Win the Day

“Until death, all defeat is psychological.” — Marcus Aurelius
How can you make good decisions for your future, especially in a world of noise, overwhelm, and pressure?
Our guest Jon Fussell (known as “Fuss”) is a retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander. Over a 20-year military career, he led the most elite special mission units on hundreds of direct-action combat missions across eight deployments.
Fuss served in tactical leadership roles on SEAL Teams 3, 4, 10, as well as SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team Two. He then served as a Troop Commander at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (SEAL Team 6).
Today, as founder of Patriot Leadership Development, Fuss uses real-world battlefield scenarios to teach executives how to navigate intense ethical dilemmas and maintain operational clarity under immense pressure. 
In this episode:
• How to install a culture where "calm is contagious", in the office or at home. 
• The exact framework elite teams use to remain at the top of their game.  
• How to make decisions under pressure that maximize your organizational velocity.  
• The best lessons from a 20-year career in the most elite special forces.
Let’s WIN THE DAY with Jon Fussell!
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🎬 Episode website (including 4K video, full transcript, best quotes, etc.): https://jameswhitt.com/292-win-the-day-podcast-jonathan-fussell/
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Episode links:
🇺🇸 Patriot Leadership Development website
🌎 Jon Fussell LinkedIn
🎯 What’s the ONE thing the world’s top performers do to win their day? Download your FREE playbook “⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠50 Ways to Win the Day⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠” and find out
🎬 Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Win the Day YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel
💚 Give the Win the Day podcast a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5-star rating on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
🙏 Give the Win the Day podcast a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5-star rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Timemarkers:
00:00 Meet Jon Fussell: the retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander teaching leadership under pressure
1:35 Interview starts
1:48 How wrestling with an older brother forged a warrior mindset
2:58 Why 9/11 and a family military legacy led to the SEAL teams
4:50 The mindset to make it through Navy SEAL training (BUD/S)
6:12 Why the biggest, toughest-looking guy often quit first
6:55 The brotherhood forged in BUD/S — and how 178 candidates became 28 SEALs
9:22 Why quitting can never be an option in your mind
10:44 How bad corporate ethics training sparked Jon Fussell’s new mission
12:52 Mentors from Jon Fussell’s military career
13:35 Leaving SEAL Team 6 for corporate America
17:21 Inside the Benghazi case study: training leaders through life-and-death calls
18:58 The truth about leadership in the military
20:08 What it was like to see SEAL Team 6 in action for the first time
22:53 What to do when a teammate's moral compass fails
26:29 What happens when you retire from SEAL Team 6 — and making peace with identity after an elite career
30:38 How a Navy SEAL would fix our broken political system
35:14 The one habit that separates high-performing teams from average ones
37:35 What special forces operators do before an operation
41:05 How people can make good decisions under pressure
43:42 The daily rituals that keep a former SEAL close to peak performance
45:40 Rocket Round
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Want to support the show?
1. Hit 'Follow'.
2. Leave a 5-star rating.
3. Share this episode with a friend.
This will help the podcast get discovered by more people so they can Win the Day, too.
Thank you for your support! It truly means a lot 💕
Onward and upward always…
#WinTheDay
PS — Enjoyed this episode? You'll love this one, too:⁠⁠ ⁠Episode 250: Masters of Uncertainty with Rich Diviney

"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes... including you." – Anne Lamott
I'm back from a 10-day trip to Fiji! It was a lot of fun, but also reminded me of something important.
In this minisode, we'll go through why knowing how to disconnect (even when you're disconnecting) is so important, and something simple to set a better example for those around you.
Onward,
James
PS —⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join 25K+ other subscribers on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🍿
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Links and resources mentioned:
🗝️ If you lead a team and want to learn more about how Win the Day can help your organization, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠let’s talk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
_
Listening on Spotify?
Leave a comment to share your thoughts or a question if you need my help.
Want to support the show?
1. Hit 'Follow' and leave a 5-star rating to help others discover the show.
2. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3b29Q2U⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
3. Leave a 5-star rating on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3cKIDT6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
4. Share the episode with a friend so they can benefit, too.
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Your support is greatly appreciated 💜
#WinTheDay

"Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate." — Carl Jung
Today we’re sitting down with Rich Christiansen who I’ve become a great admirer of for his values blueprint, family philosophy, and general approach to building a life and career you love. 
In our first conversation, Episode 230, Rich introduced the Legado Family Framework—specifically the rites of passage he designed for his children to build resilience, financial independence, and ensure the continued success of his family for generations to come.
In today’s episode:
• How to determine your values—and live by them
• Why most people never reach their full potential
• What it means to live a life of alignment
• How you can be the catalyst for generational wealth and success for your family.
Let’s WIN THE DAY with Rich Christiansen!
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🎬 Episode website (including 4K video, full transcript, best quotes, etc.): https://jameswhitt.com/290-win-the-day-podcast-rich-christiansen
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Episode links:
💡 Download your Values Workbook for the exact process Rich uses in his 1-on-1 sessions to calm the chaos and see the world with clarity (for 10% off, use coupon code: WinTheDay) 
🎁 Get your free Values Blueprint video course
🎯 What’s the ONE thing the world’s top performers do to win their day? Download your FREE playbook “⁠⁠⁠⁠50 Ways to Win the Day⁠⁠⁠⁠” and find out
⚡ Rich Christiansen website
📷 Rich Christiansen Instagram
🎬 Subscribe to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Win the Day YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ channel
💚 Give the Win the Day podcast a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5-star rating on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
🙏 Give the Win the Day podcast a ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5-star rating on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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Timemarkers:
00:00 Meet Rich Christiansen: the Values Blueprint and building a lasting family legacy
1:49 Interview starts
3:00 The "5-year-old dragon": how childhood trauma quietly runs your life
4:25 Why even Oprah, presidents, and world leaders ask "Am I enough?"
6:55 Why the family unit is falling apart — and how to rebuild it
10:16 How to define your values (and why you must know what you stand against)
12:15 The "trick questions" that reveal who really shares your values
15:08 Why saying no is the real key to success
15:56 How to teach a 16-year-old their values when no one ever modeled it
18:09 Why you should never preach values — you create lived experiences instead
20:08 The Pumpkin Patch story: how Rich Christiansen taught his grandkids 5 life lessons without saying a word
27:48 How to build rites of passage that shape who your kids become
30:12 Why your personal, family, and business values must all align: the 4 loops you need for a life of flow
32:54 Why value-screening matters more than hiring someone smart and likable
35:40 Three ways to repair a relationship when preaching isn't working
37:23 The danger of false praise (and what genuine affirmation looks like)
39:22 How to know when you've got the right values in place
41:08 How to build a "superpower" marriage instead of constant friction
44:26 How to repair a strained relationship with your child (or parent)
47:33 Why love without consequences isn't really love
49:15 Why we're all coping — and how to support someone without carrying them
51:22 Rocket Round: Rich Christiansen on Qigong, grandparenting, and being remembered
_
Want to support the show?
1. Hit 'Follow'.
2. Leave a 5-star rating.
3. Share this episode with a friend.
This will help the podcast get discovered by more people so they can Win the Day, too.
Thank you for your support! It truly means a lot 💕
Onward and upward always…
#WinTheDay
PS — Enjoyed this episode? You'll love this one, too:⁠⁠ Episode 230: Face Your Dragons with Rich Christiansen

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult." — Seneca
What does it take for someone to change their behavior?
Usually it's when things have been left too late: the medical diagnosis, the crippling burnout, or the relationship breakdown.
In this minisode, we go through a lesson from the world's highest performing team to help you become a master of so you never fail again.
Onward,
James
PS —⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join 25K+ other subscribers on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🍿
_
Links and resources mentioned:
🗝️ If you lead a team and want to learn more about how Win the Day can help your organization, ⁠⁠⁠⁠let’s talk⁠⁠⁠⁠
⚔️ ⁠Episode 154: Prepare to Win with Andrew Sullivan
_
Listening on Spotify?
Leave a comment to share your thoughts or a question if you need my help.
Want to support the show?
1. Hit 'Follow' and leave a 5-star rating to help others discover the show.
2. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3b29Q2U⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
3. Leave a 5-star rating on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3cKIDT6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
4. Share the episode with a friend so they can benefit, too.
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Your support is greatly appreciated 💜
#WinTheDay

“Each new day is a blank page in the diary of your life. The secret of success is in turning that diary into the best story you possibly can.” — Douglas Pagels
We're halfway through the year and that means it's time for a recap of some legendary moments of the Win the Day podcast so far in 2026.
Leave a comment on Spotify to let me know which one you’ll be incorporating first.
Without further ado, let’s get into 8 Tips to Win the Day – the best highlights from the year so far…
Onward,
James
PS —⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join 25K+ other subscribers on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🍿
_
Links and resources mentioned:
🗝️ If you lead a team and want to learn more about how Win the Day can help your organization, ⁠⁠⁠let’s talk⁠⁠⁠
⚔️ Episode 270: Live At Your Limit with Dean Stott
💝 Episode 272: Win Your Relationship with John Gray
📸 Episode 274: Thriving with ADHD with Brooke Schnittman
🏡 ⁠Episode 276⁠: Parent Like a Pro with Sean Donohue
🧠 Episode 278: Rewire Your Brain with Dr. Caroline Leaf
🎁 Episode 280: Little Luxuries with Caleb Ulffers
🧘‍♀️ ⁠Episode 282⁠: The ROI of Calm with Sunaina Sinha
🎂 Episode 284: The Mindful Parent with Dr. Ellen Langer
_
Listening on Spotify?
Leave a comment to share your thoughts or a question if you need my help.
Want to support the show?
1. Hit 'Follow' and leave a 5-star rating to help others discover the show.
2. Leave a review on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3b29Q2U⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
3. Leave a 5-star rating on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠https://spoti.fi/3cKIDT6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
4. Share the episode with a friend so they can benefit, too.
_
Your support is greatly appreciated 💜
#WinTheDay