Dan Cnossen: Choose Your Perspective

You can't control what happens to you in life, but you can control how you choose to respond. Today, we are joined by a true American hero who knows this all too well: former US Navy SEAL Commander Dan Cnossen. Thanks to his sheer mental resilience, Dan overcame the monumental setback of losing both of his legs in combat in Afghanistan in 2009, going on to become a seven-time Paralympic medalist, a three-time Paralympian, and the Best Male Athlete of the 2018 Paralympic Games. During our conversation, Dan shares his story and highlights the critical role that goal setting has played in his life. Tuning in, you'll find out how the intensity of his Navy SEAL training taught Dan to incorporate short-term goals and keep the fire of motivation alive, as well as how it prepared him for the challenges of turning his life around post-injury. We also discuss the powerful sense of agency that comes with choosing how you respond to events beyond your control, the importance of doing what you love, and so much more! Make sure you don't miss this inspiring interview with a man who bet on himself, put in the work, and proved to all of us that anything is possible.

Key Points From This Episode:

• What it means to Dan to bet on himself: having faith in himself and trusting the process.
• The strong values and work ethic his family instilled in him from a young age.
• A reflection on what inspired Dan’s decision to serve his country as a Navy SEAL.
• Find out how goal-setting has been a source of motivation for Dan.
• Dan speaks candidly about the moment he lost both his legs to an IED in Afghanistan.
• Unpacking the grit and resilience it took for him to overcome this monumental setback.
• How pain forced him to narrow his focus, shift his perspective, and create momentum.
• The power that can come from choosing how you respond to events beyond your control.
• What drew Dan to the cross-country skiing and marksmanship of the biathlon.
• Crossovers between his Navy SEAL training and training for the Paralympics.
• Insight into the attitude that Dan adopted when he received the Purple Heart medal. 
• What’s next for Dan as he retires from the biathlon to focus on telling his story.
• The advice he would give his 16-year-old self: do what you love!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Dan Cnossen
Dan Cnossen on LinkedIn
Michael Redd
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