John 'Shrek' McPhee Reveals How Psychologists Test Tier-1 Candidates

About this video

Ritland’s guest recounts being recruited for Delta Force selection in 1996 by a buddy who gave him little notice to take a PT test. The guest describes his experience going through the selection course, emphasizing its fairness, self-reliance requirements, and precision in measuring candidate performance. He shares practical advice about foot care, discusses the psychological screening process, and reflects on appreciating being treated like an adult where performance was entirely on him.

Key takeaways

• The guest attributes his Delta selection to an informal recruit by a friend already in the unit, with no advance warning or detailed information about what he was getting into
• According to the guest, Delta’s selection process is meticulously measured and fair, with psychological screeners having strong track records after decades of experience
• The guest’s practical tip: immediately address blisters and foot problems on the spot rather than powering through, which he credits as key to his success during selection

Episode details: published August 26, 2026 · 361.5K views · 30:23 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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