Building the Elite Podcast
The Building the Elite (BTE) podcast discusses all facets of human performance - from physical training to the mental and emotional factors of resilience. Each episode looks at principles drawn from the world of special operations. These concepts help people succeed in the toughest military training courses in the world and can help anyone thrive in chaotic and challenging environments.
Building the Elite Podcast
Dr. Alia Bojilova: Curiosity and Kidnappings - Ep. 128
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Dr. Alia Bojilova is a registered psychologist with a focus on resilience.
She grew up in Eastern Europe during some of the most tumultuous times in recent history before immigrating to New Zealand at age 17. During her service with the New Zealand Defense Force, she worked as the Lead Psychologist and an Officer with the SAS.
While serving as a UN military observer in Syria, Alia and her team were taken hostage, and she negotiated the release of herself and her team.
She holds a PhD from the University of Waikato and studied the link between curiosity and resilience in special operations forces.
Since leaving the military, Alia has served as coach and advisor to leaders and teams around the world, and across a wide range of sectors, including government, venture capital, elite-level sports, corporate services, and creative industries.
She’s the author of The Resilience Toolkit, available on Amazon.
More about Alia:
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrina-alia-bojilova/
Resilience Toolkit - https://amzn.to/4fa9DZH
Timestamps:
00:22 Introduction to Alia Bojilova
01:21 Lead Psychologist for New Zealand SAS
05:35 The Link Between Curiosity and Resilience
07:51 Resilience in Special Operators
12:38 Time of Service and Involvement in SAS
14:51 What Does "Military Observer" Mean?
17:04 Assessing for Curiosity in Training
19:22 Curiosity's Distinction from Openness
31:40 Common Signifiers of a Resilient, Curious Mindset
35:40 Olympic Athletes and Special Operators
37:13 The Phenomenal Gift of Being Taken Captive in Syria
54:01 One or Two Books Everyone Should Read
55:18 Best and Worst Advice Ever Received
56:31 Outro
