Former Navy SEAL officer? Number one New York Times best-seller? Co-founder of a leadership development consultancy? Leif Babin has achieved it all. His career and life journey has been characterized by staunch discipline, amazing resilience, and unwavering commitment to leadership. Just who is this remarkable man, though? Let’s unravel the layers of a man whose impact extends far beyond the battlefield.
Leif Babin, born December 30th, 1976, is a former Navy SEAL, public speaker, co-founder of Echelon Front leadership development company, and New York Times best-selling author. He is close friends with his former Navy SEAL teammate Jocko Willink, and the two still collaborate closely together with their company – Echelon Front – and co-authored Discipline Equals Freedom and The Dichotomy of Leadership.
At the heart of Babin’s identity is his outstanding military career, serving his country as a Navy SEAL. Known for their elite training and unbreakable spirit, SEALs display extreme discipline and resilience, which helped Leif hone his unique perspective on leadership.
Former Navy SEAL: Leif Babin’s Military Career
Leif Babin’s military career began after graduating from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1998. From there, he served for four years in the Navy before becoming part of the elite SEAL teams. His time in the SEALs saw him achieve the role of platoon commander for Team Three’s Task Unit Bruiser, where he not only planned but led major combat operations.
One of the most significant of these was the Battle of Ramadi, in which Leif’s team supported the Army’s 1st Armed Division “Ready First” Brigade to achieve victory. This was just one of the many accolades that Leif and the Task Unit Bruiser team secured on their way to becoming the most highly decorated unit in the whole of the Iraq war.
His last tour saw him deployed to Iraq once again, serving as Operations Officer and Executive Officer for the SEALs, and after returning from the battlefield, Leif left direct combat and became the primary leadership instructor for all new graduates coming through the intense SEAL BUD/S training course. During this role, he helped to reshape the training processes to better reflect the modern world, ensuring new officers were fully equipped for the enormous challenges that they would face.
For his incredible achievements, leadership, and approach, Leif was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Silver Star, and a Purple Heart. During his time, he learned the importance of maintaining the highest standards of discipline, working as part of a team, and mental and physical toughness.
Co-founding Echelon Front With Jocko
After leaving military service in 2011, Leif joined forces with fellow Navy SEAL Jocko Willink, his former teammate. The two had a clear vision of using their skills and understanding of leadership to help others understand what it takes to lead others, using the combat-proven principles from their time in the SEALs.
With that, Jocko and Leif founded Echelon Front. The name itself epitomizes their vision, with Echelon meaning a group or unit acting in a disciplined and organized manner and Front being the forward line of battle.
Working with everyone from athletes and veterans to global corporations, Leif, Jocko, and the rest of their team help to nurture the vital skills, training, and discipline required to build a high-performance team.
Customizing each training session to the specific needs of the client, Echelon Front fosters a culture of teamwork and accountability, working across single and multi-day workshops. Leif and Jocko also regularly host speaking events and strategic advising sessions, becoming a beacon for those looking to drive success in their respective fields.
Also see: Who is Echo Charles? Jocko’s Co-Host and BJJ Buddy
What is Leif Babin’s relationship with Jocko Willink?
Both former Navy SEALs and now co-authors and company founders, Leif Babin and Jocko Willink, have a long and deep friendship. The pair met while serving, with Jocko being Leif’s boss while he was the senior platoon commander in Task Unit Bruiser. Sharing those unique experiences that come from the battlefield, the two became very close friends, bonding over their service and shared interests.
That connection extended beyond the battlefield, so when Leif retired from military service, he joined forces with Jocko to launch Echelon Front. While they both have strong visions, they often align, admitting that they very rarely disagree on their goals.
Leif has also been on of the most frequent guests on the Jocko Podcast, sharing his experience, leadership, and stories to contribute to the podcast. And Leif is also one of the biggest supporters of Jocko’s renowned supplement line of protein powders, energy drinks, and vitamins.
Jocko GO Energy Drink – KETO, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Electrolytes (Amazon)
Also see where Leif Babin lands on the list: The 15 Greatest Jocko Podcast Episodes of All-Time
Babin Wrote Two New York Times Best-Selling Books
If highly decorated tours in Iraq and launching a highly successful leadership consultancy were not enough, Leif Babin and Jocko Willink have also co-authored two critically acclaimed and New York Times best-selling books:
Extreme Ownership
The first of these books was Extreme Ownership, which was released in 2015. The book is about taking extreme ownership as a leader and understanding how to remove your ego, improve communication, and boost morale. The book was inspired by Jocko’s own experiences in Iraq, where a fellow Navy SEAL was tragically lost in friendly fire. I’ve read this book and it really changed my perspective and attitude:
Extreme Ownership by Leif Bain and Jocko Willink (Amazon)
The Dichotomy of Leadership
The second book, The Dichotomy of Leadership, was released in 2018 and builds on the themes of the previous book and explores how military principles can apply in a corporate setting. The book uses tales direct from the battlefield and case studies from Echelon Front to showcase how business leaders can build strong teams.
The Dichotomy of Leadership by Leif Babin and Jocko Willink(Amazon)
Leif Babin’s Hobbies, Diet, and Workouts
As with a lot of former Navy SEALs, Leif maintains a very disciplined lifestyle, focusing on fitness and healthy eating. Every day, he still wakes up before dawn, and follows a strict fitness routine – even while on the road, if he cannot find a gym he will do an intense workout in his room.
Of course, while fitness is important, Leif also likes to ensure he eats well. A quick browse through his Instagram channel reveals a variety of health drinks, delicious food, and special supplements to boost the body.
Leif is an avid outdoorman, frequently participating in bowhunting, fishing, and surfing. He likes to bowhunt with Jocko, highlighting that their friendship extends beyond just working together – they spend quality time together. Surfing is also one of Jocko’s favorite hobbies, and Babin has shown that he has some skills too.
Does Leif Babin Train BJJ?
Yes, Leif Babin is an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and frequently trains at Jocko’s Victory MMA & Fitness club in San Diego, California. It is a little unclear what belt Babin currently holds, but his Instagram clearly shows him wearing a blue belt as of December, 2023:
Has Leif Babin Been on Joe Rogan’s Podcast?
No, Leif Babin has not yet been on the Joe Rogan Podcast. It is a little puzzling why he hasn’t been on there yet because of his close friendship with Jocko and that he has been on Jocko’s Podcast many times. And combined with Rogan’s propensity for having former Navy SEALs on his podcast, fans can remain hopeful that Babin will someday soon be a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast.
Also see: 8 Navy SEALs on Joe Rogan’s Podcast: Jocko, Goggins…
Leif Babin’s Best Quotes
“Culture is the ultimate form of decentralized command because when people understand the culture, understand what you’re about, understand what you’re trying to do, they’re gonna be able to step up and lead, and make decisions so they can achieve that vision. And accomplish the mission and win.”
“Partial ownership doesn’t work. If you are only taking part of the blame, then you are still blaming someone or something else, and since you can only control you, this means you aren’t fully committed to owning the problem and the solution to fix it. When you don’t fully own the problem and the solution, the problems don’t get solved.”
“As long as you’re blaming everybody else and not taking ownership, you’re never going to actually be able to solve the problem.”
“Extreme ownership is humbling because it’s all your fault – (no) everything is your fault – but it’s liberating because everybody makes mistakes and all you gotta do is take ownership of those mistakes and find solutions for it to fix those mistakes.”
“When you don’t know what to do, you have to detach, this is how you prioritize and execute. That detachment is all powerful. But, just make sure that you don’t get too detached. So, find that balance between being detached and not being too detached.
Also see: The 15 Best Jocko Willink Quotes on Discipline
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