Developing Mental Toughness // with Jason Gardner

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I firmly believe that to be an effective leader anywhere, you've got to possess a degree of mental toughness. It's a requirement of fatherhood and one of the marks of true masculinity.

Yet, I know there are areas in my life where I lack mental toughness, and I suspect you have as well. For example—and maybe you can relate to a few of these—it takes mental toughness to walk away from an argument with your wife rather than always get the last word. It requires mental toughness to hold your ground and enforce rules with your kids (especially teenagers) while maintaining your composure. Mental toughness is needed to avoid late-night snacking or turning off your favorite show and going to bed on time. And it certainly requires mental toughness to fight sexual temptation and sin; even Samson and Kings Salomon and David weren't tough enough to avoid it. Yes, mental toughness is something every man should strive to develop, maintain, and instill into their kids.

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Jason Gardner

Today, my guest is Jason Gardner, and he knows all about mental toughness on both the battlefield and the battlefields of life. Jason is a former Navy SEAL and Command Master Chief for SEAL Team FIVE. With a thirty-year career in the Teams and nine deployments worldwide, he is the Silver Star recipient, two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, and many other awards. Today, Jason works for Echelon Front as a leadership consultant with Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. But most importantly, Jason is a husband and father who recognizes the importance of teaching his kids to be tough.

In today's show, we unpack the idea of mental toughness, what it is, how to develop, how to keep it sharp, and how it relates to fatherhood. Jason also talks about the fact that even for tough guys, it's okay to seek professional mental help when you need it.

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