
Former Navy SEAL: "War Is The Most Addictive Drug On Earth" | Kaj Larsen
From Kreatures Of Habit Podcast by Michael Chernow
June 10, 2026 · 1h 18m · Episode 226
About this episode
Kaj Larsen, a former Navy SEAL, discusses resilience, leadership, and the addictive nature of war in a powerful conversation with Michael Chernow.
Former Navy SEAL, entrepreneur, war correspondent, and documentarian Kaj Larsen joins The Michael Chernow Podcast for a powerful conversation about resilience, leadership, suffering, purpose, and what it takes to perform at the highest level.Kaj shares incredible stories from SEAL training, nearly quitting Hell Week, the addictive nature of war, lessons from combat, and the leadership principles that have guided him through military service, entrepreneurship, journalism, and life. Michael and Kaj also explore modern masculinity, accountability, mental toughness, AI warfare, and why the ability to embrace discomfort may be the most valuable skill in today's world.If you've ever felt stuck, challenged, or called to become a stronger version of yourself, this episode is packed with wisdom that can help you take the next step.New episodes of The Michael Chernow Podcast drop every Wednesday at 12 PM. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction & Meeting Kaj Larsen00:50 The SEAL Team Drug Scandal That Changed Everything05:00 Doing The Hard Right Thing As A Leader10:00 Accountability, Leadership & Extreme Ownership16:45 Why Kaj Joined The Navy18:30 How Navy SEALs Actually Select…
People in this episode
Host: Michael Chernow
Guest: Kaj Larsen
Topics covered
- resilience
- leadership
- mental toughness
- modern masculinity
- war
- entrepreneurship
Keywords
- Navy SEAL
- leadership principles
- Hell Week
- mental toughness
- war addiction
- entrepreneurship
- modern masculinity
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Navy SEAL, Modern Day Knight Project, AI
More episodes of Kreatures Of Habit Podcast
- Believing In Yourself is the Key to Limitless Success | Michael Chernow | Monday Moments · June 8, 2026 · 10 min
- From Near Death at 19 to Summiting Everest with Ryan Rivard | Kreatures of Habit · June 3, 2026 · 53 min
- Why Judging Others is Causing the Male Loneliness Epidemic | Michael Chernow | Monday Moments · June 1, 2026 · 10 min
- Why Modern Men Feel Lost with Vinny Brusco | Kreatures of Habit · May 27, 2026 · 1h 7m
- Why I’m Exploring Plant Medicine After 21 Years of Sobriety · May 25, 2026 · 14 min
- Why Most Couples Fail in Business (And They Didn’t) | Ian & Margaret Wishingrad | Kreatures of Habit · May 20, 2026 · 1h 7m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Kreatures Of Habit Podcast podcast page.