August 28, 2018

Jocko Podcast 128 w/ Echo Charles – How to Gain Confidence. Settling The Score.

Q & A: Topics covered include: How to Gain Confidence, Forgiveness vs. Settling the Score, Does Discipline Inhibit Creativity?

Over-training – Do you believe in over-training or is it an excuse?

• Yes you can over-train, most people don’t
• If you over-train you’ll know it because your performance will start to slip: “Take a break, eat some steak”
• It’s actually hard to over-train, so you should try to do something active everyday
• Two kinds of over-training
  • Clinical – it shows in your blood, real symptoms develop (like trouble sleeping) – it takes a while to get out of it
  • Rhabdo – acute over-training

Packing a Lunch for Work – What would you pack for lunch if you had a typical 9-5 job?

• Chicken, steak, beef jerky, salad
• Don’t eat donuts in the office
• It’s in the American culture to go out with others at work for lunch
• Break the cycle, otherwise you’re spending money on food that will make you fat and lazy
• Pack your own lunch – it makes you leaner and smarter; spend less, eat better
• What would be Jocko’s go to?
  • Tin chicken (in a can) with some mayo on it

Real Estate Investing – How did Jocko start?

• Jocko’s been lucky.
  • In 2007-08, he bought some houses and then continued
  • His military salary helped because he knew a paycheck was coming no matter what
• Number 1 – Just try to buy a house to live in, and then pay it off as soon as you can, fix it up, rent it out, and buy another
• Advice – buy a house in the place you want to live
  • Location can’t be changed, but you can always fix it up
• Jocko did all the “fixing up” type work on the houses he bought himself
  • Now he doesn’t do it as much – you either have time or money
• VA loans are good, but you can only get one, and only if you’re in the military – it’s a good jumping off point
• Buy a house instead of renting
• Be careful of speculating – prices don’t always go up, don’t count on it
• Live lean
  • You might not be able to go out to dinner, and you may need to buy the kids “recycled” stuff for Christmas
  • You might be financial tight when you buy your first house, it’s okay
  • If you’re not okay with a “lean Christmas”, and not going out for dinner, or buying recycled gifts, then don’t buy or speculate
• No risk, no reward, but don’t risk everything

Does Jocko ever watch mindless TV or Youtube during down time?

• Jocko doesn’t have a lot of free time
• To decompress – he might watch something with his kids, like The Office

Is it okay to use mass punishment on the team?

• When the team is not working together, punish together
• What if it’s just an individual?
  • The team needs to get that person on board

Discipline as a Creative

• You need discipline to get good at your craft, music, art, whatever
• You should do those things because you love them, the money will follow
• Ideally, if money is an issue at first, have another job to make money, so artistically you can do what you want

How to Deal with Being Lonely at the Top

• When Jocko was a platoon commander, was it lonely? – Not really
• When you’re a business owner or leader, there are times you have to be alone
• If you’re at the top, you have to work harder than everyone else so you might be alone
• “The higher, the fewer”
• Being alone isn’t a bad thing, you should be comfortable being alone
• When you’re not okay with it, adjust the balance: it’s a long term thing

The Office Reboot, Staring Jocko

• Great show, his kids are obsessed with it
• Jocko prefers the British version, funny but depressing, more realistic, not as over-the-top
• Yes, he would be in a new version of The Office as a hard core version of Dwight Shrute
• There are definitely leadership issues in the show

The Best Way to Keep in Shape While Traveling

• Get wood gymnastic rings, you can take them anywhere
• Get creative – moving body weight through space is the best way to build body mass
  • Dead lifting and squatting are both good
• Dumbbells are better than a barbell for neuromuscular activity
• Use Google maps to find gyms in your area, then commit

Forgive or Wait to Settle the Score?

• Forgive if you can, but it’s hard to do sometimes
• Forgiving someone is a form of settling the score; you show they don’t matter anymore
• Best revenge: move on, “kick ass in the world”

When Jocko crush’s today’s to-do list, does he relax or move on to the next day’s list?

• Keep going, Jocko works until he’s brain dead
  • Keep hammering until you can’t anymore
• Right now, Jocko estimates he could work 24 hours a day and he’d never get done what he has to get done, done
• But if you need break, take a break
• Relax by doing something of value: like exercise
  • Don’t watch TV

Entering the military when you’re over 30 years old

• It’s fine – At that age you’ve got intelligence and maturity
• Only downside is you have to do some dumb stuff; you might develop a negative attitude
• Jocko jointed at 18
• Go in with an open mind, do the tedious, and you will eventually get the leadership position
• If you have a good attitude, you have a good chance of getting promoted, but if you’re negative, and spread negativity, it will be problematic
• You might also experience some social disconnect because lot of people will be 18
  • Brace yourself for the perspective of an 18 yr old: “You’re an old man”

What do you do when your boss doesn’t make the connection between your work and the team’s success?

• Keep working hard – put your ego in check
• Let your boss have the glory, make him look great
• The glory will come for you as well, just be patient

Does discipline inhibit creativity?

• No – Jimmy Page, guitar virtuoso, played guitar so much in school, in lunch, at study hall, that they had to take his guitar from him
  • He practiced so much that he was able to get more creative than anyone else. Discipline expanded his creativity.
• Anyone who does anything, the only way they get that extra percent is discipline
• If you don’t like doing it, what are you doing it for?

Moving On vs. Fighting On

• Assess everything going on in the situation
• If there is no prospect of you moving ahead (like in a family business), maybe it’s time to get out
• If you can do a good job, step up and become a leader, it might be worth sticking around
• Don’t blind side your boss, explain what’s going on
• Be specific in your exit interview – it might start a good conversation

What are the best ways to increase confidence?

• Do Jiu Jitsu
• Read, study, learn, and get smarter
• Practice speaking so you can become more articulate
• Do things that are challenging, get tougher, don’t quit
• Stand up tall with your chin high and your chest out
• Stay humble
• People might be richer, better looking, and more talented than you, but there are things that are more important – like loyalty, honor, and courage
• If you know you won’t give up, won’t give in, and you know you’ll get back up, then you know your character is strong, and that’s what matters – It’s all the confidence you need