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In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dakota Meyer, a former sniper in the U.S. Marines and a Medal of Honor recipient. In today’s episode, we dive deep into some topics which haven’t been brought up before on the podcast. You will hear Dakota’s journey through trauma from his time in the military and things he has tried to overcome it and what he is currently working on. 

As the conversation kicks off, Dakota shares some insight into his latest liquid nutrient IV business venture Dash IV. Taking IVs in the military is a common occurrence, and the idea came to him while he was in the Marine Corps. One of Dakota’s greatest pleasures in life is watching others succeed, which is the goal of this company and their team. The idea is very much in line with the values of Nick and BPN, who advocate for health and wellness over peak performance. Dakota speaks of his own issues struggling with nutrition and the biggest lesson he learned from it, which is that you can’t outwork a poor diet.

Then, they discuss how detrimental stress can be on the body, affecting cognitive ability, performance, sleep and more. Dakota believes that where you really challenge someone, rather than asking them what their goals or priorities are, is when they are asked what they are willing to sacrifice to achieve the goal. The bigger the goal, the more sacrifice it’s going to require, which Nick is a prime example of. Dakota urges everyone listening to really examine your daily activities and the people in your life to determine whether they are truly adding something of value.

Dakota believes the vindictive, angry and darker side of his personality is what drew him to the military. On a trip to Mexico, he experimented with DMT and had the realization that he no longer wanted to bring back the person he was before. The people who have nothing to turn to after leaving the military are the ones who have the hardest time. Often, people are so overwhelmed by the world’s negativity that they can’t even focus their attention enough to look internally. Instead of focusing your attention on the broader world, Nick urges listeners to focus on positive impact within your immediate circle. Dakota recently became a firefighter and speaks of the selfless and kind nature of the people there. Initially, he joined as a volunteer during his free time, but it was meeting the guys which inspired him to join the crew full time.

Next, Dakota dives into the trauma, terror and sacrifice involved when serving in the military, which is often overlooked by outsiders. It is a feeling that could never be replicated or understood unless you’ve experienced it first hand. He says we have to start humanizing things again, be more thoughtful and relearn how to connect. Then, he dives into the difficult expectations put upon him as a recipient of the Medal of Honor. Everyone, himself included, is ultimately searching for something and learning along the way. Today’s cancel culture only inhibits people from making mistakes and growing from them, turning people into robots who are afraid to do or say things that may go against the grain of what is deemed “correct”. 

After you die, it isn’t what you had that will be remembered, but how you treated others and what you did for them. Nobody is guaranteed a future or the opportunity to do good later on. You have to take the opportunity you have, right now. Dignity changes the world. The harder a transition, the more growth that is taking place.

Timestamps:

00:05 Introduction of today’s episode and guest

10:38 - Dakota’s latest business venture, Dash IV

14:17 - Performance vs. health and wellness.

18:35 - The effects of stress on the body 

24:50 - What are you willing to sacrifice in order to achieve your goals?

28:44 - Reexamining the people and activities in your life.

35:00 - The experience that opened Dakota’s eyes to the person he was vs. who he wanted to be moving forward.

50:05 - Living your life by your own standards

55:47 - Why Dakota started working as a firefighter.

58:25 - The trauma and sacrifice of being in the military often overlooked.

1:05:30 - The expectations involved by receiving the Medal of Honor.

1:07:45 - Discussing today’s cancel culture.

1:12:05 - The importance of having dignity and doing the right thing, right now.

Links:

Learn more about Dakota Meyer.

Learn more about Dash IV.

Learn more about Bare Performance Nutrition.