Jocko Willink's message is sweeping the nation! His bio is below, but basically, he has been a leader of men and in charge of training some of the world's elite special forces units. Since serving in the military Jocko has launched a leadership consulting firm, become an author and has one of iTunes top new podcasts.

His message matches the attitudes and beliefs that I believe in and we are trying to instill in our young athletes at Blue Star.  Having trained and commanded some of the world's top operators, in life and death situations, Jocko is an authority on what makes or breaks performance. 

I was introduced to Jocko through his book Extreme Ownership, which he co-authored with former Navy Seal Leif Babin. Using real-life examples from combat and business, Babin and Willink detail how personal accountability lends towards leadership and the creation of victory. 

I highly recommend this book to parents and players. No matter what profession you are in, or sport you play, the lessons from this book are highly valuable. I listened to the audio version of the book as read by the authors. They are amazing story tellers and when you hear them speak, you know they are the real deal. 

Since reading the book, I have been listening to Jocko's podcast, Jocko Podcast and following him on social media. Some of the major slogans that resonate with me are the concepts of: "Get After It," "Discipline Equals Freedom," " Prioritize and Execute," and more.

After reading the book, you will understand what these concepts fully mean. 

Jocko is highly active on social media, using the platforms to communicate with his readers/listeners. Jocko has regular questions and answer sessions on the podcast and Twitter. Not knowing if he would ever answer, I posed the question, "What is the number one thing you recommend young athletes focus on to reach their dreams?" This was the question that if answered, I felt, would give the best possible advice to our guys. Jocko's experience training in Brazilian Jiu Jit Su and commanding SEALS in battle made him the perfect person to put a young athlete's focus on what is most important. 

The answer was clear and concise. It was surprising, but at the same time, it wasn't a surprise. Jocko's answer had depth and breadth within three simple words: "Read and Study."

After listening to Jocko's book, podcast and following him on social media; it is clear to me that this means a little more than the obvious. At first glance, the objective seems clear: "Do a great job in the classroom," which is true. Looking deeper into this, it does just have to be the classroom. In typical, Jocko Get-After-It-Spirit, he means EVERYTHING!!! Read up on and study everything that interests you!!! Know more and attack everything you do!!! Your hobbies, your sports, your school work. Dive into and get after it all! For example, if you love surfing, learn everything about it. Read books on surfing, find videos, talk to other surfers, seek knowledge and apply it. Have fun and don't hold back.  Get outside of your comfort zone and ATTACK your passions and dreams!

This is a concept that applies to everyone and Jocko highlights it frequently for adults. For teenagers and younger athletes, this can be one of the most valuable lessons to learn. Think about it and break it down;

Discipline (refers to self-discipline) = the practice of training yourself to obey a code of behavior.

Generally speaking, this means doing the right thing consistently regardless of convenience. Sometimes you don't feel like studying, sometimes you don't feel like working out, sometimes you have to try to get rides to the gym... Do you find a way to get it done, do you have self-discipline to do it when it's not easy? 

This equals freedom. 

The clearest way to see this when you are young is through the leniency that your parents giveth or taketh away. When you put in the work, discipline yourself to study, do all of your homework, go to bed on time and so on, you do well in school. If you show more responsibility and accountability in your daily life, how do you think that would change your relationship with your parents? Put in the work, see the results, earn your freedom. This differs greatly from when you are doing poorly in school, needing help getting up each day, and/or not doing your homework. The discipline that you apply to the little things creates the results that you want to achieve and directly contribute to your freedom. 

JOCKO WILLINK is author of Extreme Ownership, a decorated retired Navy SEAL officer, and co-founder of Echelon Front, where he is a leadership instructor, speaker, and executive coach. Jocko spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, starting as an enlisted SEAL and rising through the ranks to become a SEAL officer. As commander of SEAL Team Three's Task Unit Bruiser during the battle of Ramadi, he orchestrated SEAL operations that helped the "Ready First" Brigade of the US Army's First Armored Division bring stability to the violent, war-torn city. Task Unit Bruiser became the most highly decorated Special Operations Unit of the Iraq War. Jocko returned from Iraq to serve as Officer-in-Charge of training for all West Coast SEAL Teams. There, he spearheaded the development of leadership training and personally instructed and mentored the next generation of SEAL leaders who have continued to perform with great success on the battlefield. During his career, Jocko was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and numerous other personal and unit awards. In 2010, Jocko retired from the Navy and launched Echelon Front where he teaches the leadership principles he learned on the battlefield to help others lead and win. Clients include individuals, teams, companies, and organizations across a wide-range of industries and fields.