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Why Navy SEALs Aren't Scared Like Everyone Else | Rich Diviney

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Sep 16, 2025

Guest

Rich Diviney

Rich Diviney, a retired Navy SEAL commander and leadership expert, dives deep into the unique psychological strengths that set SEALs apart. He discusses the critical balance between physical and mental resilience, revealing how personal attributes shape responses to fear and anxiety. Diviney also shares insights on the emotional toll of military life, especially on families, and emphasizes the power of overcoming everyday challenges as a training ground for personal growth. Get ready to shift your perspective on toughness and adaptability!

01:18:47

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insights

INSIGHT

Calm Under Chaos

Navy SEALs develop the ability to manage autonomic arousal and compartmentalize under chaos.
That calm-under-pressure skill is hyper-developed by the profession and translates to performance.

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ADVICE

Choose Discomfort To Grow

Deliberately step outside your comfort zone to grow and discover potential.
Use learned tools to choose challenges you can handle and escalate over time.

insights

INSIGHT

Your Raw Attribute Profile

Attributes show who you are at your most raw and how you act without thinking.
You consciously dial attributes up or down depending on the situation to perform better.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Understanding Elite Military Units

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The Unseen Struggles of Military Families

10:03 • 4min

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Navigating Relationships Under Pressure

13:42 • 9min

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The Essential Balance of Hydration and Performance

22:31 • 2min

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Navigating Personal Attributes and Challenges

24:31 • 8min

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Redefining Hardship: Embracing Challenges and Personal Growth

32:30 • 2min

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Embracing Life's Challenges

34:36 • 6min

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Harnessing Motivation Through Horizon Shifting

40:40 • 3min

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Balancing Horizons for Resilience

43:41 • 9min

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Conquering Fear Through Focus and Healthy Living

52:27 • 3min

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Navigating Uncertainty Through Identity

55:18 • 7min

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The Neurological Foundations of Learning and Resilience

01:02:00 • 17min

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#4965

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

Masters of Uncertainty

The Navy SEAL Way to Turn Stress into Success for You and Your Team

Rich Diveny

#4377

• Mentioned in 7 episodes

The Attributes

Rich Diviney

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In this powerful episode, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon sits down with former Navy SEAL Commander and author, Rich Diviney, to break down what it takes to thrive under extreme pressure. Rich, author of "The Attributes and Mastering Uncertainty", reveals the psychology of elite performance, explaining why true toughness has less to do with physical strength and more to do with your mental attributes.

He shares candid insights into the realities of SEAL training, the mental tools used in combat, and why the "little tragedies" of everyday life are your training ground for resilience. This is a must-watch for anyone who wants to build the mental fortitude to overcome anxiety, step outside their comfort zone, and reach their full potential.

Who is Rich Diviney:

Rich Diviney is a bestselling author, leadership and human performance expert, and retired Navy SEAL commander. During his career in the US Military, spanning more than twenty years, Rich has completed more than thirteen deployments overseas.

Chapters

0:00 - What makes a Navy SEAL not normal?

1:13 - Introduction to Rich Diviney

2:27 - The difference between SEALs, Delta, and CIA

3:35 - The "best at what" question

5:10 - Are SEALs knuckle-draggers?

7:47 - The dark side of deployment

10:45 - The sacrifice of military families

13:51 - Marriage in the special operations community

15:19 - Why empathy can be a challenge for a "team guy"

17:40 - The evolution of empathy

19:34 - Rich's mission: From SEALs to humans

20:58 - Stepping outside your comfort zone

24:08 - The Attributes Test & Compatibility

26:29 - The truth about BUD/S and athleticism

29:21 - Why athleticism is not a predictor of success

30:43 - The dopamine reward of hard things

33:57 - The challenge of mentally hard things

36:34 - Mastering the "little tragedies"

37:25 - The psychology of fear (uncertainty + anxiety)

41:56 - The Horizon Shifting technique

47:25 - The problem of free-floating anxiety

48:51 - How to reframe anxiety

51:08 - How to combine a physiological sigh with horizon shifting

53:41 - The "nail the exit" story

56:12 - Identity and its role in uncertainty

1:00:54 - Leading alpha types

1:01:52 - The power of hard things

1:03:50 - The subjectivity of failure

1:04:15 - A particular set of attributes

1:04:47 - Living a civilian life

1:07:37 - The edge

1:08:44 - The next horizon

1:09:50 - My dad's story

1:10:52 - What are the top two attributes of success?

1:14:13 - The courage switch

1:15:23 - The neurology of anxiety

1:16:46 - What advice would you give to someone who wants to be tougher?

1:18:13 - Closing remarks

1:21:18 - A funny story

1:24:00 - The Five Remembrances

1:25:01 - A moment of meditation

1:31:16 - Closing remarks

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Find Rich Diviney at:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rich_diviney
X: https://x.com/richdiviney
Website: https://theattributes.com/
Buy His Book Masters of Uncertainty: https://theattributes.com/buy/book-masters-of-uncertainty

Find Dr. Gabrielle Lyon at:

Instagram:@drgabriellelyon
TikTok: @drgabriellelyon
Facebook: facebook.com/doctorgabriellelyon
YouTube: youtube.com/@DrGabrielleLyon
X (Twitter): x.com/drgabriellelyon
Apply to become a patient – https://drgabriellelyon.com/new-patient-inquiry/
Join my weekly newsletter – https://institute-for-muscle-centric-medicine.ck.page
Pre-order my new book - https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1668085623

Disclaimer: The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube, or materials linked from this podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professional for any such conditions.

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