JP Dinnell Podcast 114: What Makes Leaders Great | The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday

Hosts: JP Dinnell & Lucas Pinckard
Date: November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, JP Dinnell—former U.S. Navy SEAL, leadership instructor, and Director at Echelon Front—and co-host Lucas Pinckard explore the qualities that make leaders truly great. Drawing from military experience and insights from Admiral William McRaven’s book The Wisdom of the Bullfrog, the conversation unpacks the realities of leadership: why “the only easy day was yesterday,” how discipline and trust build high-performing teams, and why owning mistakes and continuously striving for improvement are integral. JP also shares lessons from the SEAL Teams and reflects personally on family, legacy, and the daily grind of leadership.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kicking Off with Admiral McRaven’s Leadership Lessons

[00:28–12:00]

• JP introduces The Wisdom of the Bullfrog, highlighting Admiral McRaven’s long SEAL career as context for authentic leadership wisdom.
• JP reads selected excerpts, drawing parallels between McRaven’s points and biblical principles, especially the Book of James.

Notable Quotes:

• “Some lessons came easy, others brought great pain, but all lessons were of value.” — McRaven (read by JP, [04:16])
• “Everything in leadership is simple. It’s just that the simplest things are difficult.” — JP, referencing both Clausewitz and McRaven ([04:40])

Insights:

• Leadership is about consistency in doing the difficult, simple things—with integrity at every level.
• The “long green table” represents accountability: leaders must be able to justify decisions to senior peers and themselves.

2. What Makes Leadership Hard but Not Complicated

[06:25–12:00]

• Leadership is about accomplishing objectives without sacrificing personal or institutional integrity.
• The episode echoes the book’s point that there are “no bad teams, only bad leaders”—a theme from Extreme Ownership.
• “To do it right doesn't require a sophisticated chart...but it does require some guidance.” — McRaven via JP ([07:20])

Memorable Moment:

• JP and Lucas connect military mottos—Rangers’ “Sua Sponte,” SAS’s “Who Dares Wins,” SEALs’ “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday”—to universal qualities of effective leadership.

3. The Power of Discipline and Doing the Little Things Well

[12:00–16:40]

• Lucas: Discipline is “easy to do but also easy not to do.”
• Showing up, even when you don’t feel like it (in the gym, on the mat, to family events), is critical.
• JP shares about supporting his kids at jiu jitsu as “remaining in the fight”—even when unable to train himself.

Notable Quote:

• “It is the little things that make the difference, because it is easy to say, 'be a person of integrity,' and the other thing he said that was easy was leading from the front.” — Lucas ([14:20])

4. Leading from the Front—But Also from Everywhere

[16:40–21:34]

• JP debunks the myth that leaders always belong out front. Effective leaders shift positions based on what the team needs.
• Cites personal experience as a point man: “My job as point man was my role and responsibility, but the OIC should not be up front.” ([16:58])
• Leadership is about observing friction points, gathering information, and providing solutions throughout a team.

Notable Moment:

• Reference to General Patton knowing what’s happening “two levels down,” and Jocko’s leadership floating between front and rear.
• JP explains, “You have to be fluid with your leadership… There’s no set calculus for how you lead.” ([17:20])

5. Building Trust Through Blind Trust & Relentless Ownership

[24:53–32:19]

• JP stresses the need for “blind trust,” especially from emerging leaders looking up the chain.
• “If I want my boss to trust me, I’m going to blindly trust my boss. …If he says, ‘run across the street, kick in that door,’ guess what—I’m doing it.” ([26:09])
• This builds leadership capital: “My answer was ‘Roger that’ all the time… Maybe that’s the way I should act.” ([28:36])
• JP also reflects on mistakes, leadership’s grace and forgiveness, and extreme ownership as the means to rebuild trust.

Notable Quotes:

• “I really wanted them to trust me. So guess what—I had to give them trust.” — JP ([25:07])
• “Every time I made a mistake and I got in trouble, that was a withdrawal that I could have used for other good things.” — JP ([29:54])

6. Self-Leadership as the Foundation for Leading Others

[38:36–43:15]

• “If you can’t lead yourself, how are you supposed to lead anybody else?” — JP ([39:20])
• True leadership comes not from titles, but from building real relationships and continuously self-reflecting.
• “Practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes permanent.” — JP ([39:54])
• “Knowledge is not power. The application of knowledge allows us to do powerful things.” — JP ([40:16])

7. The Meaning of “The Only Easy Day Was Yesterday”

[43:15–49:51]

• Lucas asks JP to unpack the meaning and cultural weight of the SEAL motto.
• “Focus on today. The only easy day was yesterday. Meaning—today’s gonna be hard… But keep pushing forward.” — JP ([43:31])
• Adversity forms resilience. JP relates this to training and family life: “Pick the harder round, start from the harder position.” ([46:44])
• Applies the same grit to parenting, marriage, and business: “Marriage is hard… What’s the alternative?” ([48:51])

8. Reflections on Family, Legacy, and Making Time Count

[49:57–56:03]

• Emotional segment as JP describes time spent with his son Hayden, confronting regret about lost time and the importance of intentional presence.
• “Time is fleeting… We can’t waste this time… We’re all leaving a legacy; it just depends what legacy.” — JP ([55:23])

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• “Leadership is accomplishing a task with the people and resources you have while maintaining the integrity of your institution.” — JP, [06:48]; quoting McRaven
• “Leadership doesn’t have a set position… You have to be fluid with your leadership.” — JP, [16:44]
• “If you can’t lead yourself, how are you supposed to lead anybody else?” — JP, [39:20]
• “The only easy day was yesterday. Meaning, guess what? Today’s gonna be hard... But keep pushing forward.” — JP, [43:31]
• “We get stronger with adversity, with and through it.” — JP, [44:35]
• “We’re all leaving a legacy; it just depends what legacy.” — JP, [55:23]

Memorable Moments & Stories

• Leading from the front and the rear: Detailed explanation of how SEAL officers float in the formation to “find points of friction,” not just lead from one spot. ([18:30])
• Blind trust and leadership capital: JP’s story about trusting the chain of command without question, which enabled him to build up the “capital” to later give ideas and recover from mistakes. ([28:36])
• The reality of hard days: JP’s personal mantra during SEAL training runs—“getting bigger, faster, stronger”—which he now adapts in his 40s for continued growth. ([61:47])

Practical Takeaways

• Leadership must be both accountable and fluid; sometimes it requires direct orders, other times collaborative planning.
• Mastering the “little things”—integrity, discipline, trust—builds the foundation for big wins.
• Building trust up and down the chain is as much about giving trust as earning it.
• Self-leadership—routines, discipline, honest reflection—is non-negotiable for effective external leadership.
• Every day is a new challenge; embracing that reality without quitting is what forges greatness—“the only easy day was yesterday.”
• Legacy isn’t just about career accomplishments; it’s the daily, often unseen, decisions and moments invested in others.

Segment Timestamps

| Timestamp | Topic/Highlight | |-------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:28-04:16 | Intro to McRaven and his leadership quotes | | 04:16-06:25 | Lessons of pain and value; simplicity vs. difficulty | | 06:25–12:00 | Integrity, doing the right thing, long green table | | 12:00–16:40 | Discipline, small habits, standing on the mat | | 16:40–21:34 | Leading from everywhere on the team | | 24:53–32:19 | Building trust and leadership capital | | 38:36–43:15 | Self-leadership and practice makes permanent | | 43:15–49:51 | “The only easy day was yesterday” SEAL motto unpacked | | 49:57–56:03 | Family, making time count, reflections on legacy | | 56:03–End | Closing thoughts and actionable encouragement |

Closing Thoughts

JP wraps up by emphasizing that while embracing life’s difficulty may sound daunting, it is the path to personal growth, stronger families, and lasting legacy. By doing the hard small things daily, by showing up with discipline and humility, and by taking extreme ownership of failures and successes alike—the path to great leadership is open to all.

Final JP words:
“I hope this episode has been a reminder to go do the work that’s needed, to put in the effort to build your legacy and to never settle.” ([62:39])

For further connection, practical leadership tools, and support, listeners are encouraged to seek out Echelon Front, the Jesus and Jiu Jitsu community, and additional resources referenced by the hosts throughout the episode.

End of Summary