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 and actions and how to adapt the self to novel and challenging situations, using specific daily routines. We consider how “energy” actually stems from physical action and describe practical tools and scientific mechanisms for leveraging exercise, cold exposure, nutrition, fasting, hydration, sunlight, mindset and music to make us feel more energized and what that, in turn, does for our life. Jocko explains how discipline and specific daily routines allow for productivity and creativity. And we discuss the qualities of successful leaders, including how to build confidence and real bonds when working with a team or family/friends. Jocko describes a particularly powerful tool of using perspective shifts to allow for ‘detachment’ as a unique way to identify novel solutions to problems. We also discuss the power of early developmental narratives and how experiences of friendship, love, connection and loss can serve as pillars for making us better human beings in all aspects of life. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics, including mental health, physical health and performance, and provides actionable tools that anyone, regardless of age or profession, can apply to live a more effective and meaningful life.

Access the full show notes, including referenced articles, resources and more at hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Jocko Willink

(00:04:07) Sponsor: LMNT & Waking Up

(00:08:42) Sense of Self, Discovery & Autonomy

(00:19:11) Mindsets in the Military: Garrison vs. Combat

(00:25:02) Military Divisions

(00:29:34) Daily Workouts & Discipline

(00:31:07) Sponsor: AG1

(00:36:53) Energy & Movement, Cortisol, Nutrition

(00:52:10) Exercise & Energy, Deliberate Cold Exposure

(00:59:05) Win vs. Loss Mindset, Leadership, Action & Energy 

(01:13:11) Confidence, Generators vs. Projectors, Family

(01:24:01) Restoring Motivation: Social Connection & Play

(01:32:44) Self-Identity & Context, Alcohol, Music, Dopamine

(01:45:10) Motivation Sources & Recovering from Loss

(01:54:05) Suicide, Navy SEALs, Social Contagion

(02:09:00) Suicide, Alcohol, Positive Action 

(02:15:03) Meditation, Detachment

(02:20:30) Adaptability & Opportunities, Navy SEALs 

(02:30:43) Ambition & Love, Likeability, Leadership

(02:40:18) Building Teams, Detachment, Family

(02:50:20) Detachment: Problems & Perspective

(02:55:55) Tools: Strategies to Detach from Situation

(03:08:31) Tool: Situational Awareness & Detachment

(03:17:49) Social Media, Personal Flaws

(03:23:01) Falling Asleep & Detachment

(03:27:02) Resilience Calibration, Navy SEAL Training & Combat

(03:39:16) Deliberate Discomfort & Mental Resili