Retired Navy SEAL Nick Norris on Optimizing Sleep, His Experience with Ibogaine On His Healing Journey, The #1 Characteristic of a High Performing Team and Much More

Navy SEAL teams are renowned worldwide to be at the absolute top of their game, physically and mentally. It takes a very strong mindset and endurance to become part of this elite group of highly trained warriors. My guest today, Nick Norris is a graduate of both the United States Naval Academy and Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL Class 247. Upon completion of SEAL training in 2004, Nick assumed progressively higher positions of leadership within Naval Special Warfare. His deployed roles included combat advisor to Iraqi and Afghan military units, Cross Functional Team Leader, and Ground Force Commander during combat operation in both Iraq and Afghanistan. After transitioning off Active Duty, Nick had to battle with depression, and after all other treatments failed, he went an unusual route and sought treatment with ibogaine. This is the psychoactive substance found in plants like Iboga. The compound ibogaine is currently getting a lot of attention via international clinical studies as a treatment for addictions and also for issues such as depression. Nick's mission today is helping others heal and optimize their lives. He is the executive director of the C4 Foundation, which provides support and resources through science-based programs to active duty Navy SEALs and their families. He is a board member of Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions, a nonprofit focused on ending the veteran suicide epidemic via resources, research, and advocacy related to psychedelic assisted therapy. Nick is also the co-founder and CEO of Protekt Products, a wellness company that focuses on personal care products and nutritional supplements. Both Protekt, and the C4 Foundation value the power of time spent in the outdoors and the positive impact it has on overall wellbeing.

In my conversation with Nick, you'll discover...

-Why Nick decided to become a Navy SEAL...

-How to avoid being impacted by other people's negative opinions...

-About Nicks preparation for Navy SEAL qualification...

• Ultrarunning
• Pipeline swimming
• Cold water training

-Why high stress training made Nick better in combat...

• SEAL training exercises were more stressful than actual combat
• Pressure and stress help you perform at a better level
• Inoculated Nick against the shock of stress/uncertainty

-The role of failure in success...

• Fail quickly
• "If you're making the same mistake twice, you're not learning from the experience"
• Constantly expose weaknesses to your SEAL team
• Take ownership and accountability
• Jocko Willink's Book: Extreme Ownership

-#1 characteristic of successful high performance teams...

• Humility

-Nick's transition from military to private sector life...

• Repurposing life became all consuming
• Lost focus on family
• Transition led to feeling lost
• Difficulty with humility
• Depression

-Nick's use of ibogaine as a healing modality...

• Ibogaine derived from the Iboga plant
• Psychoactive substance, considered strongest plant medicine on planet
• Nonprofit VETS - Veterans Explore Treatment Solutions
• Pre-ibogaine protocol = Bloodwork + EKG
• Significant preparation: meditation, journaling
• VETS is doing a study with Stanford on the effects of brain inflammation and ibogaine
• MTBI is the root cause for a lot of PTSD symptoms in veterans
• Nick's noticed immediate benefits:
• Physically felt better
• Felt detoxified and healthier
• Better mental clarity
• "I got to debrief my life"
• Nick's long term benefits:
• Made course corrections in relationships and marriage
• Prioritize kids
• Focus on friendships
• Galvanized personal accountability
• Motivation to maintain meditation, diet, exercise

-If you fear losing your "warrior edge" when taking plant medicine...

• You don't lose the edge
• Nick feels he changed for the better after ibogaine
• Submit to being vulnerable
• Ask for support

-How Nick's ibogaine experience improved his physical performance...

• Ibogaine is not a performance enhancing drug
• Immediate improvement came from reduced inflammation in the brain
• More self compassionate as a rock climber

-How Protekt helps others with performance...

• Powders and liquid pack drink additives
• Sunscreens
• Sleep packs
• Make drinking water more fun so people drink more water
• Better hydration = better sleep and better performance

-Nick's tips on better sleep...

• 96+ oz water per day
• Cut out light by 9pm every night
• Contrast therapy with sauna and cold plunging
• 4-7-8 breath work 12 cycles
• Morning cold therapy followed by sunlight therapy

-Nick's practices...

• Spending quality time with kids
• "The only truth in this world is love"

-What's next for Nick...

• Nick's Instagram: @nick_norris1981
• Protekt instagram: @protektproducts
• Non profit work C4 Foundation and VETS
• Protekt Products
• Working on psychedelic therapy for reducing brain inflammation in veterans