DJ Shipley on Huberman Lab: How SEALs Train Resilience

Structure your evening to make your morning routine automatic, Shipley says. He covers how seal teams manage stress and why mission focus rebuilds identity.

DJ ShipleyguestAndrew HubermanhostGuest 2guest

Oct 6, 20253h 42mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: October 6, 2025
Duration: 3h 42m
Channel: Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

My guest is DJ Shipley, a retired Tier 1 operator Navy SEAL and now a top public educator on how to build mental and physical health and reach top-level performance in any endeavor. DJ’s life is one marked by extraordinary strivings, wins, setbacks and comebacks that together have shaped his approach to overcoming challenges of all kinds and to daily life. DJ explains a regimen of clear, practical steps and a mental stance that can allow anyone—male, female, young or old—to build extreme resilience of mind and body and to be successful in family and work. We also discuss his experience with new, emerging treatments for addiction, PTSD and depression that many people, not just veterans, are benefiting from. The tools DJ describes to “stack small wins” and to be ultra-intentional about your mindset will be of immense benefit to anyone wishing to achieve the best version of themselves. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/EeYgeW1 *Thank you to our sponsors* AGZ by AG1: ⁠https://drinkagz.com/huberman Rorra: ⁠https://rorra.com/huberman BetterHelp: ⁠https://betterhelp.com/huberman Eight Sleep: ⁠https://eightsleep.com/huberman Function: ⁠https://functionhealth.com/huberman ROKA: ⁠https://roka.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *DJ Shipley* GBRS Group Website: https://gbrsgroup.com GBRS Performance Program X: https://marketplace.trainheroic.com/workout-plan/team/gbrs-performance-team DJ Shipley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dj_shipley85 GBRS Group Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gbrsgroup GBRS Group YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/gbrsgroup GBRS Group X: https://x.com/GBRSGroup GBRS Group Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GBRSGroup GBRS Group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gbrs-group *Timestamps* 00:00:00 DJ Shipley 00:04:03 Mental & Physical Health, Tools: Morning Routine & Micro-wins 00:08:35 Balancing Work & Family, Tools: Compartmentalization, "Control the Controllable" 00:13:46 Sponsors: Rorra & BetterHelp 00:16:25 Phones, Social Media vs Focus, Negativity, Tool: Consistency & Sleep 00:23:05 Routine & Stressors, Exercise & Benefits, Tool: Morning Workout 00:29:24 Body Awareness, Hurt vs Injury 00:33:53 Physical Injury & Rehab; Exercise; Mobility, Tool: 5-Day Workout Program 00:44:26 Sponsors: AGZ by AG1 & Eight Sleep 00:47:29 Skateboarding, Career, Navy SEAL, BUD/S & Embracing Discomfort 00:56:13 BUD/S, Motivation & Mental Resilience 01:02:18 Navy SEALs, Iraq War & Casualties, Compartmentalization 01:08:41 Public Press; Extortion 17, Operation Red Wings; Death of Friends 01:16:25 High Performers, Social Media Negativity & Legacy 01:19:37 Sponsor: Function 01:21:24 Family Legacy, Military & Purpose, Navy SEAL Culture, Wife & Relationship 01:30:10 Second Deployment, Helplessness & Trauma, Inspiration & Reverence 01:38:30 Skydiving, Injury & Mental Resilience; Medical Retirement & Addiction 01:49:17 Art Therapy, Skateboarding, Electrocution & Recovery 02:00:57 Physical Recovery, Trainer Vernon Griffith 02:04:38 Miracles, Higher Power; Work & Life Tension 02:12:52 Sponsor: ROKA 02:14:39 Physical & Mental Posture, Suicide, Depression, Tool: Control the Controllable 02:21:22 Suicide, Mental Health & Darkest Hour, Ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT 02:31:18 Ibogaine & Empathy, 5-MeO-DMT & Ego Death; Returning Home, Tool: Dials Not Switches 02:42:42 Psychedelics, Mental Health Plasticity; Veterans' Solutions, Addiction 02:50:39 Medical Ibogaine, Anger, Numbing Out & Hate; Dogs 03:03:42 GBRS Program, High Standards, Functional Fitness, Tool: Fitness Test 03:17:50 Self-Care, Longevity & Fitness, GBRS Program 03:24:45 Self-Respect, Tools: 20-Minute Walk & Relationships; Micro-wins 03:32:57 Acknowledgements, American Flag Hat, Patriotism 03:40:00 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow, Reviews & Feedback, Sponsors, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

DJ Shipley
guest
Andrew Huberman
host
Guest 2
guest
Narrator
other

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring DJ Shipley and Andrew Huberman, DJ Shipley on Huberman Lab: How SEALs Train Resilience explores unbreakable Routines, Psychedelic Healing, And Standards For A Life That Works In this episode, retired Tier 1 Navy SEAL DJ Shipley details how extreme structure, physical training, and deliberate transitions between roles keep his mental health stable after years of combat, loss, and severe injury. He walks through his precise morning and evening routines, explaining how “stacking micro wins” and strict control of his environment prevent spirals of stress, rumination, and distraction.

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