Jocko Willink - Extreme Ownership

Movie Bonus: Lessons From War

Every experience in life gives us knowledge and insight, but we don’t always apply that knowledge in a meaningful way. Jocko Willink is a person who has not only harnessed what he learned in his life but has applied it for all of our benefits. His latest London Real interview, “Lessons from War,” is packed with insights we can all use in our lives and careers.

Who is Jocko Willink?

John Willink, better known as Jocko, is someone many consider to be an American hero. As an officer in the US Navy, he was instrumental in the war in Iraq. Most notably, he commanded the Navy’s SEAL Team 3 in a critical battle against ISIS in Ramadi.

Jocko retired in 2010 after 20 years in the Navy, but he didn’t retire the powerful life lessons he learned throughout his journey. He translated those lessons into principles for leadership and life management that anyone can use. Since then, he has spread his knowledge through the books he’s authored and through his management training firm.

What is Extreme Ownership?

Extreme ownership is a core principle in Jocko Willink’s leadership philosophy. The concept applies to both the way we approach daily life and the way we handle leadership.

Personal Responsibility

The idea of extreme ownership in your life is to take responsibility for all your circumstances and everything that happens to you. It’s the concept of recognizing your ability to influence your surroundings and make changes for the better.

Another way to look at this is as a “no excuses” philosophy. It’s a concept the military infuses into soldiers’ everyday lives, and it can help civilians push toward success as well.

Leading with Accountability

Extreme ownership applies to leadership in a similar way to life management. As a leader, someone with extreme ownership holds themself accountable for their team’s performance in every way.

This concept is a large part of the reason Navy SEAL teams and other teams in the military succeed. Every person takes personal responsibility for the team as a whole, so they all collaborate to make the team as strong as it can be.

How Can Jocko Willink’s Lessons from War Apply to Daily Life?

In Jocko Willink’s new interview of London Real, he expands beyond extreme ownership to the other lessons he learned in the military too. The cornerstone of this is discipline.

Jocko focuses on the idea of simplifying your success. He takes a common-sense approach of making a to-do list for your life and taking those steps. By exhibiting power over your actions and doing what you know you need to do, you can draw closer to your goals each day.

Learning from Jocko Willink and His Lessons from War

For countless people around the world, spending time in the military is a life-changing experience full of valuable lessons. Fortunately for all of us, Jocko Willink is giving us the benefit of the lessons he picked up in his 20 years of service. Check out his interview for more insights into his knowledge and how it can enhance your life.

Be sure to also check out Jocko Willink’s “Extreme Ownership” interview as well as our other episodes on London Real.