John Ballen

short sort of weird looking guys that don't in any way embody like what you would think of as like i mean some guys do some guys are unbelievable studs but it's like a ragtag group of guys that just didn't quit and a lot of it is because they had some sort of chip on their shoulder that internally drove them and it allowed them to persevere when things got so bad because things get so bad in butts

short sort of weird looking guys that don't in any way embody like what you would think of as like i mean some guys do some guys are unbelievable studs but it's like a ragtag group of guys that just didn't quit and a lot of it is because they had some sort of chip on their shoulder that internally drove them and it allowed them to persevere when things got so bad because things get so bad in butts

I mean, not just to like shamelessly cycle back to this idea of responsibility, but I'm going to do that. Before, when I first got to the basement, I've just arrived, I was really not even able to see what a mess I had made of my life. It wasn't like I knew I had screwed up and was blaming other people. It was more like my default setting was this is somebody else's fault.

I mean, not just to like shamelessly cycle back to this idea of responsibility, but I'm going to do that. Before, when I first got to the basement, I've just arrived, I was really not even able to see what a mess I had made of my life. It wasn't like I knew I had screwed up and was blaming other people. It was more like my default setting was this is somebody else's fault.

Somebody did this to me. Like I actively remember being furious with my mom and dad for making me withdraw from college when I literally was about to get expelled. I had a terrible GPA. I couldn't afford to live in the dorms. I had shown no respect. there was no evidence to suggest I would succeed in college.

Somebody did this to me. Like I actively remember being furious with my mom and dad for making me withdraw from college when I literally was about to get expelled. I had a terrible GPA. I couldn't afford to live in the dorms. I had shown no respect. there was no evidence to suggest I would succeed in college.

It wasn't until I was like home in the basement and the sort of like living in my mom's basement with no direction that I just sort of naturally happened. I was like, wait a minute, it's you. It's not them. It's you. And it seems so obvious now, but it took falling to the bottom. And also, by the way, kudos to my mom, because she's a single mom.

It wasn't until I was like home in the basement and the sort of like living in my mom's basement with no direction that I just sort of naturally happened. I was like, wait a minute, it's you. It's not them. It's you. And it seems so obvious now, but it took falling to the bottom. And also, by the way, kudos to my mom, because she's a single mom.

She didn't give an F. She was not like, don't worry, you'll figure it out. She was like, no, you're going to get a job. Or you're going to move out or whatever. And you're also going to pay rent while you're here. And that's it. Like this is your fault. And at first I'm mad. But it's sort of like it became this arduous thing I had to overcome.

She didn't give an F. She was not like, don't worry, you'll figure it out. She was like, no, you're going to get a job. Or you're going to move out or whatever. And you're also going to pay rent while you're here. And that's it. Like this is your fault. And at first I'm mad. But it's sort of like it became this arduous thing I had to overcome.

So it was like no self-awareness, none, and genuinely blaming the world for my problems to like probably, if anything, an extreme on the other side where like if you haven't already noticed, I'm talking about the CS gas thing that I mentioned to you earlier.

So it was like no self-awareness, none, and genuinely blaming the world for my problems to like probably, if anything, an extreme on the other side where like if you haven't already noticed, I'm talking about the CS gas thing that I mentioned to you earlier.

That's something that if that happened to other people, I don't know if they'd talk about it on such a public platform, especially just in the SEAL community. Like reputation is such a big thing that even talking about things that other people know about but that cast you in sort of a bad light reputationally, I think people would stay away from saying that. But for me, I view it as a strength.

That's something that if that happened to other people, I don't know if they'd talk about it on such a public platform, especially just in the SEAL community. Like reputation is such a big thing that even talking about things that other people know about but that cast you in sort of a bad light reputationally, I think people would stay away from saying that. But for me, I view it as a strength.

to highlight not only the things that I'm good at, but the things that I've made a mess of and screwed up because it shows other people that I'm secure. So it's like ultra self-aware and secure in my image, the opposite as the basement kid. And it took basically falling to the bottom, being home, no new opportunities in front of me.

to highlight not only the things that I'm good at, but the things that I've made a mess of and screwed up because it shows other people that I'm secure. So it's like ultra self-aware and secure in my image, the opposite as the basement kid. And it took basically falling to the bottom, being home, no new opportunities in front of me.

Other people are off at college succeeding and here I am in my mom's basement for it to sink in that like, if you want to fix this, you have to start with saying it's my fault and then do something about it.

Other people are off at college succeeding and here I am in my mom's basement for it to sink in that like, if you want to fix this, you have to start with saying it's my fault and then do something about it.

I've never heard that. That's actually a great quote.

I've never heard that. That's actually a great quote.