In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Shane Kronstedt—former Navy SEAL, physician, surgical resident, and most importantly, my husband—for a powerful conversation about discipline, resilience, and the real-life moments that define us. From his early years of martial arts and mixed martial arts to surviving Hell Week and life-or-death missions in Afghanistan and Uganda, Shane shares how pressure creates clarity, why mindset matters most, and what it truly means to lead by example. This deeply personal episode gives you a rare glimpse into the man behind the mission.
We cover:
- Why Shane chose the most dangerous path on purpose—and what it taught him
- What Hell Week is really like (and why most fail)
- His perspective on “one moment of weakness for a lifetime of regret”
- Lessons learned from combat trauma and performing surgery in war zones
- The truth about motivation, mental toughness, and doing things that suck
- Why preparation beats panic and mindset > emotion
- The relationship between high performers, adversity, and identity
- What it’s like building a family, business, and legacy
Whether you’re a parent, athlete, medical professional, or someone who wants to be better under pressure, this episode will challenge you to redefine your limits and commit to something greater than yourself.
Please be advised: This episode contains some strong language and may not be suitable for all audiences.
Who is Shane Kronstedt?
Dr. Shane Kronstedt Shane was a Navy SEAL and combat medic with ten years of active duty service. His time overseas treating patients inspired him to become a surgeon. He deployed to Afghanistan, Europe, the Horn of Africa, and South America. Some of his awards include the Navy Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, The Joint Services Achievement Medal, and Navy Achievement Medal x2. He graduated from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School with AOA Honors in 2023 and is currently a resident in urologic surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
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Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Forever Strong Summit Announcement
02:30 – Meet Dr. Shane Kronstedt
04:15 – Martial arts, discipline, and joining the SEALs
10:10 – The real job of a SEAL (not what you think)
12:00 – What separates those who succeed from those who quit
15:49 – What is Hell Week? Six days with 1.5 hours of sleep
20:46 – Why Plan A is the only plan
23:40 – “Stop feeling sorry for yourself” and the advice that stuck
28:55 – Training through adversity: failure, fear, and adaptation
33:37 – Is it all mental? Or are some people genetically built for this?
36:47 – Shane’s mindset tools: box breathing, neutral thinking, no drama
39:49 – Performing surgery under fire in Afghanistan and Uganda
54:21 – Why Shane decided to become a doctor
59:41 – Building a strong relationship while building a legacy
1:06:25 – The mindset behind elite performance
1:15:30 – Lessons from failure, discipline, and pushing through
1:31:08 – Resilience, service, and never breaking rule #1
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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