Ex-Special Forces Ray Goggins on How to Build Mental Toughness #podcast #raygoggins

How do you build mental toughness and remain calm when everything around you is going wrong? Former Irish Army Ranger Wing operator Ray Goggins joins The Mind Full Podcast to explain what years in Special Forces taught him about fear, resilience, teamwork and performing under extreme pressure. Ray is a former Army Ranger, Special Forces instructor and familiar face from RTÉ’s Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week. He is also the author of Ranger 22: Lessons from the Front. In this episode of The Mind Full Podcast, Ray shares the reality behind mental toughness. It isn’t about pretending you are fearless, pushing yourself until you collapse or barking motivational slogans into the mirror. It begins with knowing why you are doing something, believing you are capable of doing it and learning how to regain control when pressure takes over. Ray talks about: Failing his first Special Forces selection course The purpose and self-belief that brought him back seven years later Why mental toughness is built through other people, not just within yourself Special Forces selection and combat-diver training The breathing technique soldiers use to control fear Surviving a major explosion in Afghanistan Returning from high-pressure environments to ordinary family life Emotional control, self-forgiveness and asking for help Why younger generations aren’t inherently less resilient Helping children develop resilience by allowing them to make mistakes Ray also explains why genuine mental toughness includes self-awareness, rest, emotional honesty and knowing when something needs to be dealt with. If you’ve ever struggled with pressure, self-doubt, anxiety or the fear that you’re simply “not tough enough”, this conversation offers a much more useful way of looking at resilience. Let us know in the comments: what helps you reset when pressure begins to take over? 🎧 LISTEN TO THE PODCAST: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4NbeTDv... Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Acast: https://shows.acast.com/the-mind-full... SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE EPISODES Season 1 ➡️    • Season 1: The Mind Full Podcast   Season 2 ➡️    • Season 2: The Mind Full Podcast   Season 3 ➡️ https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... Season 4 ➡️    • Season 4: The Mind Full Podcast   📘 ORDER THE BOOK – ‘Busy & Wrecked’: https://dermotwhelan.com/best-selling... 💻 MORE FROM DERMOT: Website: https://dermotwhelan.com/ Free Meditations: https://dermotwhelan.com/meditate-wit... Instagram:   / dermotwhelanofficial   Live Shows: https://dermotwhelan.com/tour-dates/ SUBSCRIBE for more honest, entertaining conversations about meditation, mental health and finding a slightly calmer way through life. #MentalToughness #RayGoggins #TheMindFullPodcast TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Can anyone become mentally tough? 02:17 Why Ray failed Special Forces selection 05:35 Winning in your head first 09:27 The power of belonging to a team 12:01 The different personalities under pressure 15:37 Why mental toughness isn’t an individual pursuit 19:32 The reality of Special Forces selection 23:28 Combat-diver training pushed to the limit 27:02 Why humour matters in extreme environments 28:01 Staying composed when lives depend on you 31:02 Surviving an explosion in Afghanistan 37:15 The pressure of peacekeeping missions 39:34 Returning from military to family life 43:08 Self-forgiveness is part of mental toughness 45:14 The routines that protect your mental health 48:36 The toughest environment Ray experienced 49:29 Controlling emotions without burying them 51:48 Has the Army left macho thinking behind? 54:08 What Special Forces can teach ordinary teams 55:56 What if you don’t know your purpose? 58:36 Are younger generations less resilient? 01:00:24 Letting children make mistakes 01:01:11 Would Ray accept one last mission?