Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon is a trained counselor specializing in the psychology of behavior change, with certifications in motivational interviewing, solution-focused therapy, DBT, CBT, and trauma counseling.

She’s the author of numerous books and accredited nutrition, sleep, stress, and recovery courses. She is our go-to performance psych, working one-on-one with many of our clients to sharpen the mental and emotional skills needed to handle some of the toughest training courses in the world.

In this episode, we’re talking to KSD about the coaching work she does with active and aspiring operators, focusing on the central themes and patterns she often uses to help people excel in their careers and become more capable and resilient.

Learn more about working with KSD: https://www.buildingtheelite.com/performance-psych-coaching/

Follow KSD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stumptuous

Timestamps:
00:23 Introduction to Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon
01:12 Common Themes in Special Operations Selection
03:42 Getting Distracted by Misconceptions
08:11 Paradox of High Standards While Facing Setbacks
13:36 The Vulnerability of Overthinking
18:53 The Concept of Self-Compassion
25:11 The Value of Coaching Yourself Positively
30:25 The Concept of Fun - Do it Seriously, Don't Take it Seriously
38:09 Weaving Fun into Intense Training
43:07 Appreciation of Nature and Disasters
47:03 Training That's Too Strict Can Steal Joy from Life
49:58 The Concept of Competition
54:43 What Does Neurodivergence Mean?
1:00:46 Distinguishing Between Self-Deficits or Neurological Differences
1:06:22 Behavioral Red Flags within Military Tactical Populations
1:12:36 Strategies for Those that Fall into a Neurodivergent Category
1:16:16 What is Stimming and What Does It Do?
1:18:53 The Impact of Time Spent Alone Doing Something Meaningless
1:24:44 Dr. Krista Scott-Dixon's Book Recommendations
1:26:23 Outro