Lead on Purpose with James Laughlin Could You Pass Special Forces Selection? with Simon Jeffries
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Dec 7, 2025 Simon Jeffries, a former UK Special Forces operator turned performance coach, shares insights on mental resilience and high performance. He reveals why under 10% pass the SBS selection, stressing mindset over raw fitness. Simon offers a practical three-part model for improving state regulation and building supportive habits. He emphasizes the importance of emotional control, journaling for reflection, and breathwork for stress management. Listeners learn to shape their environment, prioritize recovery, and align actions with intentions for a purposeful life.
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Slip, Mud And The Mental Spiral
- During SBS selection Simon describes slipping on a river bank, covering his rifle in mud, and facing immediate negative judgement from the DS.
- He says many candidates spiral mentally after small mistakes and quit despite actually performing well.
Robustness Trumps Peak Fitness
- Simon says robustness beats raw fitness: being injury-resistant matters more than peak fitness.
- He highlights emotional control and self-discipline as the decisive mindset factors in selection.
Train State, Mindset, And Systems
- Train three pillars: state regulation, mindset, and systems to perform reliably under pressure.
- Fix basics like sleep, movement, screen time, then reprogram beliefs and build simple routines.