John Ballen

You work seven days a week. You are in training until you're done. And the only choice was like, Own the fact that you did that. Don't make excuses for it. Like let this show people my actual strength, which seems funny because I did the thing I'm not supposed to do. But instead of like running from it, literally, own it.

You work seven days a week. You are in training until you're done. And the only choice was like, Own the fact that you did that. Don't make excuses for it. Like let this show people my actual strength, which seems funny because I did the thing I'm not supposed to do. But instead of like running from it, literally, own it.

Take responsibility for what you did and show people that, you know what, I'm prepared to show up for work every day wearing these fucking trunks and be looked at as a lesser than to demonstrate that I'm not.

Take responsibility for what you did and show people that, you know what, I'm prepared to show up for work every day wearing these fucking trunks and be looked at as a lesser than to demonstrate that I'm not.

Yeah, I mean, I think that there definitely were some people that did carry that sort of like stigma into the teams, because right after we finished this, we kind of went into the SEAL teams.

Yeah, I mean, I think that there definitely were some people that did carry that sort of like stigma into the teams, because right after we finished this, we kind of went into the SEAL teams.

But I do think that there was definitely some people that and I'm not even tooting my own horn, I really think this happened, that as a result of that moment knew they could like trust that I was prepared to sort of like, I'm going to take responsibility for me, I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do and be the best team that I can be.

But I do think that there was definitely some people that and I'm not even tooting my own horn, I really think this happened, that as a result of that moment knew they could like trust that I was prepared to sort of like, I'm going to take responsibility for me, I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do and be the best team that I can be.

even at my lowest, you're still going to get the best version of me. And that doesn't mean I think I'm better than anybody else. It just means I'm an adult. And I think that's a big part of being an adult is responsibility is ultimately owning those mistakes. And sometimes your mistakes are painful and public and awful. Yeah. And that's the most important time to own them.

even at my lowest, you're still going to get the best version of me. And that doesn't mean I think I'm better than anybody else. It just means I'm an adult. And I think that's a big part of being an adult is responsibility is ultimately owning those mistakes. And sometimes your mistakes are painful and public and awful. Yeah. And that's the most important time to own them.

And like you said, that's your opportunity in some ways, not just to rectify the mistake, but to become a stronger, better version of yourself. And I think that my mistake in college was a series of mistakes. My first semester of screwing it up and getting sent back home

And like you said, that's your opportunity in some ways, not just to rectify the mistake, but to become a stronger, better version of yourself. And I think that my mistake in college was a series of mistakes. My first semester of screwing it up and getting sent back home

But it was only when I recognized that it was my fault and I had to own that, that I was able to graduate college and try to become a Navy SEAL. And then in the process, like have the CS grenade happen. But in some ways that made me a better SEAL, you know? So I think that like in failure comes the best opportunity for success, which is something that I certainly didn't coin, but it's the truth.

But it was only when I recognized that it was my fault and I had to own that, that I was able to graduate college and try to become a Navy SEAL. And then in the process, like have the CS grenade happen. But in some ways that made me a better SEAL, you know? So I think that like in failure comes the best opportunity for success, which is something that I certainly didn't coin, but it's the truth.

Yeah, so every branch of, I think, basically every military in the world, this is a broad generalization, but it's usually the case that virtually every branch of every military has some form of specialized unit that carries out special operations. It's the stuff that, you know, the Call of Duty video games and Modern Warfare, those are based on like the idea of specialized combat units that...

Yeah, so every branch of, I think, basically every military in the world, this is a broad generalization, but it's usually the case that virtually every branch of every military has some form of specialized unit that carries out special operations. It's the stuff that, you know, the Call of Duty video games and Modern Warfare, those are based on like the idea of specialized combat units that...

That go out and do these kind of difficult and high stakes missions. And so in the US, you have the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard and the Air Force, and each of them have like their like respective special operations divisions, like you have Marine special operations Marines, you have the PJs, the pararescue jumpers in the Air Force, there's multiple divisions.

That go out and do these kind of difficult and high stakes missions. And so in the US, you have the Army, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard and the Air Force, and each of them have like their like respective special operations divisions, like you have Marine special operations Marines, you have the PJs, the pararescue jumpers in the Air Force, there's multiple divisions.

But of all these special operations units in America, of all the different branches, you could make the case that the most – and again, some flack from people that disagree with me – the most, let's just say, well-known and potentially most skilled – and I say that carefully because, of course, there are other groups like the Green Berets who are incredible at certain things –

But of all these special operations units in America, of all the different branches, you could make the case that the most – and again, some flack from people that disagree with me – the most, let's just say, well-known and potentially most skilled – and I say that carefully because, of course, there are other groups like the Green Berets who are incredible at certain things –