Deep Questions with a Navy Seal | Retired Navy SEAL, Diego Ugalde

Former Navy SEAL Diego Ugalde returns to The Jess Larsen Show for one of our most thought-provoking conversations yet. In this throwback episode, Diego opens up about the journey behind his book Leading From the Deep and the lessons he learned from BUD/S training, combat deployments, leadership, trauma, and healing.

Jess and Diego explore the realities of mental toughness, what elite performance actually feels like under pressure, and why so many high achievers unknowingly run on fear, shame, and self-judgment. Diego shares powerful stories from his SEAL career, including combat medicine experiences in Iraq, the mindset required to survive BUD/S, and the evolution of his leadership philosophy through psychedelics and consciousness work.

The conversation shifts into something deeper: identity, ego, purpose, and the idea that “love can be the gasoline” behind performance instead of fear. What follows is an honest, philosophical, and deeply human discussion about success, suffering, healing, and what it really means to lead yourself and others.

This is more than a conversation about Navy SEALs or psychedelics. It’s a conversation about becoming whole.

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