I Was a Navy SEAL, a Firefighter, and Still Fell Off Track. Here’s What Finally Got Me Back.

In this episode, I open up about something most high-performing men don’t talk about… the slow drift into mediocrity.

I share the moment I realized I had fallen off track — not in fitness, but in standards. As a 13-year Navy SEAL and firefighter, I’d been through the most demanding environments you can imagine… but none of that protected me from slipping into comfort, distraction, and autopilot.

You’ll hear what finally snapped me out of it, the system I used to regain my edge, and how I now coach other men to do the same inside the Rebuild the Man program.

If you’re a man over 35 who’s strong on the outside but slipping on the inside… this one’s for you.

🔥 DM “REBUILD” @thehighlyeffectiveman on Instagram to join the mission 

or visit HigherLevelCoaching.co

Chapters

• 0:09 Welcome to Highly Effective Man
• 0:52 When the Standard Slips
• 1:34 Building the Highly Effective Man
• 2:58 Taking Action and Rising Above
• 5:25 Episode Closing and Next Steps

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:09

Welcome to the Highly Effective man podcast, hosted by former Navy SEAL turned life and fitness coach. I'm your host, jp Bolwan. This podcast is your resource for unlocking the healthiest, most productive and highly effective man within you. Let's go what's up, guys. Welcome back to the Highly Effective man podcast. This is for men who want more, more strength, more energy, more purpose. I'm JP Bolwan, 13-year Navy SEAL, veteran firefighter and the coach that men turn to when they're ready to level up and perform at their highest level physically, mentally and in life.

Speaker 1: 0:52

So today's going to be a little bit different. Okay, no tips, no tactics, just the truth. I want to tell you about the moment that I fell off track and what finally got me back, because here's the truth when the standard slips, so does the man, and I've done things that I'm proud of. Right, I've made it through buds. I became a Navy SEAL, played college football in my 30s and I've coached guys all over the world in CrossFit, weightlifting, even in health and fitness, but none of that mattered the day that I looked in the mirror and I thought what the hell happened to me. I wasn't broken, but I also wasn't me. I was drifting, just going through the motions. I look strong on the outside, but I was slipping on the inside. When the standard slips, so does the man. You know, after the SEAL teams, I thought, man, I'm going to crush civilian life right.

Speaker 1: 1:59

I did some real estate, I sold some homes multimillion dollar homes, taught fitness, I traveled the world, played rugby, but I lost something. I had no mission, no team and no real fire. I looked the part. I still trained hard, but I was coasting. I was sleeping in, skipping on like the little things, letting little things slide, and I knew it. The scary part is that I knew better, but I let the standard drop anyway.

Speaker 1: 2:35

One night I stayed up late just watching junk on YouTube. I wake up the next morning late, feeling off. My day was already slipping. My kids needed me, my wife needed me, I wasn't locked in and that was it. I'd become average. So I stripped it all back, started looking at my morning routine. Hard training, tight discipline, got clarity on who I wanted to be, not just what I needed to do. I didn't need more motivation, I needed to operate with mental authority. And that's when the highly effective man was born. And I'm not just preaching this, I live it. I coach it. One of the guys right now in my rebuild, the man program is already down 11 pounds, and that's not even the best part. He said JP, I've got an extra three hours in my day now and it almost feels wrong, like I should be doing something else. And I told him I'm like man, that's a blessing. People pay for that, but you know what happens when you raise your standard for that. But you know what happens when you raise your standard your life expands, your energy comes back and you remember who the hell you are.

Speaker 1: 3:53

Being a highly effective man isn't just about fitness. It's about ownership. This is about taking your life back in your body, your mind and your mission. He's commanding, not with ego, but with presence, follow through and results. He leads himself first, then others. He doesn't chase motivation. He runs systems. He has a body that's built for battle, a mind that's built for adversity and a mission that's bigger than himself. That's who we're building. That's what this is all about. Mind that's built for adversity and a mission that's bigger than himself that's who we're building. That's what this is all about. When the standard slips, so does the man, but when you raise your standard, your whole life rises with it. And if this hits you and you know it's time to take action, then DM me the word rebuild or head to higherlevelcoachingco and fill out an application.

Speaker 1: 5:07

I work with a small group of driven men who are serious about rising above average and they want to build a mission-driven life. You're not too far gone gone and you're not behind. You're just one decision away from a whole new standard. Thanks for listening to the Highly Effective man podcast. If this episode fired you up, share it, leave a review and send it to a man that needs to hear it. Let's sharpen the blade and remember when the standard slips, so does the man. But that's not you, not anymore. I'll see you on the next one. Let's go. Thank you for listening to the Highly Effective man podcast. If you enjoyed or learned something on this episode, do me a favor and share this with somebody who you think needs to hear it. And one last thing if you want to work with me as your coach to help you get fit, be more productive and, in general, just be the most effective version of yourself, head over to my site, higherlevelcoachingco. Once again, that's higherlevelcoachingco and schedule a call with me there. Thank you again, let's go.