You Might Regret Your Career Choice.

Quick Overview

The guest, who served seven years in the Army including a deployment to Al Anbar Province in 2006-2007, regrets not having pushed himself harder during his Special Forces selection process, feeling he could have done more above and beyond what was required, which he contrasts with the explicit job roles in football like a lineman or wide receiver.

Key Points: The guest served seven years in the Army, including a deployment to Al Anbar Province from 2006 to 2007. The guest regrets not pushing harder during Special Forces selection, feeling he could have done more than what was required. The guest's unit received the Valorous Unit Award for actions outside the wire involving firefights, IEDs, and car bombs. The guest contrasts military roles with football positions (lineman, wide receiver, tackle) to illustrate that every job has explicit requirements, but special operators are expected to go above and beyond. The guest suggests that those who don't perform their specific job duties (like linemen or receivers) ultimately cause the team to lose, contrasting this with the feeling of personal regret for not giving maximum effort. The guest encourages listeners to be proud of their service and to live an awesome life as a husband, dad, and contributing member of society.

Context: The video features an interview segment from the Jocko Underground podcast, where Jocko Willink speaks with a guest about his military service, specifically his time in the Army and subsequent Special Forces selection. The discussion centers on lessons learned from service, the concept of exceeding expectations even when official requirements are met, and the contrast between military roles and structured roles in sports like football.

Detailed Analysis

The interview opens with Jocko Willink reading a question submitted by a listener who served seven years in the Army, including a 2006-2007 deployment to Al Anbar Province, Iraq. The listener mentions failing Special Forces selection (3-509th) but feeling proud of their service, which included engaging insurgents, handling IEDs, and performing combat search and rescue. The guest expressed regret that he did not push harder during selection, feeling he only did what was required rather than exceeding expectations, contrasting this with his feeling that he could have done more. Jocko validates this feeling, stating that while the listener's unit earned the Valorous Unit Award for their actions in combat, the feeling of regret for not giving one's all is common. Jocko draws an analogy to football, noting that positions like offensive lineman or wide receiver have specific, quantifiable jobs; if they fail, the team loses. However, military roles often imply an expectation to go above and beyond to protect freedom, which the guest feels he fell slightly short of in his own performance standards. The guest concludes by urging listeners to be proud of their service and to strive to be exemplary members of society, husbands, and fathers.