WMH Season 5 Ep 2: Pushing Past Your Mental Limits
This is a transcript of Watching Mental Health Season 5, Episode 2 which you can watch and listen to here:
Katie Wachter: Hi everyone and welcome to another episode of Watching Mental Health. And I am excited because today's episode is a little bit different, but I think still really an important conversation when it comes to mental health. And I am joined today by JD Tremblay, and he is an ultra-endurance triathlete who's achieved amazing things, including recently completing the Epic Decca.
Which is an accomplishment that only three people in the world have been able to attain. So I'm gonna ask more about that. but JD is more than that. He's a military veteran, an engineer, a first responder, and an endurance athlete who has spent his life really learning how to build the kind of mental fortitude that's needed to carry you through not just extreme physical challenges, but also everyday ones that most of us are quietly battling, things like depression.
depression doesn't leave after you climb the mountain. He says it's how you cope with it that changes your life. And so his memoir, Hunger for More in Life, is a must-read for anyone who's wanting to learn more about how to set and reach goals. It's an inspiring story about how to overcome those mental as well as physical obstacles, no matter what. And today on Watching Mental Health, we're gonna be talking about.
What it takes to develop the mental fortitude that you need for success, both
JD Tremblay: Yeah.
Katie: in life and in maybe in more extreme places, why it's important for high achievers to be looking at their mental health. And, you know, how life in the military and as a first responder can impact mental health, why it's important to be thinking about that in these various careers and situations. And so with that, welcome to the show, JD.
JD: Yeah, thanks for having me, Diddy.
Katie: Thank you so much for being here. And I always like to kick off every show by just asking to tell us a little bit more about you know, your journey and kind of what brought you to this line of work. And usually I ask it in the terms of mental health, but you know, for you, I kind of want to ask, you know, what made you decide to, you know, write that memoir? What made you decide to start talking about these topics like mental success and mental fortitude and resilience and
why it's important to be thinking about your mental health when you face these different you know, extreme challenges in life.
JD: Yeah, that's a great question. for me it was after the Epic Decca, a lot of people were asking me how was I able to accomplish that feat. And apparently the answer is not it's natural or I I I just did it. yeah, I I had to give them a a clear plan and I wanted to share some insights about the the feat.
And that they could apply it as well. So I I decided to write a book about it, with some advice, and that's how it became a a bestseller in three different languages and I was not expecting that, yeah.
Katie: That's amazing. So the book really hit home, it sounds like. It it resonated with people.
JD: Yeah, at first we we had a lot of people reach out try thinking that it was only for triathletes because there is a triathlete on the on the cover. they thought that it was only for and then a lot of people were thinking that it was for athletes or about them and and then the more that people read it, it was about the mental struggles that everybody has. And so you don't have to be an athlete to
Have these mental struggles and these barriers in your life that are preventing you. We all have these certain challenges and these mental blockages. And so I give some concise advice on how to overcome.
Katie: That's really cool. And I mean, I I think that it's really cool because you walk the talk. And so before I get much further, what is an epic Decca? Tell our our audience, you know, what is that and you know, why why is it so hard to to accomplish?
JD: Yeah. so the Epic Deca, it's a triathlon, triathlon, which is three sports into one. So swimming, biking, and running. There is there are different distances within a triathlon. And one of them is that people might be familiar with is the Olympic distance, and another one that people might be aware of is the Ironman. So they might have a friend or
Katie: Okay. Mm-hmm.
JD: co-worker and I've done an Iron Man. The Iron Man consists of 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling, and then you follow it up with a full marathon. All in do one event. So for the epic Decca, Decca that stands for 10 in in Latin, it's 10 Iron Man distance in on 10 consecutive days.
Over the course of six Hawaiian islands. So not only do you finish one Iron Man, but then you pack your items, you fly to the next one, and then you compete or complete another Iron Man distance, and then so on and so forth until you reach the final island and then you complete 10 Ironman. So there are there were 10 people registered for this feat because of the logistics, they were only allowing 10 people.
Six people showed up on the start line and only three people in the world finished. So I I'm one of three I'm one of those three that completed this this event.
Katie: That's such an accomplishment. so my next question is, you know, what during those long hours, you know, in those long days, you know, what kept you going? Like what what is that mental fortitude that someone really needs to keep going through a challenge, right? To keep going through an obstacle.
JD: well it's about looking at it from the a map perspective. So if I give you, Katie, a map and I tell you here's a treasure, here's a certain amount of money that is hidden,
Katie: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
JD: I don't tell you exactly on the map where is that treasure and I say go.
And what would be your first step? Well, your first step would be to understand where you're at on the map. Like, what are the abilities that you have? What are the tools that you have? And many people in life are just going through the motion in survival mode and trying to get through with finances or in their relationships, not really understanding what they're good at.
What are their attributes? How are they created? What's your purpose? So understanding where you're at on the map is important. The second one is understanding what what is the treasure that you're seeking. What where is that treasure? Or at the very least, in the vicinity of where are you where are you looking at on the map?
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: So that you can go to the third step, which is a direction.
So for me, my direction was completing the epic deck. I was not competing. I just wanted to finish this event. So I gave I understood what I was capable of. I understood what the mission was. And I gave myself a direction and a clear, concise direction as to where I would go toward that goal.
So
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: for me, there was no turning left or turning right, having some mental blockages along the there was none at all. I understood what the mission was, it was clear and concise in my head. I had to complete that event, no matter the cost. I was controlling all the variables that I could, and God had to deal with all the variables that I couldn't.
handles. That's how I did it.
Katie: That's really interesting because you know, you you really can
JD: It's
Katie: apply those three steps to life, right? Not just not just with
JD: Mm.
Katie: extreme sports, but with anything, right? You think about where are you, you know, in your relationship, in your career, what's that treasure you're looking for, where do you want to be, right? And then how do you get there? And kind of what do you need to to make that happen. So I think that's a really cool visual, to be honest.
JD: Well, that's what I used in my life, right? And then I I wrote in my book, it's if your goals don't scare you, then set the bar higher. So I place those goals high as I can, and then I give myself directions, and then I understand what I'm capable of doing. It's scary, but there is success on the other side of something that you have to overcome because it requires a certain level of courage.
And people have always admired s people that use courage to achieve certain feat. May it be that it's having a long lasting marriage or accomplishing certain feats and yeah as a police officer or firefighter or in other or or a military person. So
Katie: Yeah, that's that's really cool. I I think that's important to to think about. And I had my next question lined up, but I was really into what you were saying. but but as far as you know high achievers go, you know what why is it important to because I think a lot of my audience is probably maybe high achievers, right? They they have big goals that they're going after. Why is it important to be thinking about, you know, mental health along the way?
especially in terms of things like depression or burnout, or even if you're in, you know, sort of an extreme career that maybe can have some PTSD, like why is it important to be thinking about those things a as somebody who who is a high achiever?
JD: Well well s it's the same system as to understand where you're at on the map. If for instance you understand that you haven't slept in f three days or four days, or you haven't slept well, let's put it this way, after four days
Katie: Sure.
JD: you're having hallucination. so if you haven't slept well in over three, four days, or maybe longer, then you understand that sleep might be at the top of
The pyramid in terms of what is required for the journey. It's not necessarily just having the direction, having the goal, having the discipline every single day, and knowing that you really want or having these affirmations and telling yourself about the treasure and reminding yourself with sticky notes. And it's also about resting. So understanding that where you are at, because you mentioned three
major ones that are out there, dreamer major mental struggles. You mentioned depression, you mentioned burnout, and you also mentioned PTSD. PTSD is
Katie: Yeah.
JD: in the nervous system and and nervous dysregulation now many people might be misusing it also but
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: there there is there's a depressive state and Dr. Jordan Peterson elaborated what
Depression is and it's a repetitive cycle. So he's saying it, that it's a repetitive cycle of negative behaviors that are not in alignment with your goals, and that creates a certain level of depression. So
Katie: Wow.
JD: when you're looking at guys that are not in the right job for many,
Katie: Mm.
JD: many, many years, and then they're
Their relationships are eroding, their family relationships is in chaos, their entire life is in disorder, then eventually you will end up having a certain level of depression, no matter how high of an achiever you are. And then the burnout portion very often has to do with the energy regulation of the body. So understanding that your body is requiring rest, your body is is.
Okay. I I'm not against energy drinks, but an overindulgence of this so-called drug of these
energy drinks types that's
Katie: Right. Mm-hmm.
JD: where the the the problem lies if you're doing an ultra event and then you're kicking back some Coca-Cola or some
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: other as sugary drinks then that might suit what is required for that event but then going and operating a heavy machinery
You might not necessarily need that. What you might need is more on the lines of a detox of all of the chemicals that are surrounding you on a work site. somewhat
Katie: Mm.
JD: like a I'm using a blue-collar analogy, but so
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: so again, sometimes the the the burnout is a is some is simply an energy regulation. So
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: it's understanding that.
You're always going to be brought down back back down to the level of training that you have. that is at the the the highest level of training that you have, you'll always be brought down back to that highest level. So it's up to you to make sure that you are trained to the best of your abilities in that capacity that you are. Hence why for the Epic Decca, for me, it just required.
an extra level of training to be ready to complete that fee.
Katie: Sure. Yeah. Wow. That's that's very insightful. It sounds like you, you know, I mean, you know a lot about kind of each of these. how have you and it and it also sounds like depending on your situation, right, the tools and how you get it's different, right? We've and we've kind of established that, but maybe, you know, when you're feeling a little bit off in, you know, your next goal, right? And that that work towards that next goal, kind of what do you do to
kind of try to get yourself out of that burnout mode or out of that depression mode. Does it come down to mostly rest? It sounds like rest is really important. are there other tools that you use too?
JD: Yeah, there are there are many tools. one of them is simply a mindset tool where you have to understand that if it's something that is negative that happened to you, then to transfer the negative into something constructive. So there is negative into negative where you have something negative happen to you. And we're looking at it from let's say the lands of a guy who has a breakup. Okay, he really liked the girl and
something happened where now they're broke they they broke up. So it's negative. Now if he turns it into a negative, he starts drinking.
Katie: Mm.
JD: So nothing wrong with drinking. Okay. I I I take a drink once in a while, but drinking
Katie: Sure.
JD: for that specific purpose might in you might ensue some behaviors that are not conducive to the growth that you are seeking.
Katie: Right.
JD: In the
event in in the long term. So it turns a negative into a negative. That's just an example. Now the guy goes through the exact same breakup, it's the same guy, and he says, I'm gonna turn it into a positive. And so you go to therapy and then you start thinking everything positive, and then you just release it to the to the environment, or then you you put it on a piece of paper, and then you tear it apart and you throw it in the water.
And then you just think positively, and then you just well, thermodynamic proves that turning a charge from one state to another without doing any work. So changing something from a negative to a positive requires work, and there is also a loss somewhere that is even greater, as if you would transfer it from something.
negative to constructive, which is completely different. So
Katie: Interesting. Mm-hmm.
JD: that guy now is just thinking positive like with her, which eventually doesn't ensue to something great because they broke up for a reason. So now he's thinking positive. When he meets her, he wants to get back with her, which might not be the solution. In maybe
Katie: Right.
JD: it is, but maybe it isn't in his case. Now transferring something from negative to constructive is completely different. What you're doing is
You're saying, what do I need to survive in this world? And so this guy always wanted to have a a great body, be in shape. And so this guy now goes to the gym. So whether
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: he thinks negatively about the situation and says, this girl, and then he calls her names in his head, he still works out, which is constructive.
Katie: Mm.
Mm-hmm.
JD: Now, if he thinks positively and he says, I miss her so much, I'm thinking positive, he's still going to the gym, which is constructive
Katie: Right.
JD: towards the goal that he wants to achieve for his life. And so that's transferring something negative into something constructive.
Katie: Mm.
JD: And that mindset can carry you a long way.
Katie: Wow, that's really interesting. I've actually never heard that before and I've heard a lot of different tools for this. So that's really, really cool. And I think just yeah, that, you know, it's just a change in mindset a little bit, right? It's changing in how you are approaching something and taking control of what you can.
JD: Yeah, definitely.
Katie: That's very cool. I just yeah, so let's switch a little bit. I want to talk a little bit about the military and first responders, about your experience. and you know, in the past we haven't talked so like I know when it comes to the military, we've talked quite a bit about military and PTSD. I find that first responders haven't really d been discussed as in regards to mental health as as much as they are, I think, post pandemic, I would say.
that people are really kind of recognizing the work that they put in and so just talk to me a little bit about your experience there and you know why it is important to you know have self care, to have rest, right? To have mental health, to avoid burnout when you are in these types of careers.
JD: well it's important to be fit because of two reasons. One is if you are gonna be in the position of a person that is going to perform that duties, you want to reflect it as as if we would flip the tables and you were in distress, would you want that person to go and save your life?
And if the answer is no, then you have a problem and then
Katie: Hmm.
JD: you should fix it. And that fix can come sometime from the regulation, which is the second part, where it's important to be physically fit and mentally fit, because once you can do these tac when once you are having certain stimuli that are oftentimes extreme.
Then you're able to regulate your system much faster than other people. So
Katie: Mm.
JD: we're we're seeing an increase with PTSD, and it has nothing to do with the amount that people are seeing, but more so on the decrease of the level of training that people are ready to see and to regulate their system towards
Katie: Wow.
JD: these types of
Towards these types of stimuli. Because if we look at it, we look at the statistics of World War II veteran, we look at the statistics of Vietnam. That was that was a shocking experience, just just reading through the history of it. Those
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: guys like picture this, okay? You're you're in Vietnam and you have to go.
and smell burning bodies and and and and torch those bodies on on top of that
Katie: Yeah.
JD: and you have to stay in that trench smelling it sometime for weeks at a so
Katie: my gosh. Wow.
JD: you're reading through it and there is a significant amount of guys that came out of world war two
And even less in World War II, but well per capita than than in Vietnam that came back and had less PTSD than what we have today. And so we have to ask the question as to is the system really helping, or is it compounding the effect that we have on mental health?
Katie: Hmm. That's really interesting. Yeah, and I mean you're right, the numbers are higher today. It feels like our veterans, you know, in some ways get less support. I'm not sure how our first responders, you know, do.
JD: Even less.
Katie: so yeah, you know, and and so that's
JD: Yeah, even less.
Katie: tough. Like these are these are people who are our front lines, right? Who are going into the fire quite literally. And they really do need more support than what they're getting.
JD: Yeah, exactly. Well, you need the right tools. That's that's
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: the idea. You need the right tools and the right mindset to achieve the task that you have been called to do. If that is your purpose. There are guys that are highly claustrophobic and become firefighters and perform very well and still go through tight spaces. Why? Is
Katie: Yeah, right.
JD: because they are doing the mental training that is required.
prior to going into a storm. So once you're in the storm, you understand the complexity of it. And then once
Katie: Mm.
JD: you'coming out of it, then there is a form of of reward. That's not to say that you will not have I did have all of those symptoms of waking up in the morning up in the morning, waking up in the middle of the night and
You have those night sweat, your entire sheets are drenched.
Katie: Sure.
JD: and it's not like you went to the pool of anything, or you or I have some sudation problem. it and then you have those flashbacks, of car accident. It it's that you're able to regulate your system and yet you're able to operate at another level. You understand that there are
That these might happen to you, but you understand how to regulate your system. So it's the tools that are important and the practical
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: aspect because you can get lost into a system just talking about your feelings, which talking about your feelings will not get you to overcome PTSD and and and burnout and all of these. It won't. there I I have yet to see a
anyone overcome any of these by just sitting on a chair and talking about their feelings. That's that's not how how it has been doing. There are some practical aspects if you're talking about it. there is a reward system talking about it. And then there are some the the there is a a a debriefing somewhat but what happened very often
in even even as firefighters very very very often you go through an operation and then as you go back to the s fire station you just put your bunker or put your put your gear into the the washing machine or you you just wash it and then you're
Katie: Mm-hmm.
JD: just going through the motion there's no form of debrief which just removes those tools
So it's not about talking
Katie: Hmm.
JD: about the feelings and the emo like it's talking about the the action plan. Essentially the briefing or the debriefing. There's a there's a briefing portion where you're training for the task and there's a debriefing portion where you must understand what went wrong and how can you fix
Katie: Yeah.
JD: it. And that is the key.
Katie: Wow. That's really that yeah, that's really interesting. And I think that that's pretty spot on, right? Like I think there's a time and a place for talking, but it should be structured and in a way, you know, for for things like this, like yeah, briefing and debriefing and other tools are needed. It can't just be talking about your feelings. It's gotta be applying other tools in order to work on your mindset, your burnout, your energy levels, all of it matters.
JD: Exactly. Those guys see back then knew each other. They were talking about their family, they were talking about their likes, their dislikes. there was some form of brotherhood. Very often,
Katie: Yeah.
JD: even nowadays, in in some fire station, you see the guys they're just going through the motion or just getting the paycheck and then there's no form of of cohesion. I'm not saying all firehouses are like this. that that's not what I'm claiming.
I'm not saying the entire military
Katie: Sure.
JD: is like that. What what I'm saying is that there's a a form of division that has been placed now where everybody just fits into these categories or these groups and are are not a band of brothers anymore. And so there is no sense of unity and when you don't understand how the person in front of you that is holding sometime your life in their hand.
Katie: Right,
JD: Where you're
Katie: right.
JD: holding a hose, you're having a fire, and oftentimes you don't even see anything. It's completely pitch black. And the guy behind is the only one that sees because he has the thermal camera. So he's the
Katie: Wow.
JD: only one that sees what's going on. And and so you have to rely on the guy behind you, and somehow he doesn't even know anything about you.
Or what if you have the guy's life in your hand and you don't even know how he's gonna react because he's going through a divorce? Or he's going through that breakup that I was talking about. And because he's going through that breakup, now he's having some mental struggles that might put other people at risk. So those
Katie: Yeah.
JD: are are certain key factors. So again, it's not about talking about feelings. I don't wanna hear about people's feelings when people talk when when when we
Half circles and guy I leave. I I don't have to talk and I don't have to hear about them. What I want to talk about is action plan, how we're going to move and ha what is going on in your life. Those are things that I can relate to and I can understand,
Katie: Mm.
JD: not just feelings. Feelings is an is an experience of life. Because there are some fires, you get there, and there was a time one time.
Big car accident. I'm laughing because it's insensitive and because I can talk about it now, I guess. You get there and you get these these cars and they're piled up and
And I'm happy. I like I'm excited. I'm genuinely excited. And I remember planting my feet before and understanding I I have to hide my smile because
Katie: Mm.
JD: I I I I'm happy. So again, these these these feelings are completely erratic. They're they're
Katie: Sure.
JD: they might be out of place and they might be not in alignment with the situation that is happening.
But despite me touching a a door and feeling
Katie: Mm.
JD: sad or feeling happy, people need firefighters to break down that door to go save someone's life. And so they need an action plan and they need to understand w how can I get to that treasure.
Katie: Yeah. Yeah. And they need the you know, support and what that looks like for them. So a brotherhood, a village, right? The tools, the mindset. So yeah, I think all of that really matters. And, you know, we forget about a lot of these things. So I'm glad that we're talking about it now. before we go, I just have one last question and really it's yeah, well, maybe it's a twofer. so I would say, you know,
First is, you know, what was would be kind of the biggest lesson that you took from your experience in the Epic Decca? And second is, you know, do you have any other kind of big, you know, plans coming up, big goals that you're working towards again?
JD: Yeah, the big lesson that I learned in the Epic Decca was definitely that I had to focus on
the task at hand, not
Katie: Mm.
JD: necessarily comparing myself to others because comparison or I believe it's Emerson that said that comparison is suicide. And so it's by by comparison you're not aligned b with your own values and therefore decreasing your value and what you can provide to the world. Because we all have something different to provide.
the big plan that we're working on right now is well the the next race is this Sunday actually. So it's I'm assuming this this episode won't be released until then. But it's on Sunday, so we're racing for children and it's we're I'm doing a high rocks. So it's
full high rocks in firefighting gear with the tanks and that's to raise funds for the children's
Katie: Wow. That's amazing. That is so cool. Your life is really you know, interesting and and it just sounds like, you know, you're always kind of doing something really extreme and it makes you happy. You seem like such a happy person. And so I'm really glad to have you on the show and to, you know, show an example of, you know, what mental fortitude really looks like and, you know, how anybody can kind of follow some of these tools that you've given us.
JD: Yeah, yeah, you're right. Anybody can there's nothing special
Katie: That's right.
JD: about J D. I just decide I'm gonna live in faith rather than in fear. And that's it.
Katie: Yeah.
JD: So I try to be as courageous as I can be. It doesn't mean that I don't live with certain mental struggles. It just it just means I'm I'm human and I make mistakes and anybody can live through these mental struggles and and get much better.
at handling those difficult situations. So yeah, thank you very much, Katie, for having me on the on the show.
Katie: Absolutely. Yeah, that's beautiful. And for anybody who maybe wants to see your journey or read your book, how can they get in touch or follow you to learn more?
JD: Yeah, it's Hungry Warrior Academy dot com is our website. And then we're on all social media as well, under Hungry Warrior Academy.
Katie: Very cool. Very cool. Well thank you. And then where can people get get your book if they're interested?
JD: Yeah, it's on it's available on Amazon, hunger for more.
Katie: Okay.
Perfect. Awesome. Yeah. So I think we're all on Amazon these days. well, thank you so much again for coming to the show. you know, your story is really beautiful and I think that you the advice is really gonna hit home for a lot of our audience. And thank you to everybody for listening to another episode of Watching Mental Health. And we will see you next time. Have a good one, everyone.
