In a world that pushes for comfort, the path to true strength is paved with self-imposed hardship. Navy SEAL instructor and survival expert John Barklow joins Robert Sikes on the Savage Perspective Podcast to reveal the secrets to building unbreakable mental toughness and the life lessons learned from hunting adventures. In episode 856, discover the mindset required to not just survive, but thrive in the wild and in life. Learn about tactical survival systems, the gear that actually matters, and why every man must seek challenges to forge resilience and become harder to kill.

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Subscribe to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/42cjJssghqD01bdWBxRYEg?si=1XYKmPXmR4eKw2O9gGCEuQ

Chapters:

0:00 - Why Modern Men Need to Hunt 

0:39 - John Barklow's Mission to Make You Harder to Kill 

1:18 - The Philosophy of Becoming Harder to Kill 

1:42 - How a Navy Diver Became a SEAL Team Instructor 

3:02 - How Special Operations Survival Systems Are Built 

4:34 - What is a Survival System? 

5:21 - The "Sharks in the Water" Mentality of Elite Teams 

5:52 - How to Build Discipline with Daily Hardships 

8:02 - Is "Societal Cancer" Making People Weak? 

9:30 - The 9-Month Cold Shower Challenge for Mental Toughness 

12:53 - Why Every Man Needs to Experience The Hardship of a Hunt 

14:46 - The Biggest Mistake Young Men Make Today 

15:43 - The Real Reason for Doing Hard Things (It's Not About Suffering) 

17:38 - Why "Maintenance" is a Myth: You're Either Growing or Decaying 

18:40 - Leading by Example: How to Set the Standard 

21:35 - A Beginner's Guide to Tactical Survival 

22:32 - Tree Stand vs. Spot and Stalk: Which is a Better Hunt? 

26:00 - The 3 Ways Your Body Loses Heat (And How to Stop It) 

29:55 - The #1 Mistake People Make That Ends a Hunt Early 

32:30 - The Perfect Pack Weight for a Backcountry Hunt 

39:05 - The 3 Non-Negotiable Pieces of Gear for Any Environment 

43:23 - What is a "Possibles Pouch" and Why You Need One 

46:17 - The 7 Critical Capabilities of a Survival Kit 

50:06 - The Truth About Modern Hunting Gear "Systems" 

52:00 - How to Build a Complete 8-Piece Cold Weather System 

59:07 - Why John Barklow Joined Sitka Gear 

1:04:28 - Is Hunting Becoming More or Less Popular? 

1:10:59 - Why Hunting is a Critical Family Heritage 

1:13:01 - How Hunting Connects You to The Food You Eat 

1:16:31 - Why Even Vegans Should Experience a Hunt 

1:18:29 - The Real Off-Season: Why Elite Hunters Never Stop Training 

1:20:02 - Where to Find John Barklow