#409: How Special Forces Stay Calm Under Pressure

Mar 10, 2026

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Simon Jeffries is a former Royal Marines Commando and Special Boat Service (SBS) operator, who served on multiple combat deployments in Afghanistan. His career in UK Special Forces involved operating in some of the most physically and psychologically demanding environments in the military, where the ability to perform under extreme pressure is non-negotiable.After leaving the military, Simon founded The Natural Edge, where he now works as a performance coach, helping leaders, athletes and high-performing professionals develop the mindset, discipline and operating systems required to perform consistently under pressure.Drawing on lessons from Special Forces selection, combat operations and performance psychology, Simon teaches individuals how to regulate their nervous system, sharpen their thinking and build the habits that allow them to show up as their best selves every day.Timestamps:0:00 What Does “Consistent Under Pressure” Actually Mean?1:15 How Special Forces Test Performance Under Pressure3:10 Why Pressure Reveals Who You Really Are4:20 Fatigue Makes Cowards Of Us All5:08 The Hidden Ways People Sabotage Themselves Under Pressure6:45 Reacting vs Responding To Stress8:17 How To Train Emotional Control10:30 Training Your Mind Like A Muscle11:54 The “Stop – Pause – Respond” Technique12:20 The Minimum Effective Dose For Mental Discipline14:25 How Special Forces Train Emotional Regulation15:39 How Emotions Can Ruin Your Life16:20 The 95/5 Rule For Life And Success18:50 Small Daily Habits That Transform Performance21:00 The 60-Minute “Freedom Gap” That Changes Your Day22:50 Discipline As An Operating System24:00 The Habits That Put You In The Top 5%26:48 Why Motivation Is Overrated27:03 The Power Of Your “Why”29:20 How To Stay Consistent When Motivation Disappears31:00 Identity, Discipline And Showing Up32:04 Tough Body Or Tough Mind For Special Forces Selection?33:00 Why You Actually Need Both34:00 Why Strong Bodies Still Fail Selection35:30 How Simon Trained For Special Forces Selection38:00 Talent vs Hard Work42:36 The Military Unit Harder Than Special Forces45:20 Final Thoughts On Discipline And MindsetConnect with Simon:IG - https://www.instagram.com/the.natural.edge/The Natural Edge - https://thenaturaledge.comLinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonjeffries/Connect with us:https://freedompact.co.uk/newsletter (Healthy, Wealthy & Wise Newsletter)www.Instagram.com/freedompactwww.twitter.com/freedompactpod Email: freedompact@gmail.com https://Tiktok.com/personaldevelopment