Building the Elite Podcast

Many types of fear are learned responses based on memories from previous experiences. There are, of course, also innate fears. Like other animals, we’re naturally prone to be highly vigilant the first time we’re exposed to things like heights, deep water, snakes, and spiders. But, for most things in life, fear is not a primal instinct but a learned association. 

These learned associations can come from almost anything, from old injuries to bad experiences or past failures, including fear responses we might not even be consciously aware of. 

While learned fear responses are normal and sometimes helpful, they can also hinder performance if we can’t move past them. A strong learned fear response leads to a disproportionately strong stress response, amplifies anxiety, and makes your emotions run rampant. This makes you more prone to burnout and reduces resilience. In challenging times, when one difficulty bleeds into the next, these responses can make the difference between burnout and growth.

To recalibrate these fear responses, we have to look at how they’re created, the predictions our brains make based on the environmental cues around us, and the way we mentally and emotionally process those moments. 

As military theorists put it, we have to do the work “left of bang” rather than repeatedly trying to deal with the symptoms after the fear response has taken over.  

Lt. Col. Matthew Perry is an active-duty Marine with over 16 years of experience in the infantry and reconnaissance community. He has served in all four Marine Divisions and deployed throughout the Pacific and in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

As an infantry officer, he served in the 7th Marines as a rifle platoon and 81mm Mortar Platoon Commander, with the 2nd Marine Division as an infantry Battalion Executive Officer and as the operations officer at the 2nd Marine Regiment.

As a Reconnaissance officer, he served as a Force Platoon Commander and Force Company Commander with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion and as the Operations Officer at 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion.

His civilian education includes an undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University and a graduate degree from Syracuse University. He is a graduate of the Marine Corps Infantry Officer and Basic Reconnaissance courses and Army Ranger School.

Instagram: www.instagram.com/redstick6/

Timestamps:

00:00:21 Introduction to Matthew Perry

00:01:22 Matthew Perry’s Career & Educational Background

00:05:12 Writing & Social Media

00:07:47 Reading List & Recommended Resources for Leadership

00:09:38 Vietnam

00:11:30 Practical Leadership Experience - Becoming a Better Leader

00:15:11 Important Mistakes & Valuable Lessons

00:23:16 Performance & Potential

00:27:10 Incentivizing Your Team

00:32:52 Basic Reconnaissance Course (BRC) & Recon Qualification

00:38:06 Haircuts, Sideburns, and Shaving

00:43:28 How to Scale Your Leadership

00:50:40 The Role of Health and Physical Fitness in Leadership

01:00:45 Wrap Up

Tristan Irwin is a nine-year veteran of the United States Army, where she served as a special operations Civil Affairs Officer. As a CA Team Chief, she led a four-person team in Moldova, conducting community-level development assistance to strengthen Moldova’s resilience and support its partnership with the US. 

She graduated from Yale University with a dual Master of Forestry and Public Policy degree. In 2012, she graduated from the United States Military Academy with a bachelor's degree in International Relations and another in German. 

Tristan serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors for The Valkyrie Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on optimizing health and human performance for military women through advocacy, research, education, and physical training programming.

https://www.thevalkyrieproject.org/

Timestamps:

00:00:25 Intro to Tristan Irwin

00:01:12 Tristan Irwin's Career

00:01:48 Why is the U.S. Interested in Moldova?

00:02:53 What Does a Mission in Moldova Look Like?

00:04:49 What Skills Are Being Taught on Missions in Moldova?

00:05:32 Missions That Stand Out in Tristan's Memory

00:07:05 Sustainability of What's Implemented on Missions

00:08:46 How to Get the Locals to Commit to Outreach

00:11:08 Lifestyle in an Eastern Bloc Village

00;13:04 Establishing a Cleaning Routine to Keep Your Food Safe

00:14:01 Civil Affairs Selection/Recruitment Process

00:15:53 What Kinds of Cognitive Testing Occurs?

00:17:09 What is the Turnout in Selection

00:17:57 How to Receive an NTR (Not-to-Return)

00:19:17 Qualification Process After Selection

00:20:43 Languages Spoken in Moldova

00:21:49 Differentiating Factor When You’re on the Cusp of Being Selected 

00:23:36 Physical Prep Before and After Selection

00:26:38 Pack Weight for the 12 Mile Run

00:27:01 Arbitrary Fitness Standards for the Military

00:34:22 Military Morale Issues

00:36:57 How the Measurement of Something Determines its Success Criteria

00:40:26 Tristan’s Valkyrie Project Story

00:41:28 How Do You Determine Your Own Successfulness?

00:43:27 What Specific Policies Does Tristan Hopes Will Change in the Military?

00:44:52 How Women Can Get Involved with Valkyrie

00:46:26 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received

00:48:01 Outro

Kevin Smith, Founder of Terminator Training Method (TTM), specializes in virtual fitness coaching tailored for those prepping for Special Operations Forces (SOF) selection courses, especially SFAS. 

Born and raised in Maine, Kevin's dedication to hard work started as a young multi-sport athlete, inspired by his father and later refined through over a decade in the Army Special Forces as a Green Beret medic. He served on a military freefall team for 3.5 years at 10th SFG (A) and closed out his career on a dive/maritime team at 3rd SFG (A). 

During his time in, he completed multiple deployments and earned qualifications, including Ranger School, Advanced Land Navigation (SMU Selection), Dive Medical Technician, Static Line Jumpmaster, and the Special Forces Intelligence Sergeant Course. After 12 years of training for and serving as a Green Beret, he transitioned to a career in fitness coaching, specializing in 1:1 coaching, team coaching, and content creation.

Kevin’s approach to coaching is rooted in simplicity, efficiency, and personalization, emphasizing smart exercise selection, intentional progression, and flexibility. He believes in training that builds resilience without unnecessary complexity, prioritizing fundamentals over fads and ensuring each athlete's program uniquely suits their goals. 

His mission with TTM is to provide clear, science-backed guidance that empowers tactical athletes to exceed fitness standards and develop the mental toughness needed for SOF selection while avoiding the burnout and frustration he once faced. Through TTM’s virtual coaching, podcast, and content, Kevin aims to reshape the tactical fitness space with no-nonsense, results-oriented coaching.

More about Kevin:

Website: Terminatortraining.com
Podcast: The Terminator Training Show
Youtube: Terminator Training Method
IG: Terminator-training

Articles referenced in the show: 

Mental Fortitude Prompts (Most Popular);
Dealing With Pre-Selection Doubt;
Crushing Team Week (Character Development); 

All Articles: 

TTM website;
Substack

Timestamps:

00:00:21 Introduction to Kevin Smith

00:02:07 ‘How did you get into physical training…?’

00:07:16 College and Joining The Army 

00:13:27 Special Operations Preparation and Conditioning Course & Selection

00:17:12 Helping Clients with Imposter Syndrome and Segmenting

00:21:06 Sponsor Note: Building The Elite

00:21:30 Segmenting (Continued)

00:23:51 Self-Induced Stress

00:26:57 Managing Self-Induced Stress

00:36:16 18D School

00:41:35 Advice for 18D

00:45:37 After the Q Course

00:49:15 Delta Force

00:51:36 Camp Delhi

00:54:01 Getting Out of The Army

00:56:45 Ranger School

01:01:11 Advice for Ranger School

01:05:46 Learning with No Ego

01:08:26 Coaching and Clearing Up Misinformation

01:14:07 Nutrition

01:19:33 Mindset and Character Trait Development

01:27:46 Final Questions

01:31:08 Outro

Alex Fichtler is a 9-year Navy SEAL combat veteran with operational experience in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. He is a Naval Special Warfare Sniper, Assaulter, Intel Specialist, and Communications Specialist and served as Troop Lead Sniper during his time with SEAL Team 7. 

Alex led the West Coast NSW Close Quarters Battle (CQB) training cell, providing thousands of active duty SEALs with countless hours of high-risk training and instruction on CQB, target assaults, and internal and external breaching.

During his time in the civilian sector, Alex has transferred his knowledge of high performance into the service of others through personal and team coaching. He and his girlfriend, Jenna Bauer, own Highground Performance, where they teach fitness and mindset development alongside the nutrition and wellness habits that bring elite performance to life. Alex also works in the physical security sector, managing security professionals responsible for high-value asset and location protection. 

Alex is a father of three, a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, an entrepreneur, and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership. He also has his civilian EMT certification and is completing his NASM CPT certification.

More about Alex:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bearded_beast8/
Linktree

Timestamps:

00:00:32 Methods to Manage Stress Response

00:05:14 Preferred Breathing Technique

00:07:36 The Mentality of a Good CQB Shooter

00:09:41 Best Training Frequency for a Professional

00:11:35 Common Mistakes in the Shoot House

00:14:02 Three Main Objectives in CQC to Get Right

00:19:36 CQC High Port vs Low Port

00:22:36 Process for Integrating New Protocols

00:31:33 Sponsor Note: Fuel My Day Foods

00:32:13 How to Prepare for a CQB Course if You’re New to Handling Weapons

00:38:31 Other Things to Practice for a CQB Course

00:43:10 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received
 
00:46:37 Outro

Alex Fichtler is a 9-year Navy SEAL combat veteran with operational experience in Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Africa. He is a Naval Special Warfare Sniper, Assaulter, Intel Specialist, and Communications Specialist and served as Troop Lead Sniper during his time with SEAL Team 7. 

Alex led the West Coast NSW Close Quarters Battle (CQB) training cell, providing thousands of active duty SEALs with countless hours of high-risk training and instruction on CQB, target assaults, and internal and external breaching.

During his time in the civilian sector, Alex has transferred his knowledge of high performance into the service of others through personal and team coaching. He and his girlfriend, Jenna Bauer, own Highground Performance, where they teach fitness and mindset development alongside the nutrition and wellness habits that bring elite performance to life. Alex also works in the physical security sector, managing security professionals responsible for high-value asset and location protection. 

Alex is a father of three, a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, an entrepreneur, and has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership. He also has his civilian EMT certification and is completing his NASM CPT certification.

More about Alex:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bearded_beast8/
Linktree

Timestamps:

00:00:22 Introduction to Alex Fichtler

00:01:40 Career in the Seal Teams

00:09:40 Somalia Operation

00:10:36 OTB - Over the Beach

00:11:55 Fire Support from the Water

00:15:14 The Stupid Never Stops

00:16:27 Keeping Motivation When You Feel You Don’t Belong

00:23:08 Replacing Negative Self-Talk with Positivity

00:28:41 Using Humor to Uplift Yourself and Others

00:30:30 Sponsor note: Fuel My Day Foods

00:31:10 Transition Into Language School

00:35:01 Failing Out of Language School

00:36:39 Going Back to Montana

00:40:30 Working with Civilians Without a Routine

00:43:39 The Six Pillars

00:47:50 Building a Healthy Community for Men

00:51:35 An Agendaless Time

00:54:57 Recreating the Unit’s PT

00:57:10 Outro

Senior Chief Candace Esquivel joined the Navy in 2005 as a cryptologic technician with advanced training in signals exploitation systems. From there, she went to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, where she worked as a SIGINT Geospatial Analyst. 

At Dev Gru, she was selected as an Intelligence Detachment Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO) for Tactical Evaluation and Development Squadron THREE, where she deployed and served as a Director of Intelligence (J2) for two rotations in the CENTCOM AOR supporting overseas contingency operations.

She then screened for and was selected for duty at the Joint Cyber Operations Group, where she was a Troop Senior Enlisted Leader before she was selected as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader to establish North Squadron, an O5 operational squadron.

In 2021, Senior Chief Esquivel was selected as a DoD Congressional Fellow for Representative Seth Moulton. While serving in the House of Representatives, she advised the Congressman on technical policy, cyber operations and talent management, and information operations across the DoD.

Senior Chief Esquivel holds a bachelor’s degree in management studies and is pursuing her master’s in management interdisciplinary studies. Currently, she is a policy analyst in the Office of Culture and Force Resilience’s Office of Women’s Policy, where she works to develop and implement policies involving Navy servicewomen in coordination with the higher authorities in the DoD, like the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Chief of Naval Personnel. 

More about Candace:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candace-esquivel-a41669270/

The Valkyrie Project: https://www.thevalkyrieproject.org/

Timestamps:

00:00:22 Introduction to Senior Chief Candace Esquivel

00:01:55 Walkthrough of Candace Esquival’s Career

00:06:01 Role as Signals Analyst and J2

00:07:36 What Type of Signals Are Analyzed?

00:08:27 How Vulnerable Are Smart Devices?

00:12:21 Protecting Yourself from Data Tracking

00:14:59 Protecting Yourself on Social Media

00:17:20 Hilarious Failed Attempts of Espionage

00:18:44 Selection Process for DEVGRU and JCOG

00:25:22 What Does it Mean to Be a Congressional Fellow?

00:28:57 Which Policies Does Candace Esquivel Push For?

00:30:54 What Does the Office of Culture and Force Resilience Do?

00:34:30 Sponsor Note: Fuelmydayfoods.com

00:35:11 Changes for Women in the DoD Communities

00:40:07 Progress in Fertility Services

00:47:29 Possible Toxins During Deployment

00:53:52 New Policies for Women

00:58:20 CFL Training 

01:01:37 Adaptable Training and Modifications for Health and Recovery

01:03:21 Best and Worst Advice Received

01:07:00 Outro

We all must pay for our food. 

We can't choose not to pay; we only decide how. 

We can pay with our time. 

We can pay with our money. 

Or, we can pay with our health. 

You can invest time to learn how nutrition works and how to cook good meals, and then do the shopping, prep, cooking, storage, and cleanup. With practice, this all becomes easier and more efficient. The longer you go without investing your time, the harder it is to start and the more constrained you will be.

You can pay for somebody else's expertise and have them tell you what to eat. You can pay for a meal delivery service or expensive restaurant meals.

You can save time and money in the short term by not investing in nutrition knowledge, never learning to cook, and buying cheap convenience foods. The costs of following this last strategy take years to accumulate and manifest. The harm it does to gut health, metabolism, cognitive function, and every other process in your body may remain invisible for a long time. It might even seem like a free ride in your teens and early twenties. But eventually, you will pay for it.

This is why the food we eat is so important.

Eating well is hard. And it’s hard for everyone, whether you’re a young athlete trying to juggle training and school, a business traveler trying to stay healthy while living in hotels and airports, or a parent trying to keep yourself and your child alive with minimal sleep and no spare time. It can be even more challenging for military personnel deployed to locations with very few resources.

In this episode, we discuss how to put together a healthy meal on the go, and the science behind how that works, and how it affects our bodies.

Learn more: www.fuelmydayfoods.com

The idea that no one gets left behind is such a common phrase associated with the special operations community that it’s almost become a cliche. We can hear and say it without thinking about what it means. 

But it’s a critical concept in military operations, particularly in the SOF community, where people often work in small groups behind enemy lines doing dangerous things. 

It’s not enough to carry your own weight. That’s just the baseline, the entry stakes. You also must repeatedly demonstrate that you’re willing and able to carry the weight of one of your teammates when the situation calls for it. It’s crucial to be strong as an individual, but you must also be a strong part of the team. Without both, you don’t have the raw material the SOF community needs. 

This isn’t just a physical capacity, tested by carrying your teammates on your shoulders at the most inconvenient times. It’s a general attitude expressed in countless ways, big and small, physical and otherwise. 

Andrew is a strength and conditioning coach, business owner, national team powerlifter, and veteran with a tactical operations and physical training background.

As a former Maritime Assault Operator in the U.S. Coast Guard’s Deployable Specialized Forces, Andrew has firsthand experience in high-stakes situations, including anti-terrorism operations, drug and human smuggling interdiction, anti-piracy operations, and executive/dignitary protection. 

He has dedicated himself to coaching and guiding other athletes to set state records and achieve medal-winning performances. He is currently the lead strength and conditioning coach at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, and he has dedicated his career to helping individuals develop physical and mental resilience.

More about Andrew:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-siepka-cscs-9381461b7/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siepka_ludus_/

Timestamps:

00:00:22 Intro to Andrew Siepka

00:01:09 About Andrew’s Career

00:01:51 Was Viral Video of "Submarine Attack at Gunpoint" Andrew’s Unit?

00:03:19 What Led Andrew from Gunner’s Mate to MSST?

00:13:19 Outsourcing Knowledge from Multiple Units

00:14:38 Having Self-Doubt in Selection Courses

00:18:04 Preparing Endlessly vs. Winging It

00:21:27 Operational Life in the Unit

00:26:26 What Does It Mean to Be “An Earner”?

00:27:33 An Example of Andrew Failing Forward

00:32:08 Sponsor Note: Mentorship Course

00:32:30 Transition from Coastguard to Coach

00:41:36 What New Recruits Need to Start and Stop Doing

00:44:37 How Does Andrew’s Background in Powerlifting Affect His Coaching Method?

00:46:40 Andrew’s Career in Powerlifting

00:49:21 How to Powerlift for Decades Without Injury

00:52:13 Different Concepts of Training for Recon Marines

00:54:52 Banded Resistance Training

00:56:03 Things to Address to Handle Heavy Training

01:00:41 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received

01:02:01 Outro