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Huberman Lab

How to Make Yourself Unbreakable | DJ Shipley

with DJ Shipley

Published October 6, 2025
View Show Notes

About This Episode

Retired Navy SEAL and former Tier 1 operator DJ Shipley discusses how he structures his days to protect and improve his mental, physical, and spiritual health after years of high-risk combat deployments and severe injuries. He details his rigid morning and evening routines, his strength and conditioning approach with coach Vernon Griffith, and how psychedelic-assisted therapy with Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT helped him confront depression, addiction to prescription meds, and suicidality. Throughout, he shares stories from his SEAL career, the toll of loss and survivor's guilt, and his current mission to help veterans, first responders, and civilians develop unbreakable mindsets and bodies.

Topics Covered

Military veterans Veterans mental health Psychedelic-assisted therapy Strength training Suicide prevention Trauma Personal Development Personal narrative Habits First responders

Disclaimer: We provide independent summaries of podcasts and are not affiliated with or endorsed in any way by any podcast or creator. All podcast names and content are the property of their respective owners. The views and opinions expressed within the podcasts belong solely to the original hosts and guests and do not reflect the views or positions of Summapod.

Quick Takeaways

  • Shipley anchors his mental health to a strict, repeatable morning and evening routine built around stacking small, controllable wins before the world can intrude.
  • He treats physical training as non-negotiable medicine for his mind, refusing to miss workouts because of how directly they stabilize his mood and identity.
  • Years of combat, near-death experiences, severe injuries, and heavy pharmaceutical use culminated in depression and suicidality that traditional treatments did not resolve.
  • A carefully supervised Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT protocol in Mexico forced him to confront childhood and family dynamics, his impact on his wife and children, and helped him drop long-standing addictions in a single intervention.
  • Shipley uses the concept of "dials not switches" to deliberately shift between roles (operator, business leader, husband, father) rather than staying stuck in one extreme persona.
  • He and coach Vernon Griffith built a comprehensive strength and conditioning program and fitness test that prioritize year-round readiness, grip and core strength, and hybrid capacity over aesthetics.
  • Maintaining high physical standards, even after multiple surgeries and an electrocution that shattered his shoulders and caused rhabdomyolysis risk, has been central to rebuilding his life.
  • He emphasizes cutting toxic relationships, curating information and social media inputs, and daily 20-minute walks (especially with his wife) as powerful, underrated tools for mental health and marriage.
  • Shipley argues that many people contemplating suicide really want to "hit reset" and that properly supported interventions can give them the breath of fresh air needed to rebuild.
  • He sees his current mission as using his experiences, including his failures, to model accountable, patriotic, high-standard living for veterans, first responders, and civilians.

Podcast Notes

Opening combat vignette and introduction

Near-death firefight in Iraq as emotional anchor

Shipley recalls an ambush where his idol Matty Roberts was badly shot[0:03]
• Describes Matty as his "true north" and the guy he really hung onto in the teams
• Says it was likely the closest call-for-fire mission of the entire Iraq war, with AC-130 gunship rounds impacting inside 15 meters
• Everyone in his element was shot up except him and one other guy; they were huddled behind a tractor tire under belt-fed machine gun fire
• He felt helpless and like a victim, and at one point preferred the idea of running into the fire and dying with his teammates over surviving alone

Huberman introduces the podcast and guest

Huberman states the mission of the Huberman Lab Podcast[0:52]
• Says the podcast discusses science and science-based tools for everyday life
Brief biography of DJ Shipley[1:07]
• Retired Navy SEAL, 17 years of service, much of it as a Tier 1 operator in an elite special operations unit
• Recently emerged as a public educator on structuring days to optimize mindset, health, performance, and relationships
Overview of episode themes[1:39]
• Huberman says Shipley will detail specific physical steps and timing to shift from rumination and distraction into clarity, focus, and drive
• He emphasizes it will go beyond generic morning/evening routine advice and be highly actionable
• They will also cover addiction, PTSD, depression, and a clinical Ibogaine + DMT protocol for veterans
• Huberman notes that Ibogaine and DMT are illegal and not FDA-approved in the US and should only be used in clinical trials and research settings

Mental health framework and daily structure

Link between physical and mental health

Shipley describes how injury and inactivity led to his first mental health crisis[4:32]
• Says at his lowest point he had "no physical connection"-either down hard with injury or post-surgery-and his mental health rapidly declined afterward
• As someone who had never suffered mental health problems before, the onset was shocking and isolating
• Coming from special operations where no one talks about mental health, he felt like the only person going through it
Recovery experience showed him that physical rehab improves mental state[5:26]
• Working with strength coaches while coming back from injuries, he noticed that as he improved physically, his mental health "naturally" started to improve
• In the teams, all physical training was for the group; now he frames it as for his family and tribe

Micro-wins and morning routine

He structures his mornings to stack many small wins before coffee[5:44]
• Says his morning routine is designed so he can run the same routine anywhere, any time of day, and it all starts with an evening routine
• At night he lays out clothes, fills water bottle, sets out pills and toothbrush so that when the alarm goes off he can execute a pre-planned 12-minute sequence
• By the time he reaches his coffee, he's done about 25 controllable tasks correctly, which calms him and prevents stress
He wakes at 5 a.m. regardless of sleep time[6:31]
• Says his alarm is typically 5 a.m. whether he went to sleep at midnight, 9 p.m., or 2:30 a.m. after a red-eye
• His wife once told him he could take a day off after a red-eye; he refused, saying he was "going to work"
• He confesses he recently took five days off from working out for the first time in about 20 years when physically able, and it scared him because he fears a mental health drop if he breaks routine
Detailed sequence from wake-up to leaving the house[7:11]
• Describes waking, unplugging phone, turning off alarm, brushing teeth while using the bathroom, taking vitamin D and other pills, and getting dressed in a fixed sock/shoe order
• Even puts on bracelets in a specific order; if done wrong he takes them all off and re-dons them to reinforce control and calm
• Because everything is systematized in the evening, he can get to his car with keys, wallet, bag, gas, and fully charged phone without feeling frantic
• He gives a cascading-stress example: a 15-minute unexpected conversation with his wife can put him behind a school bus, late to meetings, rushing workout, and arriving as the person he doesn't want to be
• Goal is that when he steps through any threshold, the version of DJ presented is intentional and under his control

Mindset on waking and handling intrusive thoughts

He uses motion and focus on tasks to avoid getting stuck in rumination[7:50]
• Admits he does not always feel like getting up; he keeps pushing and stays in motion through the early sequence to prevent his mind from dwelling
• Uses a "dials, not switches" concept and says he must be selfish first thing in the morning to be selfless later
• From alarm until he unracks at 07:00 in the gym, he tries not to think about wife or kids, only about being the best possible version of himself for training and work
Time-blocking his identity across the day[8:56]
• Between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. he thinks only about work and the team, not family; after 6 p.m. he deliberately shifts into husband/father mode
• He says if someone put a hidden camera in his car for the 12-minute commute home it would "break the internet" because of his daily ritual of preparing to enter his house

Evening transition ritual and family engagement

The 12-minute commute home as mental reset[10:08]
• He parks, puts phone on Do Not Disturb, checks messages one last time, then plays calming music (e.g., Chris Stapleton) and pre-rehearses the exact sequence of interactions he'll have when entering the house
• In the car he tells himself he only has about three hours (6-9 p.m.) to be the person his family needs, and that he must be fully present as dad and husband
Scripted positive interactions on entering the home[10:08]
• Visualizes entering with bag on right shoulder, turning 90 degrees to greet his energetic 7-year-old with full affection, then greeting his older daughter in the kitchen, then checking in with his wife
• If his wife asks for practical help (fold towels, start dinner), he immediately does it to support her before she tackles homework with their 7th grader
• He makes sure last interaction in the morning and first in the evening are positive, even if he has to fake it, because the weekly total of positive moments is limited
Daily 20-minute walk with his wife[11:26]
• After dinner they do a 20-minute walk: 10 minutes for her to talk about her day, then at the halfway mark 10 minutes for him to share
• Notes that an average human can walk a mile in 20 minutes; says this walk helps circadian rhythm, digestion, mental clarity, and reconnection without phones or other stimuli
• Says they do it every night unless there is a torrential downpour, and credits it with improving their marriage, his physical health, and his ability to account for every minute of the day

Protecting focus: phone, social media, and boundaries

Managing phone use and negative inputs

Rules for communication during work blocks[16:53]
• His wife now works in the business and understands that when the camera and microphone are on, he must be left alone
• He asks people not to bring him negative news right before he records because he is not good at fully compartmentalizing on short notice
• His wife will sometimes text "when you get done today we have to talk" and deliberately withhold details so as not to rob his bandwidth; they address it during their 20-minute walk
Avoiding social media and calls before 10 a.m.[18:02]
• Used to start days by rolling over and checking Instagram, which could consume 40 minutes and let negative comments dominate his mood all day
• Now he does not take Zoom or phone calls before 10 a.m.; 7-9 a.m. is team fitness, 20-minute walk, protein shakes, shower, then at 10 a.m. he opens himself fully to work demands

Training philosophy, body awareness, and consistency

Why morning fitness is non-negotiable

He treats missing training as unacceptable regardless of circumstances[18:37]
• Will even tell friends "no" if they show up wanting to talk during his scheduled training block because he knows missing a day will haunt him and affect performance weeks later
• Points out that in the military, fire service, and special operations, days always begin with fitness and says many veterans go off the rails when they abandon that habit after transition
Arguments veterans use to quit training and his rebuttal[19:53]
• Says veterans often cite injuries, limitations, and lack of motivation, or claim there is no reason to be in shape anymore
• Counters that people say they would take a bullet for their kids but won't lose 40 pounds for them; argues longevity and everyday presence matter more
• Emphasizes simple options like daily 20-minute walks or 30-minute kettlebell sessions in the garage as powerful repeated investments

Body awareness and differentiating hurt vs injury

How long-term training sharpens internal diagnostics[21:41]
• Says after decades of training he can walk into a doctor and precisely describe where a problem is, down to inches and angles
• Credits his strength coach Vernon for spotting subtle limps and movement compensations and proactively addressing them

Becoming a SEAL and the brutality of BUD/S

Early life and entry into the SEAL pipeline

Growing up in a SEAL family[23:46]
• Born in San Diego to a SEAL father and Navy mother; his father graduated SEAL training when his mother was nine months pregnant
• Spent first four years at the West Coast SEAL teams on Coronado; says he was one of the only kids there and grew up embedded in the culture
• First baby bottle photo shows him in a SEAL Team 1 onesie
Skateboarding, early graduation, and enlistment[24:37]
• Family moved to East Coast; he fell in love with skateboarding and wanted to go pro
• After a fight with his father around age 15, his dad signed him up for summer school so he could graduate early
• He graduated at 17, entered the delayed entry program, and joined the Navy a month later; the 9/11 attacks had recently occurred

BUD/S difficulty and mental resilience

BUD/S in context with later experiences[25:53]
• Says BUD/S was definitely the hardest thing he had done at the time but not the hardest thing in his overall career once combat and later trials are considered
Self-selection and extreme attrition[26:59]
• Describes how all candidates are the biggest deal in their hometowns with huge external pressure on them to succeed
• Notes that people quit BUD/S; most are not formally dropped but self-select out despite being among the Navy's most physically capable
• Mentions a typical class might start with ~200 candidates and graduate fewer than 20
Surprising quitters and unlikely graduates[28:28]
• Says some men who look like "Captain America" or Dolph Lundgren archetypes quit within 20 minutes when faced with cold water and misery
• Others in worse shape but mentally tougher are unfazed and keep going, embracing misery
Mindset during extreme evolutions[29:30]
• On 4-mile timed beach runs, he and others often felt they would die if they took another step but would rather collapse dead than quit and face shame
• Describes surf torture in cold water: while candidates suffer and some quit, he notices teammates doing PT and children playing at the Hotel Del in the same water, using perspective to reframe the hardship
• Tells himself that enduring misery is the price of admission to wear the SEAL trident
• Admits he is terrified of heights but jumps from aircraft because everyone else does; performance anxiety and fear of being the one who says no push him through

Combat deployments, loss, and compartmentalization

Early combat in Iraq and Operation Red Wings

First deployment and pervasive IED threat[33:00]
• Deployed with SEAL Team 10 to Iraq in 2005 at age 19; describes Iraq as everything he wanted-exciting and scary with heavy IED threat
• His convoys somehow never hit an IED, while those before and after them did; he rejects narratives that their aggressive appearance scared insurgents and says sometimes it just isn't your time
Impact of Operation Red Wings deaths[34:33]
• On that deployment their SEAL teammates in Afghanistan were killed in Operation Red Wings, including those later depicted in "Lone Survivor"
• He describes it as a private 9/11 for the SEAL community; says the best and most experienced guys were killed in an instant
• As a 19-year-old who grew up in peacetime SEAL culture, the sudden reality that elites can die so quickly was very hard to process

Public awareness, extortion 17, and conspiracies

Bin Laden raid publicity and its downsides[41:55]
• After the Bin Laden raid, news media camped outside the SEAL compound and wives of SEALs were approached in public parking lots, making daily life uncomfortable and less discreet
Extortion 17 and harmful conspiracy theories[45:12]
• Explains that extortion 17 was a mission where an entire troop died when a helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan, killing 31 people including many pre-9/11 veterans with 10-12 deployments
• Calls it impossible to ever replace that level of experience; says living in Virginia Beach while people online claim it was an inside job is extremely painful for families
• Describes the damage to children who read comments saying their fathers were killed by their own government, planting doubt that can linger for life

Death of friend Nick Check and pressure on families

Hostage rescue where his friend was killed[48:36]
• After extortion 17, other squadrons filled gaps; his close friend Nick Check, with whom he went to BUD/S, was killed on a hostage rescue in 2012 where Ed Byers later received the Medal of Honor
• He calls Nick one of the purest operators and says a piece of him died with Nick and has never fully come back
Explaining risk to his wife and compartmentalizing[51:15]
• He had told his wife that constant deployment and training reduced risk by perfecting his craft; after Nick died she challenged that narrative, asking "what about that?"
• He admits the only honest answer is that it's a dangerous job; he can only control training and preparation, not fate
• To function, he deliberately removed pictures from rooms and minimized FaceTime from combat zones, walling off thoughts of wife and kids so he could run through doors without hesitation

Electrocution accident and rehabilitation with Vernon

Pre-accident context: art therapy and skateboards

Medical washout and discovering art therapy[53:45]
• On heavy meds (about 60 pills a day) including Cymbalta, Adderall, gabapentin, Lyrica, amitriptyline, Ambien and others, he was sent to Walter Reed for a med washout
• Believed he was going to a team-guy shoulder rehab but realized it was a locked neurobehavioral ward when they took his shoelaces and belongings
• Experienced severe withdrawal for about 10 days; a nurse's reaction made him realize he had no idea why he was really there
• Participated in art therapy, asked for a skateboard to paint, and a local skate shop provided blank decks for him to decorate with dark, demonic imagery as emotional release
Starting Tribe Skates and learning fracture burning[55:20]
• Best friend and future business partner Cole Fackler helped him open an LLC so skateboarding could be his art therapy and small business
• He learned "fracture burning"-using a microwave transformer and electrodes to burn branching patterns into wood, then filling them with resin over a seven-day process

Father's Day electrocution and hospital crisis

How the accident happened[56:10]
• On Father's Day 2019, while burning skateboards in his backyard with an EOD friend sanding paddles, a live lead was unknowingly plugged into an outlet box
• Believing the system was de-energized, he grabbed the leads to adjust them, closed the circuit with both hands, and was hit with a massive shock that arched his back and shattered his collarbones and scapulae
• Behind him was ankle-deep standing water from rinsing ash; the shock launched him ~20 feet across the yard still holding the leads until his friend unplugged the machine
Temporary blindness, near-syncope, and ER admission[57:11]
• When he tried to walk to his car, his vision tunneled to black over a few steps; he described it like the "five-finger death touch" from Kill Bill
• Stood blind against the side of his house shaking, then forcefully power-breathed until his vision returned, which he likened to a DMT-like hyper-vivid clarity
• In the ER his burned, smoking hands made a nurse remark she was surprised he still had a penis because electrocutions often blow off extremities
• He had exit wounds from fingers, thumb, top of head, and near his groin; shorts had caught fire from currents exiting hair follicles
Rhabdomyolysis risk and miraculous lab results[58:26]
• Transferred to a burn unit, where a doctor warned his muscles could liquefy (rhabdomyolysis) from released enzymes; if enzyme levels rose they would have to cut out muscle groups
• Because he was large and muscular, doctor said he might have to remove pecs, lats, shoulders, hamstrings, quads to save his life
• He lay in bed imagining himself being cut up, feeling anger and despair, unable to run or control anything
• The doctor returned hourly and found his enzyme markers were not climbing; after multiple checks he said there was not even a trace of the enzyme detectable, calling it a medical mystery
• Shoulders were surgically repaired with two plates and about 20 screws but no muscle had to be removed, and he was discharged the next day

Rebuilding from double slings: Vernon's role

From double slings to walking and grip work[1:00:06]
• At home in double slings with no income or job prospects, his mental health hit a new low; then strength coach Vernon came to his door and asked "what can you do?"
• Vernon had him make fists and move wrists; then handed him a 2-pound dumbbell to do wrist curls while walking, establishing that they could work grip and gait daily
Return to belt squats and full training[1:00:46]
• Once he could tolerate upper-body pressure, Vernon brought him back into the gym, having him do belt squats, lunges, and mobility while Vernon clipped and unclipped the belt because he couldn't use his arms
• Says since 2019 he and Vernon have not missed a single training session together and credits him with saving his life and being more than a strength coach-a life coach

Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT treatment and aftermath

Marcus and Amber Capone and Veterans Solutions

Marcus's decline and Amber's search for solutions[1:02:06]
• Recounts that SEAL teammate Marcus Capone, once an intimidating and admired figure, deteriorated after multiple deployments into a heavily drinking, suicidal person with "jet black" eyes
• Amber researched treatments after meditation, yoga, talk therapy and drugs failed; found Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT and told Marcus this was their last attempt before she would leave
• After treatment Marcus returned transformed, with the best version of himself Shipley had ever seen-still capable of violence but with full control over his dial
Founding of Veterans Solutions and sense of obligation[1:03:10]
• After the suicide of close friend Chad Wilkinson, Marcus felt he had been sitting on a lifesaving secret and started a 501(c)(3) to get other veterans into the medicine
• Shipley notes they have now put thousands of people, including SEALs, Rangers, fighter pilots and others, through the protocol to address trauma, addiction, PTSD, and suicidality

Shipley's decision to go to Mexico

Marital breaking point and infidelity secret[1:04:30]
• His own wife was about to leave him with their kids because of his behavior and secrets; she watched an informational video by Marcus and Amber and insisted he go if he loved her
• He agreed, thinking it would be "doing psychedelics in Mexico" with no real expectation it could fix the depth of damage and infidelity he was hiding

Ibogaine experience: childhood, empathy, and shame

Content of visions and emotional impact[1:04:30]
• He did Ibogaine four times and never had military content; instead it focused on childhood events, blowups with his parents, and then replayed similar patterns with his wife and kids
• He experienced situations from his daughters' perspectives, feeling how frightening it was when he projected venom and rage, which generated deep empathy and guilt
• Woke up feeling like a monster for how he had treated his family and was simultaneously homesick and terrified to face them

5-MeO-DMT and ego death

Repeated doses and instruction to "let it happen"[1:05:41]
• On the day after Ibogaine they administered 5-MeO-DMT from Sonoran Desert toad secretion; medical staff and team guys were present as sitters
• Guide Trevor told him whatever he thought was happening-exploding, dying, drowning-he had to let it happen and not fight it
• He did six rounds of 5-MeO; each began with screaming, convulsing, vomiting, then coming back and being sent back in
Final dose framed as suicide and resulting shift[1:06:25]
• Before the last dose, a sitter bluntly told him he wanted to kill himself and suggested he use the medicine to do it, prompting him to change his intention to fully "kill" his ego there
• He visualized inhaling a toxic vapor, felt his chest open and soul leave, everything went black then exploded into light like a starship effect, and his suffering dissolved into bliss and love
• He awoke completely sober, with hyper-vivid perception and a clear conviction that he could go home, tell his wife everything, and re-earn his place

Coming home, confession, and cutting toxicity

Wife's reaction and restoration of connection[1:07:27]
• Back home his past infidelity and misdeeds came out; he feared she would never take him back
• She ultimately pulled off his sunglasses, saw his eyes, and collapsed into his arms, recognizing that the version of him she had loved was back after 15 years away
Systematic removal of toxic relationships[1:08:06]
• Sitting on the edge of the bed with his wife, he went through his phone and blocked or deleted ~150 people, deciding never to let them back into his life
• Explains he had spent a decade trying to save those relationships, but they robbed bandwidth needed to re-earn his seat as husband and father
• Notes that Ibogaine eliminated his addictions in one shot: he quit Copenhagen dip after 17 years and even coffee for six months without craving

GBRS training program and physical standards

Rationale for an all-around fitness test

Bridging gaps in traditional screening tests[1:11:55]
• Says most military and SWAT tests are bodyweight-focused (push-ups, pull-ups, run, swim), which do not reflect real-world loads of armor, helmets, and gear
• He and Vernon designed a test such that if the weakest person on a team can pass it cold any day, the top performers will be at a truly elite, well-rounded level

Components of the GBRS fitness test

Broad jump[1:12:45]
• Requires a standing broad jump with arm swing; minimum standard is jumping as far as one's height, next level one extra foot, with elite targets around two feet beyond height
Bodyweight bench press reps[1:13:26]
• Bench press with one's own bodyweight for 10 reps (minimum), 15 (intermediate), and 20+ (elite), with full range of motion and control
Pull-ups, farmer's carry, deadlift, plank, and run[1:13:56]
• Pull-ups are strict dead hangs with chin over bar: 10, 15, and 20+ reps as tiers; weighted versions are used in teams but program standard is bodyweight due to injuries
• Farmer's carry uses total weight equal to bodyweight (half in each hand) for as much distance as possible, with elite distances approaching about 250-300 feet
• Trap bar deadlift pulls from slight elevation with bumper plates: minimum 1.5× bodyweight for 5 reps, higher tiers at 2× and 2.5× bodyweight for 5, emphasizing form and year-round trainability
• Core is tested with a plank for 2, 2.5, and 3 minutes and an 800-meter run with time standards around 3:15 down to about 2:45 for elite

Program structure and adaptability

Weekly training split with Vernon[1:15:36]
• Monday is a pull day from the floor (often trap bar deadlifts), pull-ups, grip work, and core stability; Tuesday is heavy upper-body pressing (bench, incline, etc.)
• Wednesday combines upper/lower disassociation, rotational and anti-rotational band work, plyometrics, carries, and then flat range firearms training that integrates strength concepts into shooting posture
• Thursday is a brutal leg day built around a belt squat, single-leg work and lunges, often with very heavy dumbbells; Friday is arms, shoulders, accessory work, and sometimes "feel-good" pump days
• Two to three days a week they add sprints (e.g., 10×40-50 m, 200-300 m repeats), usually at the end of sessions though occasionally before, to preserve lifting quality
Program tools: tutorials and message board[1:17:15]
• The GBRS app includes hundreds of movement tutorials filmed with Shipley and cued by Vernon, explaining details like foot pressure, joint position, and when you should feel specific muscles
• A backend message board lets participants report how they are feeling; Vernon reads patterns and adjusts future programming, including deloads after heavy blocks
• If users lack equipment or are in hotel gyms, they can use drop-down alternatives or shift days around, as Shipley himself does when traveling

Micro-wins, posture, and simple daily practices

Mental posture and physical posture

Squat analogy for mental load[1:18:55]
• Compares good squat posture under a heavy barbell to optimal mental posture-when upright and prepared, he can shoulder many life stresses without collapsing
• If he wakes late, reads negative comments, has friction at home, and gets stuck in traffic, it's like holding a bar at 90 degrees-small additional stress (like a parking ticket) can break him

Condemning passive, fetal scrolling

He argues against tweeting mental health struggles from bed[1:20:08]
• Urges people who feel like tweeting about their suffering while curled up in bed to instead go to a public place, see normal human interaction, and speak honestly to a stranger about their struggle
• Says most will not do that and will instead stay in fetal position on their phone, which he insists will not work to pull them out of depression
• Advocates movement-especially daily walks-as essential; if someone has the physical ability to move, he says they must use it rather than remaining in bed scrolling

Closing reflections and flag hat gift

Taking oneself seriously and modeling standards

Shipley's view of himself as a living example[1:21:55]
• He says anyone who meets him gets "both barrels" of the life he's actually living; he wants to be a physical representation of the accountable, high-standard American he is trying to mass-produce
• Insists that if he were 50 pounds overweight and drunk in a bar talking about mental health, no one should take him seriously; his current regimen is what gives him credibility

Power of daily 20-minute walks

He calls the 20-minute walk the gift he would give everyone[1:22:45]
• Says the 20-minute evening walk with his wife has saved his marriage and that he has given the practice to thousands of people
• Argues that if people did a 20-minute walk in the morning and evening for seven days, they would experience such benefits that they'd see the world does not fall apart when they prioritize it

American flag hats and patriotic representation

Design and intent behind the GBRS flag hat[1:24:26]
• At the end, Shipley gifts Huberman a GBRS hat with an American flag that is fully embroidered into the hat (about 24,000 stitches over 60 minutes per hat) rather than a cheap imported patch
• He says they reject mass-produced foreign flag patches and instead make limited runs for people who feel emotional hearing the national anthem and whose kids recite the Pledge of Allegiance
• Tells wearers that everything they say while wearing the hat must reflect what they think America should be; warns he would fly out and snatch it off someone's head if they let poison come out of their mouth
• Adds that while this hat is about Americans, he wants people in all countries to be patriots for their own nations and to represent them well with every interaction

Lessons Learned

Actionable insights and wisdom you can apply to your business, career, and personal life.

1

Stacking small, controllable "micro-wins" at the start and end of each day creates a stable mental posture that can absorb stress without collapsing.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What are 5-10 small actions I could script into my evenings so that my morning feels calm and under control instead of rushed and chaotic?
  • • How might a fixed wake-up time, regardless of when I go to bed, change my sense of control and energy over the next month?
  • • Which part of my current routine consistently causes a cascade of stress, and what concrete step can I take this week to redesign or remove that trigger?
2

Physical training is not just about performance or aesthetics; done consistently and deliberately, it becomes the most reliable tool for stabilizing mood, sharpening self-awareness, and preserving identity.

Reflection Questions:

  • • In what ways does my current relationship with exercise support or undermine my mental health on difficult days?
  • • How could I reframe my workouts as non-negotiable medicine for my mind rather than as an optional hobby or vanity project?
  • • What is the minimum sustainable training protocol I can commit to for the next 90 days that would measurably improve both my body and my mood?
3

Treating your roles in life as dials instead of on/off switches allows you to transition deliberately between operator, professional, spouse, and parent without dragging one identity into the next.

Reflection Questions:

  • • Where do I currently act like a "switch"-stuck in work mode, parent mode, or solo mode-even when the context has changed?
  • • What short rituals (a commute reset, a walk, a specific song, a question to myself) could I implement to consciously dial down one role and dial up another?
  • • This week, in which daily transition (e.g., work-to-home, morning-to-workout) will I experiment with a simple, repeatable ritual to change my internal state?
4

Facing deep-seated trauma and destructive patterns often requires tools stronger than your ego; under the right safeguards, intensive therapies can create the breathing room needed to confess, repair, and rebuild.

Reflection Questions:

  • • What patterns in my behavior or relationships have persisted despite my best efforts to change them with willpower alone?
  • • How might seeking structured, supervised help (whether therapy, group work, or medically guided interventions) accelerate my ability to confront and resolve those patterns?
  • • Who could I talk to in the next month about advanced treatment options that might be appropriate for my level of struggle, and what specific questions would I want to ask?
5

Maintaining high standards for your body, behavior, and associations-while ruthlessly cutting toxic influences-creates the environment in which long-term growth and service to others become possible.

Reflection Questions:

  • • If someone watched a day in my life, what would they infer my real standards are for health, work, and relationships?
  • • Which people, information sources, or habits consistently leave me feeling weaker, more resentful, or less focused, and how can I set firmer boundaries around them?
  • • What is one physical standard (a walk, a lift, a sleep target) and one relational standard (a nightly check-in, a weekly walk) I can commit to this week to raise the floor of my life?

Episode Summary - Notes by Sawyer

How to Make Yourself Unbreakable | DJ Shipley
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