Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

John Gretton “Jocko” Willink was a real-life Navy SEAL (short for Sea, Air, and Land), a US special forces unit that has long enjoyed a reputation for physical and mental toughness and has been involved in several high-profile missions—e.g., the killing of Osama bin Laden, the architect of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, in May 2011. Willink was highly decorated as a SEAL, earning (among other awards) the Silver Star, the third-highest award in the US military. Among his fellow soldiers was Chris Kyle, depicted by Bradley Cooper in the 2014 film American Sniper. The novel’s description of Uncle Jake bears a physical resemblance to Willink, and Willink voices Jake in the audio version of the book, implying the extent to which Willink’s experiences in the SEALS served as inspiration for Way of the Warrior Kid. 

After retiring from the Navy in 2010, Willink moved first into the field of leadership consultancy, offering to help businesses and other entities motivate their employees and produce better outcomes. This venture led to Willink’s first book, Extreme Ownership: How the Navy SEALs Lead and Win, which summarizes how the methodology and ethos of the SEALs might prove applicable to various aspects of civilian life. Willink then expanded into the wellness industry, selling a “Jocko” brand of supplements and energy drinks, which he has promoted through such venues as the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. In 2015, Willink launched his own podcast, The Jocko Podcast, where he and various guests discuss everything from topics related to the military to various forms of life advice. With nearly 2 million subscribers to his podcast, an episode of the series MasterClass, a jiujitsu gym in San Diego, live events, apparel, and a series of New York Times bestsellers (including Extreme Ownership as well as Leadership Strategies and Tactics), Willink has quietly developed a media empire.

The Warrior Kid series, of which Way of the Warrior Kid is the first volume, is part of this franchise. As with his other ventures, the books apply the lessons of being a Navy SEAL to ordinary life, this time the life of a young person. Where the first volume acquaints its young protagonist, Marc, with the basics of personal discipline, mental and physical strength, and perseverance, subsequent volumes offer lessons on dealing with adversity, becoming more mature, and managing one’s wants (Uncle Jake is there to help every step of the way). The fourth volume, Way of the Warrior Kid Field Manual, still fits within the series but is more of a self-help guide than a straightforward narrative and is geared toward a slightly older audience than the original volume (roughly late middle to early high school). The Warrior Kid series has also expanded into a coloring book, poster book, podcast, online training course, and other media designed to help readers become warrior kids themselves. A newer series, Mikey and the Dragons, written by Willink with his frequent illustrator Jon Bozak, is written for an even younger audience and is less obviously affiliated with the Navy SEALs but still carries the same lessons of courage and belief in one’s abilities.