Sep 25, 2026 · 59 min · 11 segments
Don Mann spent 21 years in the Navy SEAL Teams, retiring from SEAL Team Six, then another 25 as a CIA contractor. He is a New York Times bestselling author, host of the TV series Surviving Mann, and a…
What's on the other side of that? And why do you think so few people ever find out?
When I left and retired out of the SEAL teams, my biggest shock was not becoming a civilian, but how little civilians do compared to what they could be doing, in my opinion.
You know, you come from the SEAL teams, you're used to working hard every day and setting goals.
And I always believed in setting high, high goals and doing everything you can to reach it.
But when I got out, I realized that a lot of civilians, they set their goals low and oftentimes they'd reach those low-reaching goals and they were happy with themselves and they were content.
And the feeling I got and still get all the time when I see folks like this is what a shame, you know, they could get like in your percentages, 40%, they could get 60% more out of their life if they'd only allow themselves to do it.
And I won't get on a soapbox or anything, but I believe every generation is getting softer and softer and softer.
You know, during our Civil War, you know, we had 20-year-olds leading men into battle as generals and colonels.
And it's only because of technology and it's replacing hard work and being outside and having to fend for yourself with food and, you know, enemy and taking care of yourself and your family.
I wish, you know, times are rough right now with the political situation around the world.
But I do think it's going to toughen up people because it's going to be harder to eat, harder to fill up the gas tank.
It's going to be harder to do your day-to-day, you know, what you do day-to-day because... everything's tightening up and we're not used to that.
We're used to a luxury and just plentiful and order something that comes the next morning.
There's the old quote, you know, tough times make strong men and comfortable times make weak men.
What's on the other side of that? And why do you think so few people ever find out?
When I left and retired out of the SEAL teams, my biggest shock was not becoming a civilian, but how little civilians do compared to what they could be doing, in my opinion.
You know, you come from the SEAL teams, you're used to working hard every day and setting goals.
And I always believed in setting high, high goals and doing everything you can to reach it.
But when I got out, I realized that a lot of civilians, they set their goals low and oftentimes they'd reach those low-reaching goals and they were happy with themselves and they were content.
And the feeling I got and still get all the time when I see folks like this is what a shame, you know, they could get like in your percentages, 40%, they could get 60% more out of their life if they'd only allow themselves to do it.
And I won't get on a soapbox or anything, but I believe every generation is getting softer and softer and softer.
You know, during our Civil War, you know, we had 20-year-olds leading men into battle as generals and colonels.
And it's only because of technology and it's replacing hard work and being outside and having to fend for yourself with food and, you know, enemy and taking care of yourself and your family.
I wish, you know, times are rough right now with the political situation around the world.
But I do think it's going to toughen up people because it's going to be harder to eat, harder to fill up the gas tank.
It's going to be harder to do your day-to-day, you know, what you do day-to-day because... everything's tightening up and we're not used to that.
We're used to a luxury and just plentiful and order something that comes the next morning.
There's the old quote, you know, tough times make strong men and comfortable times make weak men.
The rest of this transcript — segmented and speaker-labeled, so you land on the exact moment something was said
Search every transcript — by keyword, by phrase, or by meaning, across every show Radar indexes
Trends — what is surging across podcasts, measured against its own baseline
Alerts — when a name you follow appears in a newly indexed episode
No account is needed to search Radar.
