Way of the Warrior Kid

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

John Gretton “Jocko” Willink was a real-life Navy SEAL (short for Sea, Air, and Land), a US special forces unit that has long enjoyed a reputation for physical and mental toughness and has been involved in several high-profile missions—e.g., the killing of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in May 2011. Willink was highly decorated as a SEAL, earning (among other awards) the Silver Star, the third-highest award in the US military. Among his fellow soldiers was Chris Kyle, depicted by Bradley Cooper in the 2014 film American Sniper. The novel’s description of Uncle Jake bears a physical resemblance to Willink, and Willink voices Jake in the audio version of the book, implying the extent to which Willink’s experiences in the SEALS served as inspiration for Way of the Warrior Kid. 

After retiring from the Navy in 2010, Willink moved first into the field of leadership consultancy, offering to help businesses and other entities motivate their employees and produce better outcomes. This venture led to Willink’s first book, Extreme Ownership: How the Navy SEALs Lead and Win, which summarizes how the methodology and

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