Building the Elite Podcast

Building the Elite

The Building the Elite (BTE) podcast discusses all facets of human performance - from physical training to the mental and emotional factors of resilience. Each episode looks at principles drawn from the world of special operations. These concepts help people succeed in the toughest military training courses in the world and can help anyone thrive in chaotic and challenging environments. 

  1. Dr. Alia Bojilova: Curiosity and Kidnappings - Ep. 128

    2h ago

    Dr. Alia Bojilova: Curiosity and Kidnappings - Ep. 128

    Dr. Alia Bojilova is a registered psychologist with a focus on resilience.  She grew up in Eastern Europe during some of the most tumultuous times in recent history before immigrating to New Zealand at age 17. During her service with the New Zealand Defense Force, she worked as the Lead Psychologist and an Officer with the SAS.  While serving as a UN military observer in Syria, Alia and her team were taken hostage, and she negotiated the release of herself and her team.  She holds a PhD from the University of Waikato and studied the link between curiosity and resilience in special operations forces.  Since leaving the military, Alia has served as coach and advisor to leaders and teams around the world, and across a wide range of sectors, including government, venture capital, elite-level sports, corporate services, and creative industries. She’s the author of The Resilience Toolkit, available on Amazon. More about Alia: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrina-alia-bojilova/ Resilience Toolkit - https://amzn.to/4fa9DZH Timestamps: 00:22  Introduction to Alia Bojilova 01:21 Lead Psychologist for New Zealand SAS 05:35 The Link Between Curiosity and Resilience 07:51 Resilience in Special Operators 12:38 Time of Service and Involvement in SAS 14:51 What Does "Military Observer" Mean? 17:04 Assessing for Curiosity in Training 19:22 Curiosity's Distinction from Openness 31:40 Common Signifiers of a Resilient, Curious Mindset 35:40 Olympic Athletes and Special Operators 37:13 The Phenomenal Gift of Being Taken Captive in Syria 54:01 One or Two Books Everyone Should Read 55:18 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received 56:31 Outro Send us a message

    57 min
  2. James Jensen: "What's Important Now?" - Aussie SAS Leadership Lessons, Ep. 127

    Jun 17

    James Jensen: "What's Important Now?" - Aussie SAS Leadership Lessons, Ep. 127

    James Jensen is a former SAS Patrol Commander with a unique blend of scientific leadership theory and real-world, high-stakes leadership experience. James served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) for two decades, with fourteen years in the Special Air Service Regiment (SAS), where he held leadership roles during multiple combat tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, East Timor, and the Philippines. Throughout his career, he worked in some of the world’s most challenging and high-pressure environments. With over 20 years of experience leading and working within teams in dynamic, complex settings, James has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of great leadership. He has seen exceptional leaders elevate teams and positively impact individuals' lives, and he's also observed the devastating effects of poor leadership on both people and organizations. James’s evolution from a junior leader in East Timor to leading some of Australia’s most elite teams reshaped his understanding of what true leadership means.  Today, as a sought-after consultant, James works with organizations across many industries, helping leaders unlock their full potential and inspire greatness in their teams. His leadership expertise is still highly valued by the SAS, where he continues to train and mentor the next generation of SAS leaders. LEARN MORE ABOUT JAMES:  K6 Consulting - https://k6consulting.com.au/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-jensen-a56440172/ TIMESTAMPS: 00:21 Introduction to James Jensen 01:49 What Did James Do in The Army? 06:30 From Officer to Enlistment - How Did that Process Affect James? 09:53 Being Concerned with Being Liked in Leadership 11:23 W.I.N. - What's Important Now 15:07 Develop and Maintain the Role of Calmness 19:32 Can Calmness Be Developed or is it Innate? 22:43 Timing a Joke with a Crew 24:02 Better Decision Making as a Leader 32:48 Routine with Feedback = Behavioral Change 33:49 Leadership is a Profession 36:33 Individuals Functioning as a Unit 41:35 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received 42:51 James' Book Recommendations  44:18 Outro Send us a message

    45 min
  3. Aaron Love - Ones Ready, Ep. 126

    Jun 3

    Aaron Love - Ones Ready, Ep. 126

    Aaron is an active duty Pararescueman currently stationed at a Special Tactics Squadron as a Troop Chief. He is a Team Leader, Evaluator, Special Operations Combatives Program (SOCP) Lvl 2 instructor, and an Onnit Certified Trainer, with a focus on Tactical Durability. Pararescuemen, or PJs, are the only DoD asset specifically trained, equipped, and employed to perform Personnel Recovery. They are Technical Rescue Specialists who provide gold-standard combat trauma medical care and evacuation in every environment and situation on the planet. They are trained in all methods of advanced employment and can employ from any vehicle, standard or non-standard, in the DoD and multinational partner inventory. Aaron enlisted in the Air Force in September 2001 and entered the Pararescue training pipeline as a cross trainee, previously an Aerospace Physiology Technician. He has served in Special Tactics and Rescue Squadrons, both overseas and stateside. He has also served in Air Education and Training Command, where he was integral in the complete rewrite of the Pararescue/Combat Rescue Apprentice Courses and has intimate knowledge of the Assessment and Selection process and pipeline management.  He has seen multiple combat deployments to Iraq, Africa, and Afghanistan in positions from team member to Senior Enlisted Leader. He takes great pride in the training and mentorship aspect of being a Troop Chief. Aaron is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu player in his off time. You can learn more about Ones Ready and their Operator Training Summit at onesready.com Send us a message

    1h 10m
  4. Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon - Mental Skills: Defining "Good Enough," Ep. 125

    Mar 18

    Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon - Mental Skills: Defining "Good Enough," Ep. 125

    Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon is a trained counselor specializing in the psychology of behavior change, with certifications including motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, DBT, CBT, and trauma counseling. She’s the author of numerous books and accredited nutrition, sleep, stress, and recovery courses.  She’s our go-to performance psych for special operations candidates and active operators, and works one-on-one with many of our clients to help them excel in selection and stay mentally and emotionally resilient throughout their careers.  This is part of an ongoing series with KSD, where we’ll be talking with her about the specific tools and concepts that come up regularly in her work with special operators, and how you can apply them in your own life.  Work with KSD: https://www.buildingtheelite.com/performance-psych-coaching/ Timestamps: 00:23 Introduction to Krista Scott Dixon 01:07 Helping Candidates Assess the "Am I Good Enough" Question 08:03 The Mistake of Only Looking at PT Test Scores 13:34 The Struggle of Getting Stuck in Your Head 21:28 The Way People Quit 29:36 Being Good at Working Through Any Conditions 34:27 Preparing for Anything and Everything in Skills Assessment 42:02 "I'll Figure it Out" and Fuzzy Trace Theory 47:23 Tolerating Suffering in Crappy Jobs 52:03 Military Barracks Full of Broken Washing Machines 58:17 How to Access the Variables that Matter 1:05:35 Outro Send us a message

    1h 6m

  5. Feb 25

    Steve House - Training Mountain Athletes and Special Operators, Ep. 124

    Steve House serves as the managing director, coach, and official mascot of Uphill Athlete, which he co-founded in 2016. He lives in a remote and mountainous corner of Austria with his wife and two sons. Steve’s biggest coaching challenge was coaching himself. Which was successful enough for him to be called “The greatest climber of his generation” by none other than Reinhold Messner. He was inspired to write down what he learned and originally recruited two other coaches to help him write Training for the New Alpinism while recovering from a near-life-ending fall in 2010.  He then co-authored  Training for the Uphill Athlete (2018) to fulfill his personal mission to “Teach conventional endurance training theory and practice to mountain athletes.” He retired from professional climbing at the end of 2020 to dedicate himself to family and work full-time on Uphill Athlete. Steve’s most famous ascent is the 4,500-meter-high Rupal Face, the world's biggest mountain wall, which culminates at the summit of the world's deadliest and 9th-highest mountain: Nanga Parbat.  In this episode, we talk with Steve about his career, Uphill Athlete’s approach to coaching, and the overlap between mountain athletes and special operators.  More about Steve and Uphill Athlete: You can learn more about Uphill Athlete at their website, uphillathlete.com.  And you can follow them on social media here: Uphill Athlete Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uphill_athlete/ Steve’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevehouse10/ Timestamps: 00:00:22 Introduction to Steve House  00:01:47 What is Significant about Nanga Parbat, "The Naked Mountain" 00:06:51 Grading the Technical Difficulty of Climbing 00:11:18 The "American Certified International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations" Guide  00:15:23 Overlap Between Climbing and Special Operations Communities 00:18:00 Similarities and Differences Between the Communities 00:30:32 Uphill Athlete Training Mistake  00:40:37 Base Building Meaning and Development 00:42:44 Aerobic Threshold to Regulate Training 00:51:00 Building Aerobic Volume 00:58:59 What to Prioritize During Training 01:02:09 Misunderstanding V02 Max in Training 01:09:13 Ventilatory Threshold Breakpoint 01:15:10 Ten Athletes, Ten Results 01:18:03 What's Next for Uphill Athlete? 01:21:23 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received 01:23:44 Book Recommendations 01:24:59 Outro Send us a message

    1h 26m
  6. Dr. David Walton: SFAS Guidance for 2026 - Ep. 123

    Feb 11

    Dr. David Walton: SFAS Guidance for 2026 - Ep. 123

    Dr. David “Wally” Walton is a retired Army Special Forces officer with 25 years of experience in the SF community. His career spans service with the 7th Special Forces Group, Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), and the Special Warfare Center and School. Dr. Walton’s extensive operational experience includes deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and across Latin America. Since retiring in 2013, he has transitioned into academia, teaching National Security Studies and Executive Leadership. His research portfolio covers Security Strategy, Organizational Culture and Dynamics, and Human Performance. He has a deep understanding of security studies, encompassing everything from tactical operations to strategic policy discussions. Currently an instructor at JSOC, Dr. Walton is a Subject Matter Expert in Special Forces Assessment and Selection. He specializes in Land Navigation, runs a prep program designed for SFAS candidates, and is the author of multiple books about preparing for SFAS.  More about Dr. Walton: Website: https://tfvoodoo.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tf_voo_doo/ Timestamps: 00:00:23 Introduction to Dr. David Walton 00:01:42 Changes within SFSS and Coaching 00:20:22 Being Trained in Land Navigation 00:30:43 Better Prepared Candidates 00:53:34 The Sandman Event 00:59:29 Selection Rates and Working Through the Stages 01:05:23 No Dependencies in the SFSS Course 01:09:47 The "Awaiting Training" Phase  01:11:33 What has Dr. David Walton Changed in Coaching? 01:17:08 How Many Books has Dr. Walton Written? 01:21:52 Books Everyone Should Read 01:26:32 Outro Send us a message

    1h 27m
  7. Brad Stulberg: The Way of Excellence - Ep. 122

    Jan 26

    Brad Stulberg: The Way of Excellence - Ep. 122

    Brad Stulberg is a bestselling author of the new book The Way of Excellence, a performance coach, faculty member at the University of Michigan, and a husband and father. The Way of Excellence comes out tomorrow, and you can pick up a copy at any major bookseller like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Audible.com, or Bookshop.org.  You can learn more about Brad and follow his work at his website, (https://www.bradstulberg.com/) and on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bradstulberg/ Send us a message

    43 min
  8. Nick Caldwell: The Mill Gym - Preparing the Next Generation of Special Operators

    11/27/2025

    Nick Caldwell: The Mill Gym - Preparing the Next Generation of Special Operators

    Nick has over 12 years of military experience, including 4 years as an Australian Commando and 6 years as an SAS operator. His operational service included deployments throughout the Middle East and Southeast Asia, including Iraq and East Timor. Since leaving the Army, Nick has established two companies as a founding Director, The Mill Gym and Omni GeoX; as well as a new fitness competition, the Tier 1 Games. Nick has provided risk management, leadership, and elite-level performance consulting in austere environments worldwide, including with professional sports teams, multinational corporations, government, and non-governmental organisations. Nick's charter is to build real-world resilience within individuals and foster a no-compromise culture of excellence. He’s driven by a deep passion for building elite-level soldiers and athletes through an uncompromising culture, mindset, and mental toughness. His philosophy is simple: hard work beats talent, and resilience is the decisive advantage in high-pressure environments.  By drawing from years of operational experience and an 18-year coaching career, Nick develops training systems that forge discipline, sharpen decision-making under stress, and cultivate the mental edge required to excel when it matters most. Learn more about Nick and The Mill Gym: Email: nick@themillgym.com Instagram: @themillgym LinkedIn: @nickcaldwell Website: themillgym.com Timestamps: 0:00:22 Introduction to Nick Caldwell 0:01:45 Career in the Aussie Special Air Service  0:05:32 Training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu 0:07:10 Gaining the Confidence to Enlist 0:14:49 Nick's Goals that Pushed His Career Forward 0:17:50 Recovering from Burnout 0:21:23 Helping Someone Understand Their Recovery and Readiness 0:26:48 Training with HRP and Other Monitoring Devices 0:38:28 What Camps Does Nick Caldwell Run? 0:44:43 Not a 36 Hour Exercise Competition 0:49:55 Standard Pre-Screening 0:57:50 Woman in Courses of Self-Defense 1:02:11 "Keeping Yourself Safe in a Parking Garage" Scenario  1:10:04 Books that Nick Believes Everyone Should Read 1:18:37 Outro Send us a message

    1h 20m
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4.8
out of 5
74 Ratings

About

The Building the Elite (BTE) podcast discusses all facets of human performance - from physical training to the mental and emotional factors of resilience. Each episode looks at principles drawn from the world of special operations. These concepts help people succeed in the toughest military training courses in the world and can help anyone thrive in chaotic and challenging environments. 

Information

  • Creator
    Building the Elite
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Building the Elite Podcast
  • Show Website
    Building the Elite Podcast

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