JP Dinnell Podcast 124: "You Are UNSTOPPABLE"

Guest: US Navy SEAL (Ret.) Ty Smith
Hosts: JP Dinnell, Lucas Pinckard
Release Date: February 6, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, JP Dinnell reconnects with his former SEAL teammate, Ty Smith—a retired Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, leadership consultant, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. The conversation is a deep dive into Ty’s journey from a childhood in East St. Louis through 20 years as a SEAL, his leadership lessons learned in combat and business, and how battlefield-tested principles translate into resilience, humility, and success in life and work. Ty’s story is one of overcoming adversity, applying extreme ownership, and continually seeking growth while remaining “unstoppable.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life, Motivation, and Joining the Teams

[04:59 - 09:57]

• Ty grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, raised by a single mother (a police officer) as the oldest of five.
• Two major early inspirations:
  1. Seeing his uncle return in full Army uniform — "I had never seen a man look that way and carry himself that way. I'd never seen a man in uniform." (Ty, [05:46])
  2. Watching the movie Navy SEALS at age twelve: "When I saw these men doing these amazing things, not just with courage in their hearts, but with excitement, I fell in love... If there's anything remotely close to a real superhero on this planet, it's got to be these guys." (Ty, [07:52])
• Mother’s encouragement: “That will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life, but if you want to do it, you can.” (Ty’s mother, as recalled by Ty, [09:38])
• Joined the Navy at 18 in 1996, initially in the Air Crewman pipeline, struggling but determined to get into the SEAL program.

SEAL Training: BUDS, Setbacks, and Perseverance

[10:08 - 32:44]

• Quit on his first attempt at BUD/S (“I was just scared”), assigned as military police in Italy for several years, then retried and succeeded, joining JP and others in BUD/S Class 242.
• The brown shirt “rollback” experience, covertly supporting students in Hell Week, and the camaraderie among brothers-in-arms.
• Humor and adversity in training: stories of hallucinations during Hell Week, lessons from instructors; learning humility and attention to detail.
  • “Attention to detail matters. Especially when you’re talking about communication, because leaders have to notice things that the average person doesn’t notice.” (Ty, [27:05])
  • On the value of process: “Gold cannot be refined without fire. To make it from this plateau in life to the next, we’ve got to go through that process.” (Ty, [27:05])
• The importance of mentorship among older students and gratitude for the opportunity to be in training.
• Passing critical tests by focusing on fundamentals, humility, and eagerness to learn from failures.

Adapting Strengths & Embracing Diversity

[20:09 - 44:39]

• Ty discusses wrestling, football, and being “dangerously comfortable in the water.”
• Overcame challenges in swim tests with teaching and support, highlighting the team’s ability to bring out individual strengths.
• BUD/S and SQT taught that different people excel at different things (CQB, land navigation, breaching, radios), and the SEAL Teams thrive by leveraging diverse skills and backgrounds.
  • “The SEAL teams are extremely diverse when it comes to people’s thoughts, ideas, the way they do things, their backgrounds. That’s what makes us work so well together.” (JP, [42:51])
• Discussion about the evolution of SEAL graduations and the debate between quiet professionalism and sharing SEAL stories.

Leadership in Combat: Lessons from Deployments

[51:06 - 80:05]

• Ty recounts arrival at SEAL Team 8, positive mentorship, and learning from senior leaders.
• Key story: On his first Afghanistan op, almost stepping on two toddler girls, realizing the gravity of his role and the importance of maintaining humanity under extreme stress.
  • “I almost trampled those two little girls... It reminded me of my humanity, and I’m grateful, because maybe it was because of that instance, but I never lost my humanity throughout my entire career.” (Ty, [55:21])
• Experiences from later Iraq deployments: “Iraq was a completely different beast... going from room to room, house to house, the tension is constantly high. We were running like 6, 7, 8 raids a night.” (Ty, [59:08])
• Facing the consequences of “new guy” status in an established platoon, tribalism, and later, as a chief, being able to build and lead his own platoon.
• The transformational power of humility, hard work, and listening—even when entering new environments as a senior leader.

Building and Leading High-Performing Teams

[69:27 - 80:05]

• As platoon chief, Ty was able to select and train his own team, investing in a six-month custom workup, producing top performance in combat.
• Survived more than 80 firefights with his platoon in Afghanistan, while maintaining discipline, professionalism, and humanity.
• On balancing strength and compassion: “A good operator, and not just a good operator but a good leader, has to be multifaceted. You can’t just know the way of the iron... you also gotta know the way of the velvet.” (Ty, [72:17])
• Powerful moment: After a brutal ambush, Ty gathered his platoon, shared vulnerability and love, and reminded them of their humanity and need to avoid complacency.
  • “Several of y’alls moms walked up to me before we deployed and made me promise I would bring you home safely.” (Ty, [72:46])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ty Smith on finding purpose:
  "I fell in love with the idea of becoming a Navy SEAL that day as a 12-year-old kid... and my mom reinforced it. She was like, 'That will be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, but if you want to do it, you can.'" ([09:38])

• On wrestling and shaping mindset:
  “Wrestling is where I discovered that I don’t have to be the biggest, strongest, or most talented. If I have the ability to get into someone’s head, they’re done.” ([20:09])

• On failing pool comp and process:
  “They hammer painfully into our brains starting day one... You can’t rush the process.” ([27:05])

• Leadership lesson:
  “Attention to detail matters. Especially when you’re talking about communication, because leaders have to notice things that the average person doesn’t notice.” ([27:05])

• Reflection on combat’s cost:
  “I never lost my humanity throughout my entire career, but that moment stuck with me.” ([55:21])

• On balancing leadership styles:
  “A good operator… has to be multifaceted. You can’t just know the way of the iron. As a good operator, you also gotta know the way of the velvet, right? There’s gotta be balance in everything.” ([72:17])

• The cost of complacency:
  “Don’t get complacent on me. Don’t start drinking your own Kool-Aid.” ([72:46])

• Final advice (Ty’s closing thought):
  “Always, always, always remember whose you are. Always remember that you are divine... Remember whose you are, and that you have the power to move mountains—if even you only have the faith the size of a mustard seed... Keep going. No matter what it is you’re dealing with.” ([97:35])

Business, Jiu Jitsu, and Life After the Teams

[80:20 - 97:35]

• Ty’s transition plan was to join the FBI, but a forward-thinking CO encouraged him to focus on preparing for life after the Navy.
  • "A real leader goes, 'Hey man, I care about you beyond your ability to work for me and be a SEAL. I’m now concerned with what your life is going to look like after the Navy.'" ([82:39])
• Started grad school, launched Vigilance Risk Solutions, and entered entrepreneurship, also serving as CEO in several tech and tactical ventures.
• Currently involved in several businesses (consulting, podcasting, tactical gear, tech startups).
• Applying decentralized command in running multiple ventures: “Decentralized command is absolutely a cornerstone in your life right now. It has to be.” (JP, [92:09])
• Next episode teased: Deeper dive into business leadership, jiu jitsu journey, parenting lessons, and turning battlefield lessons into boardroom wins.

Important Timestamps

• [04:59] — Ty's Childhood & Becoming Inspired to Become a SEAL
• [10:08] — Early Naval Career, First BUD/S Attempt, Lessons from Failure
• [13:13] — The ‘Brown Shirt’ Rollback Role in Hell Week
• [20:09] — Sports, Wrestling, and the Mental Side of Winning
• [27:05] — Pool Comp, Process, and Attention to Detail/Leadership
• [32:44] — Land Navigation and Team Support
• [44:39] — Diversity and Leveraging Individual Strengths
• [51:06] — Ty’s First SEAL Platoon, Mentorship
• [55:21] — Maintaining Humanity in Combat
• [59:08] — Urban Combat, CQC, Iraq vs. Afghanistan
• [69:27] — Building and Training a Team as Platoon Chief, Leadership Takeaways
• [72:17] — Multifaceted Leadership: Iron and Velvet
• [97:35] — Ty’s Final Advice: Remember Whose You Are

Tone and Language

The conversation is brotherly, candid, and inspirational, full of storytelling, humility, and hard-won wisdom. Both hosts and guest freely joke and reminisce but also dig deep into serious topics of trauma, leadership responsibility, and personal transformation. The military “team guy” camaraderie comes through in both the laughs and the gravity of recollections.

For Further Exploration

• Follow Ty Smith: @coachtysmith on Instagram
• JP Dinnell Podcast: @jpdinnellpodcast
• Ty’s new business and podcast: Hero Consulting & Hero Chronicles
• Anticipate next episode: Ty’s business leadership, jiu jitsu black belt journey, and fatherhood.

Closing Message

“Always remember whose you are… You are unstoppable. Remember that you have the power to move mountains—keep going, no matter what you’re dealing with.”
—Ty Smith ([97:35])