Jocko Willink is a retired U.S. Navy SEAL officer, bestselling author, and leadership expert with a 20-year military career.
Enlisting at 19, he completed BUD/S class 177, served with SEAL Teams One and Two, and later commissioned as an officer with deployments across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.
He led SEAL Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser in the Battle of Ramadi during Operation Iraqi Freedom, earning the Silver Star while commanding the war’s most decorated Special Operations unit.
After retiring in 2010 as a lieutenant commander, Willink became a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and advocate of disciplined 4:30 a.m. routines.
He co-founded Echelon Front, advising companies worldwide, and launched the Jocko Podcast in 2015, surpassing 1 billion downloads.
He co-owns Origin USA, founded Jocko Fuel, and operates Victory MMA & Fitness in San Diego.
His books—Extreme Ownership, Discipline Equals Freedom, and the Way of the Warrior Kid series—share his principles of leadership and personal discipline.
Willink is a partner in the San Diego FC ownership group and host of the FOX special Above, Below and Beyond, honoring 250 years of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.
He lives in California with his wife, Hellene, and their 4 children
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Warm Welcome
09:13 Early Life and Military Beginnings
13:03 Joining the SEAL Teams and BUD/S Training
42:45 First Deployment and Discovery of Jiu-Jitsu
45:24 First Platoon & Leadership Lessons from Tragedy
56:23 Platoon Commander Conflict and New Leadership
01:03:21 Hydrographic Recon & Officer Candidate School
01:32:09 Germany Deployments & Big Picture Leadership
01:38:24 Communicating with the Troops
01:44:39 Transition to Officer & College Life
01:47:38 Iraq Deployment & Leading in Combat
02:05:50 Learning Strategic Operations as Admiral’s Aide
02:26:14 Building Combat-Ready Leadership
02:29:11 Task Unit Bruiser and Ramadi Deployment
03:12:05 Blue on Blue: Friendly Fire Incident
03:23:14 Leadership, Accountability & Lessons Learned
03:52:08 Combat Strategy and Leadership Reflection
04:10:53 Memorials and Command Decisions
04:49:09 Military to Civilian Transition
05:11:46 Launching the Podcast and Business Ventures
05:18:14 Warrior Kid: From Book to Movie
05:31:05 Jocko Fuel & Social Media Commentary
05:43:40 Advice to the Younger Generation
05:49:21 Honoring Veterans and Final Reflections
