David, Special Operations Sniper

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

You know, a lot of guys, especially younger, would, you know, how many people have I killed? But I find the most gratifying effect is how many people I've saved. How many lives have I changed?

That's way more important to me.

Michael Gervais (0:26)

Welcome back or welcome to the Finding Mastery podcast. I'm Michael Gervais. And by trade in training, I'm a sport and performance psychologist and the co-founder of Compete to Create. And the whole idea behind this podcast is to learn from people who have dedicated their life efforts towards mastery. And what we're wanting to do is dig to understand the mental skills that they use to build and refine their craft, but also understand the psychological framework that they operate from.

I wanna take a minute here to announce a really exciting event that we have coming up. As you continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities of 2024, I wanna pose a question. What are you doing right now to be great with stress? How are you working with stress on your pursuit towards your most important ambitions and goals? And I just wanna get right to the heart of the key elements, one in particular, for what it takes to excel in today's high heat, high stakes world. Because stress is not the problem that we think it is. Stress is a synonym for change. And our ability to be agile with change, that is the real opportunity at hand. So if you're wanting to unlock extraordinary results and sustainable performance in your life, it's not about avoiding or reducing stress. And as simple as that sounds, it's very tricky to do, but it is about fundamentally changing your relationship with it.

And that's why I'm so thrilled to invite you to a special event. It's a free virtual event that we're offering, and it's called The Power of Embracing Stress. It's on Wednesday, March 6th at 2 p.m. Pacific. So to sign up, just head over to findingmastery.com/training, whether it's advancing in your career or improving your health or cultivating stronger relationships, I think a new approach to stress can be one of the most powerful unlocks for you in your life. So join us for this free virtual training, The Power of Embracing Stress, on Wednesday, March 6th at 2 p.m. Pacific. Go to findingmastery.com/training to sign up. Once again, that's findingmastery.com/training. And I'm really excited to see you there.

Finding Mastery is brought to you by HIMS.

HIMS is changing men's health care by providing simple and convenient access to science-informed treatments for erectile dysfunction, ED, hair loss, weight loss, and more.

Health struggles like ED are common, but they can be hard to talk about when it comes to finding a solution. That's why HIMS has been a game changer for so many men. The entire process is 100% online, and if prescribed, your medication ships directly to you for free and in discrete packaging. No waiting rooms, no pharmacy visits. Plus, you can manage your plan directly on the HIMS app, track progress, and learn more about your conditions and how to treat them from leading medical experts. So, if your loved one has been struggling with ED, I really want to encourage you to go check out HIMS. And, I know ED often has a psychological component as well. So, be sure that you're stacking some psychological best practices into your daily routine as well. Start your free online visit today at hims.com/findingmastery. That's HIMS, H-I-M-S ,.com/findingmastery for your personalized treatment options. hims.com/findingmastery.

Prescriptions require an online consultation with a health care provider who will determine if appropriate. Restrictions apply. See hims.com/e-o-f for details and important safety information. Subscription required. Price varies based on product and subscription plan.

Now, this week's conversation is with David, and I'm leaving his last name out for security purposes.

He's currently a green beret and special operator. His craft is that of a sniper. Let's just leave it at that. And he's been at this level for a long time, over 10 years. And he has four combat tours, just to give some context, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, and one tour in Operation Iraqi Freedom. And during the last 20-some years, he served in a variety of leadership roles that include fire team leader, senior weapons sergeant, tactics and weapons instructor. And he's done it at the elite level.

And David's won countless awards along the way, including sniper competitions. That's his craft. He's good at it. He wins in competitions, and obviously he's winning in the amphitheater of war as well.

And when I asked him how, he does attribute much of this to his mental game. And this conversation is a treat. He understands the inner experience. He understands how to access to be able to do his craft at a consistent high level. And we get to learn from someone who's truly on the razor's edge. You know I talk about it. You know how much I value it. The razor's edge where things could go wrong, but you're right at your capacity and you're executing at a high level. And he's putting his life on the line. That is something that we need to pay attention to in this context. We talk about what goes through his mind in the most pivotal moments where everything is at stake, including his and others' lives around him. And we discuss the difficulties that come with transitioning back and forth between combat and everyday life. And all of us are in transition at one point or another. This conversation is for all of us. If we want to understand our capacity and get right to the edge, we need to learn from people who have been there. And that's what this conversation is about. He gets into his addiction to adrenaline and how he manages dealing with that, as well as some of the most difficult sights and sounds that he's witnessed. It's a beautiful conversation.