John Ballen

And it's not because they lack the physical to do it. They don't. They definitely don't. And this is generalizing because this is not true of everybody. But let's take the guy who played for the Diamondbacks. So this person... is used to being, generally speaking, the very best person at what they do their whole lives. And it's not because there's anything wrong with them.

And it's not because they lack the physical to do it. They don't. They definitely don't. And this is generalizing because this is not true of everybody. But let's take the guy who played for the Diamondbacks. So this person... is used to being, generally speaking, the very best person at what they do their whole lives. And it's not because there's anything wrong with them.

It's just sort of a truth. That's how you became a professional baseball player. That's how it works. In Bud's, your instructors don't fucking care about who you were. And it's like a point they make. they don't care at all about what you've done before.

It's just sort of a truth. That's how you became a professional baseball player. That's how it works. In Bud's, your instructors don't fucking care about who you were. And it's like a point they make. they don't care at all about what you've done before.

In fact, if they even suspect that you think you're special because you have some bullet point on your resume, like playing for the Diamondbacks, they will torture you and see if you really got it. They will single you out and specifically make you feel terrible and tell your class to like, look at this guy, he can't even do push-ups.

In fact, if they even suspect that you think you're special because you have some bullet point on your resume, like playing for the Diamondbacks, they will torture you and see if you really got it. They will single you out and specifically make you feel terrible and tell your class to like, look at this guy, he can't even do push-ups.

You play for the Diamondbacks, you can't even do push-ups, even though the guy's doing push-ups just fine. But he's like, look, that doesn't even count. That doesn't count. Do another one. Get in the water. Do this, do that. It's a mind game. But the guys like me who I went to Bud's and I'm like, I literally am a joke compared to the people that are here.

You play for the Diamondbacks, you can't even do push-ups, even though the guy's doing push-ups just fine. But he's like, look, that doesn't even count. That doesn't count. Do another one. Get in the water. Do this, do that. It's a mind game. But the guys like me who I went to Bud's and I'm like, I literally am a joke compared to the people that are here.

I wasn't in great shape relative to my peers. I'm certainly not a professional athlete. The only thing on my resume is, well, I nearly flunked out of college, but then managed to graduate college. That is the extent of my resume. I played a little baseball in high school. And so for me, I have very little to lose.

I wasn't in great shape relative to my peers. I'm certainly not a professional athlete. The only thing on my resume is, well, I nearly flunked out of college, but then managed to graduate college. That is the extent of my resume. I played a little baseball in high school. And so for me, I have very little to lose.

Like either I'll make it and that'll be amazing and I'll get to do the thing I want to do or I won't. And people will say, that's about right. The folks that go in that have the resumes on some level, they expect to be really good, even if they're humble. And everybody in their personal lives also expects them to make it through because who wouldn't? He played for the Diamondbacks. Expectation.

Like either I'll make it and that'll be amazing and I'll get to do the thing I want to do or I won't. And people will say, that's about right. The folks that go in that have the resumes on some level, they expect to be really good, even if they're humble. And everybody in their personal lives also expects them to make it through because who wouldn't? He played for the Diamondbacks. Expectation.

It's brutal. And the course is too long to simply gut your way through it. The level of physical discomfort that you experience in buds is so unbelievably high that That it's not you got to want to be here. That's the way they say it. You got to want to be here if you want to make it through. It's you need to have something to hold on to in your brain that overrides the discomfort.

It's brutal. And the course is too long to simply gut your way through it. The level of physical discomfort that you experience in buds is so unbelievably high that That it's not you got to want to be here. That's the way they say it. You got to want to be here if you want to make it through. It's you need to have something to hold on to in your brain that overrides the discomfort.

And it can't be, oh, I need to make everybody else happy. I need to live up to expectations. Maybe that's strong enough for you. For most people, it's not. Like when you are at like your absolute lowest, like what do you hold on to? And it's for people like me, it was like I have to prove myself to myself. I want to prove to myself that I can do this hard thing.

And it can't be, oh, I need to make everybody else happy. I need to live up to expectations. Maybe that's strong enough for you. For most people, it's not. Like when you are at like your absolute lowest, like what do you hold on to? And it's for people like me, it was like I have to prove myself to myself. I want to prove to myself that I can do this hard thing.

Like it was not even about serving in the military. It was accomplishing this goal because I've set my mind to it and I want to believe that I'm the guy that can set goals that are hard and achieve them. And so in my worst moments, I would go to that place where I'm like, this is worth it to me. But for other guys, it's not.

Like it was not even about serving in the military. It was accomplishing this goal because I've set my mind to it and I want to believe that I'm the guy that can set goals that are hard and achieve them. And so in my worst moments, I would go to that place where I'm like, this is worth it to me. But for other guys, it's not.

And so at the end when you graduate, you look around and it's like a ragtag group of like –

And so at the end when you graduate, you look around and it's like a ragtag group of like –