Win the Day 270. Live At Your Limit with Dean Stott, MBE (British special forces) ⚔️🇬🇧
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." — Edmund Burke
Dean Stott served in one of the world’s most elite special forces units, the British SBS (Special Boat Service).
In a 16-year military career, Dean deployed to the planet’s most hostile environments, tackled counter-terrorism operations, and lived the unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
In 2011, a parachuting accident ended his military career, but Dean didn’t slow down. He became a world-leading security consultant, protecting presidents, royal families, and governments—even evacuating the Canadian Embassy in Libya in 2014 and rescuing over 200 people from Israel in 2023.
Then, with barely 20 miles of cycling experience, Dean set out to break two world records by biking the 14,000-mile Pan American Highway from Argentina to Alaska in under 100 days. He did it—raising over $1.4 million for mental health charities along the way.
In 2024, Dean was awarded the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire).
Dean now hosts Netflix’s Toughest Forces on Earth and SAS Australia, while inspiring global audiences as a sought-after speaker.
In this episode:
How to set—and achieve—goals beyond your wildest imagination.
The best lessons from the world’s preeminent special forces units.
How to build unbreakable resilience when everything goes wrong.
Why a better life starts with you.
🍿 Let’s WIN THE DAY with Dean Stott!
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🎬 Episode website (including 4K video, full transcript, best quotes, etc.): https://jameswhitt.com/270-win-the-day-podcast-dean-stott
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Episode links:
🎯 Download your FREE Win the Day action plan⚡ Dean Stott website
📷 Dean Stott Instagram
📚 ‘Relentless’ by Dean Stott
📽️ Dean Stott YouTube
🎬 Subscribe to Win the Day YouTube channel
💚 Give the Win the Day podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts
🙏 Give the Win the Day podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify
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Timemarkers:
00:00 Who is Dean Stott
2:00 Interview starts
2:58 How to handle the haters
7:04 The power of self-belief (how to achieve the impossible)
9:45 The #1 skill of a special forces operator
11:23 Selection for British special forces (SAS/SBS)
14:00 Special forces secret to overcoming fear
14:42 What’s the difference between the SAS (Special Air Service) and the SBS (Special Boat Service)
16:08 Be the "Grey Man"
20:16 If you don't believe that you can do it, you've already failed
21:21 What’s the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 special forces
24:02 The #1 tip for a success life (do the basics well)
25:22 What it’s like to be a Tier One special forces
26:44 Why SAS and SBS are different to Delta and SEAL Team 6
27:35 How each special forces unit is different
31:02 How dangerous are the most dangerous places on Earth
34:30 Life as a security contractor
36:20 Having a “fixer” in every region
42:46 How to prepare for violence
44:42 Transition to civilian life
46:27 Dealing with ungrateful civilians
49:26 Dean Stott parachuting accident
54:24 Going from Tier 1 operator to military contractor
57:21 Being in Libya for the 2012 Benghazi attack
59:09 Saving children from the 2024 terrorist attack in Israel
1:02:26 Never getting emotionally involved
1:05:35 How to survive your darkest moments
1:08:38 Why you need a support network
1:09:36 How to push through when you’ve got nothing left
1:11:10 How Dean Stott planned his world record
1:15:27 From the battlefield to the boardroom
1:18:02 Best tips for parenting
1:20:57 The unrelenting pursuit of excellence
1:24:20 Affirmation
1:26:01 Rocket Round
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PS — Enjoyed this episode? You'll love this one, too: Episode 250: Masters of Uncertainty with Rich Diviney (SEAL Team 6)