Send us a textOn June 17, 2020, while deployed to Afghanistan, Jacob Cool was woken at 2 a.m. with the devastating news of his 16-year-old son’s sudden death due to an undiagnosed heart condition. In the aftermath of this tragedy, Jacob grappled with the overwhelming pain and questioned his own will to live, reflecting on how he avoided becoming another military suicide statistic. Through deep reflection, he uncovered the strength of his family's resilience, built long before the tragedy struck. Now, Jacob is on a mission to share his hard-earned wisdom on resilience and preparedness.In this powerful episode, Joe and Jacob discuss:The habits and foundational practices to cultivate before life's challenges arise.Steps to take immediately when faced with a personal tragedy.The importance of building a support system and accessing the right professional help.Life maintenance strategies to bolster physical, emotional, and spiritual health.Jacob’s journey offers proven lessons on resilience, making this episode a must-listen for anyone looking to prepare themselves for life’s unexpected challenges.A special thanks to this week's sponsors! Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!Exray a veteran-owned apparel brand elevating the custom gear experience. Exray provides free design services and creates dedicated web stores for unitsMy favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here. 

Join Silicon Valley legend Guy Kawasaki, an influential author and chief evangelist of Canva, as he explores the essence of "doing good shit". He shares personal anecdotes on embracing vulnerability and overcoming impostor syndrome, emphasizing that failure can be a launchpad for success. Guy highlights the importance of authenticity and passion in making a meaningful impact. He uses the metaphor of life as a mosaic to illustrate how individual contributions create a larger communal tapestry, inspiring listeners to align their purpose with their actions.

General Scott Miller, a retired U.S. Army General with nearly four decades of military experience, reflects on his impactful career. He shares lessons in leadership drawn from events like the Battle of Mogadishu, emphasizing communication, trust, and resilience. Miller discusses the importance of ongoing self-development and fitness post-retirement. He also highlights the critical role of storytelling in leadership and examines current global conflicts, underscoring the need for preparation and community support for veterans.

Jeff Wetzler, an accomplished author and international management consultant, dives into the power of asking questions to unlock potential in organizations. He discusses common barriers to communication and the ASK approach, emphasizing the need for genuine curiosity in leadership. Wetzler highlights techniques for fostering a culture of openness and trust, including the 'question sandwich' and active listening. He also shares insights on using journaling for self-reflection and how leaders can transform their teams by encouraging inquiry, driving innovation, and building connections.

Surfing legend Laird Hamilton shares insights on overcoming fear, mental preparation, leadership, and balancing passion with family. He discusses growth through adversity, mental resilience, genuine intentions, and the importance of hard work. Laird also highlights leading by example in relationships and parenting, emphasizing the significance of maintaining happiness and evolving as a parent.

Send us a textWill Bowen, author of A Complaint Free World: How to Stop Complaining and Start Enjoying the Life You Always Wanted joins Joe to discuss the negative impact of complaining on our perception of the world. They also explore how making a conscious effort to quit complaining can significantly improve our lives. In this episode, Joe and Will dive into the following topics:How the 21-Day Complaint Free challenge worksThe social reasons why people actually complainThe difference between processing and venting and why it mattersUsing negative feelings as a catalyst for self-reflectionThe myth of blowing off steamDeveloping a mindset for embracing challengesAfter decades of unprecedented sales success in insurance, broadcasting, and advertising, on July 23, 2006 Will Bowen’s life changed forever…and so did the lives of tens of millions of people (so far).On that day, Will invited 250 people to try and break the negative habit of complaining by going 21 consecutive days without uttering a single gripe.Will gave each person a purple bracelet to be used as a mindfulness tool.His idea: switch the bracelet from wrist-to-wrist with each spoken complaint and keep switching until you go 21 consecutive days without complaining.Will’s idea EXPLODED around the world until now, some 15 years later, the worldwide Complaint Free bracelet total is over 15 million and climbing.Will Bowen’s 21-Day Complaint Free challenge has been recommended by Oprah, Maya Angelou, Tim Ferris, Joe Vitale, Gary Zukov, The Wall Street Journal, NBC’s Today Show, the ABC Evening News, NPR, and too many additional celebrities and media outlets to include here.Will has written 5 International Bestselling books that have sold more than 4 million copies worldwide and have been translated into more than 35 languages.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Former Navy SEAL and bestselling author Jack Carr discusses leadership, values, transitioning from the military, finding purpose, and his journey as a writer. He shares insights on the importance of reading, weaving truth into fiction, and the influence of his military background on writing thrillers. Carr also talks about the power of storytelling, his morning ritual with Alpha Coffee, and the editing process in writing books.

Send us a textFormer World Series of Poker Champion and best-selling author, Annie Duke, returns to the show to discuss the  concepts from her book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away. Annie shares insights on how grit, often celebrated as a virtue, can also lead to sticking with paths that no longer serve us. Joe and Annie  draw parallels to other high-profile figures like Jerry Seinfeld and Will Smith, who chose to step down from projects at the pinnacle of their careers. They also dive into Joe’s decision to retire from the Army. During the episode Joe and Annie discuss the following topics:The double-edged nature of grit and its impact on decision-making.Joe's personal experience of deciding to retire from the military and the concept of quitting at a high point in one's career.The concept of 'jumping the shark' and the challenges in identifying the right time to quit.How to separate your identity from your careerThe importance of setting 'kill criteria' to effectively determine when to quit under uncertainty.The role of intuition, sunk costs, and fear of the unknown in decision-making processes.Using the monkeys and pedestals mental model before starting a major projectAnnie is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Annie’s latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2023 Annie completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at UPenn.Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Send us a textFormer World Series of Poker Champion and best-selling author, Annie Duke, joins Joe to share her journey from studying cognitive science to becoming a poker legend, and how this experience led her to explore the cognitive underpinnings of decision-making in everyday life.Joe and Annie explore the fundamental concepts from her book, Thinking in Bets: Making Smarter Decisions When You Don't Have All the Facts, and discuss how treating life’s decisions as bets can significantly improve how we navigate uncertainty. Some of the topics they discuss include:The two factors that determine the quality of your lifeUsing poker strategies for making decisionsSeparating outcome quality from decision qualityHow our self-narrative affects reflection and learningThe benefits of mental time travel...and much moreAnnie is an author, speaker, and consultant in the decision-making space, as well as Special Partner focused on Decision Science at First Round Capital Partners, a seed stage venture fund. Annie’s latest book, Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away, was released in 2022 from Portfolio, a Penguin Random House imprint. Her previous book, Thinking in Bets, is a national bestseller. As a former professional poker player, she has won more than $4 million in tournament poker. During her career, Annie won a World Series of Poker bracelet and is the only woman to have won the World Series of Poker Tournament of Champions and the NBC National Poker Heads-Up Championship. She retired from the game in 2012. Prior to becoming a professional poker player, Annie was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship to study Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2023 Annie completed her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at UPenn.Annie is the co-founder of The Alliance for Decision Education, a non-profit whose mission is to improve lives by empowering students through decision skills education. She is a member of the National Board of After-School All-Stars and the Board of Directors of the Franklin Institute.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.   

Send us a textColin Stevens, author of  Make Your Mark: Lessons from Legends for a Life of Fulfillment and Impact,  joins the show to share his inspiring story of chasing a dream that didn't pan out the way he thought it would and the lessons he's learned along the way.  Joe and Colin talk about the following topics:The importance of self-belief for achieving success Why we should study  the  "full game" over the "highlight reel". Leadership through transparency and owning mistakes.The impact of social media on young athletes' mental health.How to develop resilient kidsThe role of fear and failure in pursuing passions.The power of being true to oneself.Colin Stevens is a former Division 1 basketball player and senior year team captain at Coastal Carolina University. After working in the banking industry for years, he left the 9-5 to embark on an entrepreneurial journey and start his own business. He has since created two successful brands in the basketball development industry.For the past five years, Colin has worked as a life strategist and performance coach. He has been hired by professional athletes, business executives, and entrepreneurs to help them maximize their potential. With a unique approach that combines his sports background and personal development expertise, Colin enhances decision-making, personal growth, and emotional intelligence.Colin is the published author of two books, COACHABLE, and his most recent book with raving reviews, Make Your Mark.  He is a sought-after speaker and trainer for various companies, motivating and empowering others to reach their full potential. Learn more about Colin at www.thecolinstevens.comSpecial thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Connect Leadership With Action Across Distributed Formations With Mustr by Adyton. Mustr is your digital knife-hand for daily and rapid personnel accountability, real time response data visibility, and automated reporting. Learn more about what Mustr can do for your formation here! My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else!  Learn more here.