Jocko Podcast 377: Don't Do Dumb SH**T. 

I've never met Jocko before but apparently he knows what happens to me when i drink. He's right again. 100% 15 days sober now. This is gonna be a battle.

I didn’t know it was dumb before I did it😅

I'm 76yrs old. Former military, Viet Nam Vet, ex hard core biker and all around BTDT. In experience and opinion, alcohol has ruined so many lives, families, marriages and careers that it staggers my mind it's still legal. I quit in 1981 and changed my life. Your opinion may vary.

I drank through high school, all through college. After graduating at age 22 to age 30, I hit the gym every single day, for years and years. In high-school and college I could recover from the hangovers and still lift weights the following day. After college graduation those recoveries became harsher and harsher, until at age 30....i quit drinking alcohol totally, and never looked back. I'm 50 now and am so grateful that I had the foresight to remove that poison from my life, before the long term health issues that alcohol brings with it, had a chance to negatively affect me. Alcohol is by far the most destructive drug mankind has ever known.

Headin to PT. Marine Corps DEP. 4:30 right now. Go get some!

Best thing I have ever done was quite drinking! My wife has never seen me have a drink. I told her if she ever sees me drink, run!! Great advice!

Knowing that I have an addictive personality is what kept me from ever trying heroin and meth. Was not a humble brag for me, it was a fact that kept me away from many bad situations.

The grocery shopping on an empty stomach segment was freaking hilarious, particularly when Echocharles made the comment as soon as you eat something you question why did I buy all this crap and if Jocko simply drank a Molk he would have been good to go for a sensible grocery run as we've all been there. Never thought a podcast would be one of only a few things in life that make me smile. Jocko and Echocharles provide the perfect balance of wisdom and entertaining humor.

Before I finished my 6 years in the military, I just decided to essentially stop drinking. Now, I may have 6 beers in the course of a year. I’m not sure why, but I just didn’t feel like doing it anymore. I feel very lucky that that I could do that. I know many can’t.

its 3:33am the universe is sending me sign to tell me to dont do dumb shit -(like mindlessly scrolling at 3am..) lol 😆🤣👍

Jocko is speaking the truth. I'm 53 and loved a drink, I was good at it and a happy drunk. I dont regret my party years, but now it isn't fun any more. I haven't had a drink for 5 years now, I'm eating clean and working out. I feel great. However I'm going back to the UK( my home) in a month and I'm dreading it, some of my friends are alcoholics now, or drug users. Some aren't here anymore, and the ones who are, are sick and depressed. I don't want to get sucked back into that life, just to be 'One of the lads' . There comes a point when it stops being fun and becomes something you cant live without.

It's called "spirits" for a reason.

I literally fucked up last night. I'm on probation and I can't drink beer. I decided to drink some beer last night and drive to go TRY to meet some girls. And got pulled over and my car impounded and sat in jail and spent all my money to bail out .I'm dead in the game Jocko. Or at least beat up

Jocko NEVER let's echo finish a story 😅

Every time I went against my Gut Instinct ....it turned out to be Dumb S***

After basic... I had the mentality of, "I'm now government property and I will do what is needed", combined with a 'work hard, play hard' attitude. Drinking was a major part of it to the point, when I got to my tech school, I got an Arty 15 before graduating. That set the precedence for the rest of my time in service. I was overlooked for every recognition of my performance, regardless if I graduated phase two of my training as an honor student. Even after receiving numerous letters of recognition during my service. The result was every medal I was nominated for, the Arty 15 kept those from happening... all because I did some dumb shit.

I find a lot of times my greatest enemy can be myself

Resisting peer pressure is also a great way to find out who your real friends are and who has your back. Your friends will give you some good natured ribbing, but will ultimately knock it off and respect your decision. Your "friends" who really don't have your back will actually get upset when you don't do what they want or give in to the pressure. Observe and remove those people from your life.

This has been a public service message, don't drink and live life.😂

Just plain truth. You are so ground floor real and speak my military language. Your experiences elevate you in the minds of military vets because we all joined to be you but very few reached your accomplishments. What makes your insight impactful to me is you have compassion but demand personal responsibility. Your advice is there and your encouragement but clearly your message is own your shit. Hard truth but I can receive it as you put it. Thanks man.

Quit Drinking and Start Thinking...

Telling it straight to our face as the mentor we’ve never had. Pure gold🙏🏼

Done lots of dumb shit in hindsight. Dodged a lot of bullets but caught a few too..............lessons learned.

I’m coming up on 4 years of sobriety. I did a lot of dumb sh*t along the way. My first 12 step meeting was when I was 17 years old after rehab. I continued to eventually Drink my way out of the Marine Corps unfortunately. I’ll tell you what I’ve learned as it pertains to your podcast and the principles you promote. Aa gave me a chance to not die. It gave me a chance to play the game again. The principles I’ve decided to use to outline of how I live,found primarily in extreme ownership, teach me how to win. Sobriety is life or death. It’s no joke. It’s a million good decisions destroyed by one bad one. It’s a constant battle and the enemy, my disease, is off in the corner doing push-ups waiting for me to slip. Then it will take everything in my life away first, isolate me and kill me slow. It’s for keeps. Every single day. Let’s say sobriety is the UFC. Aa was like taekwondo. I’m for sure as shit not getting into that cage with just that. The principles you teach are the rest of the martial arts I need to compete in that arena and not die. I can’t begin to tell you what has happened in my life since trying to take my life 7 years ago while drinking. I am forever in your debt for giving me an outline that keeps me alive. I live an amazing life today and I grind every single to stay in the fight. Thank you. Thank you for continuing to give me a place to listen and to hear what I need to to stay alive. Mr Charles…thank you. Thank you for giving me an example of how to handle it last year when I tore my bicep. You gentlemen have no idea how important what you’re doing is. Sincerely Thank you

Same thing I used to say to people I trained . "Don't be shit, if you find yourself in a shit situation take a step back, have a juice box and make less shitty decisions"

As one of my higher ups told me once: "One 'oh shit' will take away a thousand 'atta-boys." True, to some extent, but not so much when speaking spirituality: doing the right thing is mighty powerful despite "the financial path" ~ fact

This was me 100% I'd get pissed drunk every weekend and fight everything that moved. I thought maybe it was just a proponent of just being in the military but it happened even after getting out. Been sober for 3 years now after having this realization that I cannot consume in moderation.

young folks should be shown these podcast

Echo, I agree with your smoking example, too! Smoking a cigarette is the worst thing I've ever done, and I've done a lotta dumb shit!

I quit drinking about 2 and some change years ago and it's been the best thing that's ever happened to me. It cost me an engagement to someone who loved me and gave me everything. She did everything I wanted and I loved her back. Alcohol made me someone I'm not. Losing her is what I think about every time I think about drinking and it makes me not want to that much more. I try to tell people about how much my life improved when I stopped drinking. If you have to drink, don't drink alot. It changes you. Thank you for the podcast yall.

@jocko, This LITERALLY my platoon motto when I went to Iraq on my last tour in ‘08-09. These wise words were the last ones spoken at EVERY leaders meeting with SFC Richard Moore. And guess what happened, it became such a mantra engrained across the platoon that we as a whole would make smarter decisions both on the battlefield and back on the FOB.

Just imagine how many wars wouldn't have been started if the leaders responsible for it would have followed the advice in this video.

Jocko I needed to hear this piece of advice 35 years ago... before I got married. That was the absolute worst mistake I ever made.

As a Southerner, all the west coast lingo is hilarious. Echo - "....yeah, but is that your jammy -jam?" In reference to Jockos love for a cool Kit Jat was pretty funny.

*Jocko Willink is the Reluctant Leader we need.* .....We know you've done enough, but your Nation needs you. 🇺🇸 *2024* 🦅

"hey man, if you don't leave, I'm gonna let him go" 😂😂

I'm surprised he didn't mention love. Love will make people do the dumbest sh*t.

As an unemployed 21 year old, a 40,000$ impulse buy seems absolutely completely fucking insane.

Jocko, Echo, thank you. Specifically for this video.

"If there was no such thing as alcohol, alcoholics would rule the world"

I used to do bad shit cus I literally wanted to be bad, wanted to do "fun" drugs, I was so stupid I WANTED to go to jail when I was young, wanted a life of crime, well I got my wish, 20 years ruined, took 20 years to recover, 40 and figuring out life now like Im starting from scratch...

I really needed to hear this

I was on drugs for 10 years got on a treatment program for 3 years so far and I've became addicted to fitness just like you mentioned. I definitely have an addictive personality I would say

Yes I listened to this on the way to Idaho for camping. Don’t do dumb shit!!

This is exactly the topic I needed to guide my in my current life scenario. Thank you for the podcast

If your gonna be stupid , be smart about it.

Damn Jocko, why weren't you around when I was in my early twenties!

I think in regards to smoking or doing "negative" things in general, people tend to take things to excess. When others are in the moment, they don't always have the best judgment. In some regards to the use of things such as cigarettes, I think some people use it as a means of escape for a short amount of time to be able to deal with life in general. I think if there were more honest conversations on what brings others to choose various methods of "escape", we might have a better indicator of how to better prevent people from doing "dumb things"

I like when they talk like each other every once in a while. Or when a guests words are borrowed. Eg. “Get that hitter.” This team is one of the podcast GOATs fo sho…. ~Jocko 3 stripe white

Control that ego lads. Well done jocko and echo on the podcast. Keep um coming.

Impulsive can be strategic. My grandfather got up one day to get a box of doughnuts and a part from Lowes. He came back and my grandmother asked him for the receipt so she could deduct it from the checkbook. He put the receipt and the change he had in his pocket on the kitchen table. He left went to all his banks took everyone's names off HIS accounts, closed them, cancelled the credit cards and came back with a New Lincoln Town Car. Soonly after that his son in law and daughter tried to commit him to the Park unit. That was the first time they tried to overthrow the King. STILL the BEST WARNING isn't in acts, it's in Proof. Man I would have loved to been there that day and see the look on people's face when he came up the driveway 😅 but I was enjoying the sand and the sun out West.

Kingpin-“how’s life? Taking forever!”

41:00 Respond to your emotions. Do not react to them! I have to tell myself this all the time! Thank you both so much for all that you do.

I started reading your book Jocko. It's so direct! Just like what you say today. It's good advice.

Rolf dobelli's "The art of thinking clearly" does a great job at explaining the various biases.

As a prior heroin addict (a decade) and now clean (half a decade) I think Jocko is wrong here but not in the way he’d think I’m saying he is wrong. You do have an addictive personality. A rich life full of healthy addictions. And they DO run your life..The trajectory? Upwards, toward success. You’ve mastered your “addictions” and focused the knife in the right direction, to the point you don’t even realize that’s what it is. Which, if you think about it, is a beautiful thing. Doesn’t mean you sacrifice other areas of life (because the addictions are healthy!)

Most relatable episode ever. I needed to hear this.

This made my day...thank you both for your work!

I smoke cigarettes. I've cut back alot. But that doesn't really matter. Quitting does

Maximum respect! 🫡

There's nothing worse than being the only sober, non-drinking guy in a bar or when you're younger, the club....

Echo chareles and jocko willink you guys are so great 💪 👏 you have helped me so #great men

I am guilty of all this. Alcohol definitely was a main factor in a lot of dumb decisions I made when I was younger alcohol and ego etc. etc.

So crazy that when I was in the Marine Corps, the structured life (and death runs each morning) made me have zero craving for drugs or alcohol, then when I was on my own able to do what I wanted, I lost my way. I’m a lover not a fighter when I drink, but that too is an issue when you’re in a relationship! Especially when it ends it then you have no reason not to then you Tru other shit and just feel there’s no reason to stop or care a d ne t thing you know you’ve lost everything you gave it all to earn and still don’t care and THEN your life is 2/3 gone! So fucked. It’s having goals and a structure and others ti compete against do I can pound my chest bragging.. humans, me specifically, are crazy beings.

Uncle sink is the beer drinker. He cracks me up too

If you have an addictive personality, you know it… And trust me, there are many people who truly do. When you get hooked on every little thing that you like, even a LITTLE BIT, you have a problem. That is an addictive personality - A person who does everything to excess.

Awesome as always, deeply appreciated. Would love to see you guys bring on Brian Alsruhe - I believe his incredibly difficult life journey, counter-terrorist background, his "suffer beatifully" mentality and also, training intensity mindset would go along beatifully with the nature of this podcast.

100% agree, nobody should start smoking cigarettes! Of all the dumb shit I've ever done, that's probably the worst one

Recently quit a 5 year addiction to cigarettes. Pretty damn hard but possible. It all started with peer pressure into doing dumb shit. Thanks Jocko and Echo. Love you guys

thanks Jocko

Yes sir... I turn to alcohol, and now an alcoholic... Had to go to rehab to sort out that shit....... And it maid me loos everything... Like everything... On the spot sir

Echo still trips me out. He has a 13 year old voice in a bjj heavyweights black belt body.

Jocko ‘24 💪🏼🇺🇸

Never been good a riding waves. So I built myself a boat.

Like the Bible says” you can’t smack the stupidity out of the stupid “

I'm 18 so young as hell but I've had some experience. When I was 11 ish I started smoking weed. And I took Adderall. After a couple years when I turned 14 my friend steered me out of the hole I was in. The funny thing though was what he did to get me out of the cycle he just said like hey you know how bad that junk is for your brain. I mean he was a terrible ocd and a pessimistic guy at time but I'll tell you it was what I needed. Unfortunately he himself as a friend i looked up to decided hed finish where i left off smoking nic and drinking. 4 years later I'm doing great less problems less anger issues the whole thing. But man you just gotta start somewhere. For me though it was just the cold truth... anyways yall can get over it!

You should give a questionnaire so I can have a better perspective on who I am and what tendencies I learn towards

Been outta the army for 7 months now hell you gave me the balls to finally join on got off the path hardcore while in this my first full listen to a pod for like 2 years safe to say back to the path I go mf get some y'all forreal

Sometimes Stupid is just calling my name

Hate to say my fav episodes are just Jocko and Echo, no guests

Thank you for your service and i love your work

Some of the greatest turning points in my life was when I DIDN'T do something.

Excellent Sir 👏👏👏Ove done all that crazy shit “a few times “ 👏👏👏👏😂

Yep alcohol destroyed my life. I finally stopped but so much damage is done.

The "addictive personality" thing is a cope for people too weak to control themselves... coming from a former drug addict who comes from a family of drug addicts and alcoholics

Great show.

This is one of those videos you watch and can't help but shake your head in agreement. Yep, I know I shouldn't do x, y and z. I'm going to fix that now. 👍

We need a non probiotic non enzyme version of Molk. I suffer in battle against an autoimmune disease that causes chronic infections from bacteria that are part of the digestive system. When I take probiotics it worsen symptoms and causes inflammation and makes me feel completely sick. MOLk is the absolute best whey protein powder I've ever had it is so tasty and effective but I wish it didn't have the probiotics and the extra stuff it does not need. Thank guys you have taught me so much and I'm a better person because of you.

Jocko, I would like to suggest a subject that might be a good follow up. Please do some research on Alexithymia. The decisions some people are not always clear to them why they made that decision.

I'm trying to peer pressure my girlfriend into quit drinking. 🙏

Impulse buying things online when I'm drunk. I have had things just show up weeks later. I had to make a decision to just not go on gunbroker when I'm out, uninstalled the amazon app, and working to just not drink. I type this as I placed a bid on an auction item completely sober (I already have 2 similar models of this item)

"What did he do!?" lol.

Great episode. I used to think I had an addictive personality. Now I know I have one. Before the gyms closed down I was lifting 6 days a week. Thought I’d go crazy if I couldn’t workout, seemed impossible. Well, I stopped lifting and started drinking more than I ever had. I quit now and I’m back lifting nearly every day. Working on quitting kratom now. People say it’s a miracle leaf, but be careful. It’s definitely addictive.

Alcohol and cigarettes are your enemy.

So true and that was helpful

Bros, this may be one of my favorite podcast from you guys. It's a simple but sometimes not easy task and this message is on point. The air of this podcast has a sense of accountability for the listeners, which I think is important. There hasn't been a lot of conversation on the pod with regards to alcohol. I am a 50 year old dude and quit drinking alcohol almost 4 years ago and now I love not drinking. It also came by accident and my story is a little long but essentially, I pro and con'd it out and I found only two pros of drinking... It tastes good and it can be pretty fun. Then, laundry list of cons was like 20+ deep. And believe me, I loved drinking. When you are pragmatic about it, the decision is clear. Drinking is dumb because noy only does it make us do dumb shit, but it doesn't improve anything in your life. Being is a sober dude has helped me in so many facets in life, and my bros that care about me, understand and support me. Understand that is just my story and no lost love for anyone who drinks, it's just not my jam. For me, it's simply not worth it. Aside from the effect of drinking, thank you for the other reasons that we do dumb shit. Thank you for hitting this straight on. I have the opinion that if you are in any position of leadership, and we all are, we need someone in our back pocket to call us out that we are doing dumb shit. Thank you for helping us to be aware of when the forces that are against us, are on the attack. The attack of us wanting to the core, to be awesome and do mostly good shit.

I 100% Agree!!!

Every man in this country should be super aggressive right now over all this BS going on, but where is it? Would anyone consider that "doing dumb stuff"?

Hey guys don’t fuck up and stay focused

"Don't do dumb shit" This needs to go on a t shirt or hoodie. Everyone knows it but we all do it so it needs to be on a hoodie & in our face