 35yearold self to relish the moment
• People can find more about him and his work on Facebook and Twitter, as well as his website EchelonFront.com