Why Shawn Ryan Almost Didn't Graduate From BUD/S

About this video

Ritland interviews a former Navy SEAL who recounts his experience joining the Navy and going through BUD/S training in classes 240 and 241. The guest shares stories about getting performance-rolled after failing the first phase exam, hallucinations during Hell Week, and where he was on 9/11 recovering from hernia surgery. He describes choosing East Coast SEAL teams and his early awareness of what the attacks would mean for his career.

Key takeaways

• The guest recounts being performance-rolled from BUD/S class 240 to 241 after failing the first phase exam due to partying instead of studying after Hell Week
• According to the guest, common Hell Week hallucinations he experienced included seeing a tidal wave in calm water and mistaking dolphins for sharks, causing him to jump out of his boat
• The guest describes learning about the 9/11 attacks while recovering from hernia surgery, noting it took time for the magnitude to sink in and he first recognized the seriousness through his family’s reactions

Episode details: published October 5, 2025 · 54.6K views · 16:01 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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