Commitments Scare People. And This is a Commitment.

Summary

Podcast Summary: Jocko Podcast – "Commitments Scare People. And This is a Commitment."

Episode Information:

• Title: Commitments Scare People. And This is a Commitment.
• Host: Jocko Willink, Retired Navy SEAL
• Guest: Echo Charles, Director at Echo Charles
• Release Date: December 31, 2024
• Description: Retired Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink and Director, Echo Charles discuss discipline and leadership in business, war, relationships, and everyday life.

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Introduction to Commitment (00:00 - 01:47)

Jocko Willink opens the episode by delving into the concept of commitment, highlighting its intimidating nature. He reflects on his youthful ambition to join the Navy SEALs, emphasizing the gravity and fear associated with making significant life commitments.

• Notable Quote:
  "Commitments scare people. They make people scared. But this is a commitment that's going to make you better."
  [00:00]

Key Points:

• Commitment is inherently daunting due to its long-term implications.
• Joining the Navy SEALs required a six-year commitment, representing a third of his life at age 18.
• High attrition rates in challenging endeavors underline the seriousness of true commitment.

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Fear of Commitment in Various Aspects of Life (01:47 - 03:05)

Jocko and Echo Charles discuss how commitment fears manifest in different life areas, such as marriage and personal challenges like the "Death Reset."

• Notable Quote:
  "People back away from the whole thing, leave people at the altar... because there's a commitment there and people are scared of commitment."
  [01:50]

Key Points:

• Significant life events (e.g., marriage) often evoke anxiety due to their binding nature.
• Even short-term commitments, like a 30-day challenge, can intimidate individuals.
• The presence of fear can act as a deterrent, preventing people from making half-hearted commitments.

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Avoiding Excuses and Embracing Full Commitment (03:05 - 04:45)

The conversation shifts to the importance of eliminating excuses to ensure full commitment to one's goals, particularly in fitness and personal development.

• Notable Quote:
  "You either show up or don't show up."
  [03:06]

Key Points:

• Minimizing excuses is crucial for maintaining integrity in commitments.
• "Maybe" and "I might" weaken the resolve to fully engage in planned activities.
• Practical steps to reinforce commitment include removing distractions (e.g., junk food) and setting up environments conducive to success (e.g., having an alarm clock).

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Innovative Workout Approaches: No Sweat Workout (04:45 - 06:37)

Jocko introduces the concept of the "No Sweat Workout" (NSW), a novel approach to integrating physical activity seamlessly into one's daily routine without the need for extensive workout sessions.

• Notable Quote:
  "If you can do some work and not break into a sweat because you got a meeting or you got a... you didn't even break a sweat. You got working."
  [05:06]

Key Points:

• NSW focuses on short bursts of activity that can be performed without significant interruptions to daily tasks.
• Examples include performing thrusters or other exercises during breaks, ensuring consistent movement without the need for prolonged workout sessions.
• This method caters to individuals with busy schedules, allowing them to incorporate fitness effortlessly.

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Integrating Daily Physical Activity and Thought (06:37 - 09:26)

The discussion emphasizes the necessity of incorporating both physical and mental activities into daily routines to foster overall well-being and productivity.

• Notable Quote:
  "The reason you let your body slip is because you stop thinking about it as much... the thought element has gone a little bit."
  [09:03]

Key Points:

• Modern lifestyles, especially sedentary office jobs, reduce natural physical activity.
• Tracking daily steps and setting movement goals can counteract the negative effects of inactivity.
• Mental exercises, such as "squeezing your brain," are essential for creativity and problem-solving, akin to physical workouts for the body.

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Introducing the Def Reset App (09:26 - 09:52)

Jocko unveils the "Def Reset" app, a comprehensive tool designed to facilitate commitment through structured tasks that address both physical and mental disciplines.

• Notable Quote:
  "Everyone knows with 100 certainty that this will make you better in every aspect of your life."
  [09:26]

Key Points:

• The app offers free guided workouts, leadership lessons, nutrition guidance, and task-based challenges.
• Users are encouraged to engage in daily disciplines such as hydration, clean eating, reading, and physical exercises like burpees.
• The platform fosters a community of individuals committed to self-improvement, with incentives like a $10,000 home gym giveaway to encourage participation.

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Final Call to Action: Embrace Commitment (09:52 - End)

In his concluding remarks, Jocko passionately urges listeners to overcome their fear of commitment and embrace the structured path provided by the Def Reset program.

• Notable Quote:
  "The price is discipline and the price is commitment. So let's take control and let's commit for 2025."
  [09:52]

Key Points:

• True freedom requires dedication, discipline, and unwavering commitment.
• By committing to the Def Reset program, individuals can transform every facet of their lives.
• The journey towards self-improvement is accessible and supported through the free resources offered by the app.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Jocko Willink effectively dismantles the fear surrounding commitments by illustrating their transformative power through personal anecdotes and practical strategies. Partnering with Echo Charles, they offer actionable insights into integrating commitment into various life aspects, from fitness to mental discipline. The introduction of the Def Reset app serves as a tangible tool for listeners to embark on their self-improvement journey, reinforcing the message that embracing commitment leads to unparalleled personal growth and freedom.

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Resources Mentioned:

• Def Reset App: defreset.com
• Free Workouts by Jason Khalipa at Train Hard
• Leadership Lessons from Echelon Front
• Nutrition Guidance from Ashley at Jocko Fuel

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Join the Movement: Commit to your better self in 2025. Overcome the fear of commitment, embrace discipline, and transform your life with the Def Reset program. Visit defreset.com to get started today—it's free!

Transcript

[A]

Deaf reset 2025. This is a commitment. So a commitment. Commitments scare people. They make people scared. But this is a commitment that's going to make you better. Now, I was thinking about the commitments I've made in my life. One of them, when I was pretty young, I wanted to join the Navy. I wanted to be a seal. And you go and talk. I went and talked to the recruiter and you get presented, okay, here's what it's going to take. You want to be a seal? Cool. Yeah, no problem. And the recruiter, of course, they're saying, oh, you're going to make a great seal. They have no idea. They don't think you're going to make it. But they're not going to say that, hey, you're going to make a great seal. Here's all it's going to take. Sign this piece of paper. Six year commitment of your life. Six year commitment. By the way, I'm 18, so this is a third of my life. Six years is a long time when you're 18, by the way. 80% attrition rate, by the way. People get injured and don't make it. Or you go to war, you get wounded, you get killed, you're going on deployments, you don't have any idea what's going to happen. But I knew that that's what I had to do to get where I wanted to be. I had to make that commitment. Now what's nice is when you're in the military and you sign that line, guess what? You raise your hand, you make the commitment. You literally swear an oath. That is a commitment. So it can be nerve wracking when people get asked to make a commitment. There are a lot of things like this, right? Where look. You ever known someone's getting married?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

You ever seen someone get nervous about it?

[B]

Yes, I have.

[A]

Yeah. So that happens. Why? Because it's a huge commitment. Some people back away from the whole thing, leave people at the altar, hey, I'm out. Yeah, this just wasn't going to happen, so. That's because there's a commitment there and people are scared of commitment. Even with something like the death reset, which is a commitment for the month of January, it's a commitment. And sometimes people get scared of that. Even a 30 day commitment. Look, not a six year commitment like joining the Navy, not a lifetime commitment like getting married, but a 30 day commitment. People are scared of that. I'm kind of glad that they're a little bit scared of it because if they were just throwing the commitment out there and not being worried about breaking the commitment. And they don't care about it. It doesn't really matter. But people also put little qualifiers in there around trying to get better. Like maybe I'll go to the gym tomorrow. You know what I'm saying? Maybe. That maybe can be pretty big. Or I might go to Jiu Jitsu in the morning. Have you ever had someone say that to you? Yeah, sure, I might be there, bro. Tell me you might be somewhere. You either show up or don't show up.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Hey, look, if you got a flight that you're landing it 9:30 in the morning and open mat is at 11 and any delay is going to cause you to get jammed up and you say, hey, look, I got a flight, I might make it. Okay, I'll give you an exception. But if you're just going home on a Friday and I'm asking you, are you going to open mat on Saturday? And you say, I might be there, I got a problem with you.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

I'll try to make that practice. What is this? Right, so people build in these little excuses, and with the death reset, we don't want to let that happen. This is something that's going to improve every aspect of your life. It's going to make you stronger, it's going to make you healthier, it's going to make you smarter, it's going to make you better. It's going to make you better. But in order to get there, you have to commit to it. You have to sign the line, you have to tell your friends, hey, don't bring freaking Doritos to my house because I'm not eating them. You have to get the app, download the app, get it, put it on the front page of your phone. You got to get rid of the junk food in your house. Do that tonight, by the way. Get rid of it. Hey, it's kind of a waste of money. Shut up. Get it out of there. If you don't have an alarm clock, get one. Get one now. You got 14 alarm clocks on your phone, by the way. Yeah, but get a. Get a manual one. You know, I'm saying. Yeah, I'm gonna get up. When this thing goes off, I'm gonna get up, get a set of dumbbells. I told you I got those 25 pound dumbbells.

[B]

You did the right thing.

[A]

Just in my. They're just in my office. Yep, bro, I can just knock out some curls, some tricep extensions.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Some thrusters.

[B]

Yeah, I'm.

[A]

I got a whole new Thing I'm contemplating, I haven't fully designed it yet, but NSW no sweat workout.

[B]

No sweat, no sweat workout.

[A]

Which is seems very contrary because, you know, I sweat quite a bit. And there's also a thing from Colonel David Hack Worth, don't try and find the sweatless solution. But let me tell you something, the no sweat, the NSW no sweat workout. What does that mean? Well, let's face it, if you can do some work and not break into a sweat because you got a meeting or you got a. You won't have time to take a shower, any of that. So you're going to do 15 thrusters, just boom. And then you're going to wait half an hour, you're going to do another zoom call. You do 20 thrusters, you didn't even break a sweat. You got working. You'll feel those now throughout the day. You did a hundred. Yeah, think about that. Yeah, that's the way I had somebody ask me on Twitter, you know, wouldn't it be better if people were just like out swinging an ax or plowing the field or digging trenches? Wouldn't that be better than working out? Yes, it would be. I would love to do that. Most people would love to be doing that. But you don't get to do that. You got to sit around. You got to sit in an office. Hey, if you're out working construction, you need to do less lifting than someone that's working in an office. For sure. Because you're, if you're, you work at a moving company. When you're working at a moving company. Tell me about it. As far as. Did you, did you de escalate some of your workouts because you were tired?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, a little bit. But also. Yeah, it, it does take the place of working us physical activity. Yes. Face it. And that's really what a workout is. It's like a manufactured physical activity.

[A]

Have you ever done the things where you count your steps?

[B]

Yeah, I do that now.

[A]

Oh, you do that now. So that's a real thing, right?

[B]

Yep.

[A]

Well, people used to just walk around all day, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Now they don't do that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Now they take an elevator. Just the elevator. Because think if you didn't take the elevator and you had to go up eight stories to go to your job, and you walk down eight stories to go to lunch, you walk back up. After lunch, you walk back down. It's just all day you're doing eight stories. That's a lot of little lunges.

[B]

Yeah, fully. And the, the counting steps thing is exactly what you're saying where now our life, if you think of like a normal life. I don't mean I'm in a real generic way. You're kind of made to be doing stuff. Not crazy stuff necessarily. Not necessarily, but just doing stuff might.

[A]

Have that capacity every once in a while. Yeah, yeah.

[B]

And really when you formulate like a full protocol, it's going to have kind of everything. But the really, the baseline is going to be like, like this kind of stuff. How many steps are you taking? You know, it's like even like, you know, you talk to a lot of experts. And again, this is general, really general. Because with every workout there's like a goal that people have and everyone's goal is different. Right. So I know that, but it's like what, what are you doing? Just daily. What's your daily activity?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it's like steps. Yeah. Usually a normal person be walking around, working, doing stuff, going here, going there, going up the stairs, coming back down, like just kind of sort of all day. But nowadays, you know, especially, you know, you sit in an office job, work at home. Right. You're not going nowhere. You're taking 10 steps and that's kind of it, you know, and, and it creates this like really unhealthy scenario, you know. So. Yeah, if you can replicate that, essentially. Yeah, I get it. Manufacture it. That's what lifting weights is. It's manufacturing like doing like strenuous. So. So yeah, and it, it helps a lot.

[A]

I'm going to be doing in the app, like challenges, basically. Not challenges, but tasks.

[B]

Yeah, right.

[A]

Tasks like, hey, do this right now, do this within the next hour. And it most of those. My plan is going to do no sweat workouts. Right. Where you're not going to break a sweat, but you're going to get a little something something. Right. Some of them I'm thinking is even, you know, like stretching.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So these are the kind of things we're trying to get movement into our lives and get thought into our lives. Some of those tasks can be thought experiments or relationship building maneuvers. Right. All kinds of good stuff.

[B]

Bruh. That's like, I mean to say that's deeper than you probably know. Maybe, maybe not. But to put to reintroduce thought like into your. Because really that's really what it is. The reason you let your body slip because freaking you stop thinking about it as much or the reason like the relationship is you stop being conscious of certain parts of that relationship, like the thought, the element of thought has gone a little bit.

[A]

So yes, and it is also very important to remember. So I had this concept of squeezing your brain. You heard me talk about that, right? So you got to squeeze your brain sometimes. You got to squeeze your brain because if you, if you don't squeeze your brain, nothing's going to come out of it. You got to sometimes sit down and think about something. I did this the other day. I was working on a story. Well, I had a story like, like the most. The most like the seed of a story, nothing else. And I had it for a few months and I went, I. So on the day after Thanksgiving, what's everyone doing on the day after Thanksgiving? Look, we lifted, we rolled all good, we're happy. But we also, there's no calls, there's no clients. So I didn't have work. So guess what? I did squeeze the brain. Took that little seed of a story, turned it into a whole. A whole story, right? And then a couple days later presented it. And then, funny, the guys I presented to like, when did you do this? And I said, thanksgiving after or day after Thanksgiving afternoon? And they're like, you did all this then? I'm like, yeah. Because I sat down for the first time in six months and had the opportunity to think, to force myself to think. So we're gonna do some of that too. In deaf reset, there's little ideas, there's little seeds that you have. You gotta water those things, you gotta plow the field, you gotta give them nutrients. So you're going to have to think during deaf reset. Get a notebook for that. Get a notebook so you can write down your daily tasks. Get a notebook so you can write down your schedule, so you can put put aside some time to think about the things you're supposed to be thinking about. Not just about the thoughts that get put into your head, but the thoughts you create. So get that. Get a pull up R, by the way, if you can get one thing, get a pull up bar. And by the way, a pull up Bar is $12 at Home Depot because all it is is a freaking piece of pipe, an inch and a half or a 2 inch piece of pipe and some, some string, some 550 cord hanging up on the beams in your garage, hanging up between two trees in your yard, hanging up on the fence post that's a little bit tall. There's a hanging up in the parking garage, in the condo that you, the apartment that you live at. You can find a little place to mount a pull up bar and you can get every workout that you need and you're Going to do all these things. But all these things, you're going to commit to doing them. You're going to commit to the daily disciplines, waking up early. Commit to getting after it in the morning. Commit to it. Commit to it. I know you're scared of it. Commit to it. I was scared 18 years old, signing a piece of paper for six years of my freaking life. Let's go. Let's go. Commit to it. Commit to prioritize and execute. Commit to hydration, commit to clean fuel. Commit to no sugar coated lies. Commit to the reading and writing back to the book and commit to remembering. And also commit to a hundred burpees or ten minutes worth of burpees. That's what we're doing. And here's the thing. Everyone, everyone, everyone knows with 100 certainty, 100 certainty that this will make you better in every aspect of your life. Every aspect of your life. But it takes discipline, it takes will, and it takes commitment. Everyone is scared of commitment. Overcome that fear. Put the stake in the ground. Join me and the rest of these troopers on the path. That's what we're doing. So go to the deafreset.com this is free. This is free. This is, this is free. This is just. Freedom is what it is. Free guided workouts from Jason Khalipa at Train Hard. Free leadership lessons from Echelon Front. Free nutrition guidance from Ashley at Jocko Fuel. The app is free. The tracker's free. By the way, you can win a $10,000 freaking home gym which will change your whole life. Yes, that's free. It's all free. In fact, it's not. It's not just free, but it will give you more freedom than you ever thought possible. I guess there is a price. The price is discipline and the price is commitment. So let's take control and let's commit for 2025thedefreset.com. We'll see you there.