June 22, 2020

Jocko Willink on Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of World-Class Performers

Key Takeaways

•  Two is one and one is none
  • “It just means, have a backup” – Jocko Willink
  • It’s also good to have contingency plans
• “If you want to be tougher mentally, it is simple: Be tougher. Don’t meditate on it.” – Jocko Willink
• Take extreme ownership of your life and role
  • Take responsibility instead of taking the easy way out and blaming others
• The best leaders are humble and coachable
  • “Stay humble or get humbled” – Jocko Willink
• If you don’t know what to do in a situation, take a second to detach, look around at what’s going on, and make a decision

Intro

• Jocko Willink (@jockowillink) is a podcaster, author, and retired United States Navy SEAL. He hosts the Jocko Podcast.
• Host: Tim Ferriss (@tferriss) 

Books Mentioned

•  Tools of Titans: The Tactics, Routines, and Habits of Billionaires, Icons, and World-Class Performers by Tim Ferriss
• Tim recommends reading the books If This Is a Man and The Truce by Primo Levi to get a better perspective about the darkness of life
• Jocko’s most gifted book is About Face by Colonel David Hackworth
• Jocko has read Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy multiple times

What Would Jocko Put On A Billboard?

• Discipline equals freedom
  • If you want financial freedom, you need to be disciplined with your money
  • If you want to be healthy, you need to be disciplined with what you eat

Advice From Jocko

•   Two is one and one is none
  • “It just means, have a backup” – Jocko Willink
    • It’s also good to have contingency plans
• In order to truly experience the light in life, you need to see the darkness
  • After losing friends in war, Jocko is now grateful for every day he’s still around
    • Tim recommends reading the books If This Is a Man and The Truce by Primo Levi to get a better perspective about the darkness of life
• “If you want to be tougher mentally, it is simple: Be tougher. Don’t meditate on it.” – Jocko Willink
  • Say no to things you know aren’t good for
  • Say yes to doing things that will make you better even if you don’t feel like doing them
• Take extreme ownership of your life and role
  • Take responsibility instead of taking the easy way out and blaming others
• The best leaders are humble and coachable
  • When Jocko was in charge of SEAL training, he noticed that the best leaders admitted the mistakes they made and worked to get better while arrogant SEALs who couldn’t take criticism wouldn’t do a good job
    • “Stay humble or get humbled” – Jocko Willink
• If you don’t know what to do in a situation, take a second to detach, look around at what’s going on, and make a decision
• Jocko’s most gifted book is About Face by Colonel David Hackworth
• Jocko has read Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy multiple times

Tools of Titans : jocko, leadership, navy seals, war
Notes By Alex Wiec