Jocko Willink is more than a Navy SEAL — he’s pure discipline. These 5 wake-up calls will snap you out of excuses and into action.
1. Binary Code: The End of Overthinking
Overthinking drains your time. It drains your energy. So stop debating and start deciding.
Reduce every decision to a simple binary: Yes or No.
Are you going to wake up early? Yes or No.
Are you going to study that endgame? Yes or No.
Are you going to fix your mindset? Yes or No.
That’s it. Don’t spiral. Don’t delay. Ask. Answer. Act.
You don’t need more motivation.
You need clarity.
That’s what Binary Code gives you.
2. GOOD: Turning Setbacks into Strength
What does Jocko say when things fall apart? Good.
Not because it feels good — but because every obstacle is an opportunity if you choose to see it that way.
Blundered a winning position under time pressure? Good. Now you know it’s time to improve your time management.
Played a terrible tournament? Good. That’s fuel for the next one.
Good is not fake positivity. It’s a disciplined mental shift.
You don’t dwell on what went wrong. You reframe. You redirect. You rebuild.
Every loss contains a lesson — if you meet it with the right mindset.
3. Not Feeling It
Michael Phelps trained every single day for six years before the Olympics.
No days off.
Birthdays. Holidays. Sick days. He showed up anyway.
Do you think he felt like training every day?
Of course not. But feelings didn’t matter. The mission did.
Don’t feel like doing calculation? Do it anyway.
Don’t like memorizing openings? Memorize them.
Not in the mood to prep? Prep harder.
Discipline doesn’t ask how you feel.
You don’t rise to the level of your feelings. You rise to the level of your discipline.
4. Questions
We all start with limited knowledge.
But growth comes from one habit: ask questions relentlessly.
When you don’t understand a position — don’t skip it. Study it. Break it down.
Why is this position better for White?
Is it because of the dynamic piece activity or a structural imbalance?
Don’t just accept the engine’s evaluation — question it.
Try to understand why it prefers one side. What principles are at play? What long-term plans does it see?
This isn’t just chess advice — it’s a life rule.
Have no shame in not knowing. The only shame is in staying that way.
5. The Count Is Zero
In Navy SEAL training, there’s a brutal drill: Log PT.
Recruits do push-ups, squats, lunges — all while holding a massive log overhead.
Say the goal is 100 pushups. One guy collapses at 56?
Count is zero. Start over.
That same principle applies to chess. And life.
You can play 35 perfect moves…
But if move 36 is a blunder?
It’s over.
Count zero is harsh.
But it builds something rare: accountability.
Either you meet the standard — or you start again.
Want More?
If these ideas hit home, dig into Jocko Willink’s book: Discipline Equals Freedom.
It’s not a typical self-help book.
It’s a battle manual — for the war between you and your excuses.
Short chapters. No fluff. All mindset, grit, and action.
Highly recommended if you’re ready to level up your habits, discipline, and response to discomfort.
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