Self Growth Videos Level up every area of your life
For veterans & their families DearDougCollins.com — open letters to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. The VA, on the record. Read the record →

Self Growth Videos — For Those Who Served

Veterans & Their Families

Self Growth Videos' home for veterans and the people who love them — video lessons distilled from those who served, paths for life after service, real help resources, and a door to the wider fight for every veteran.

4,278video pages distilled 18teachers & channels 5paths to walk

This hub exists for two reasons. The first is to learn: some of the clearest teaching on discipline, leadership, endurance, and judgment anywhere on this site comes from people who served — SEALs, Green Berets, Rangers, pilots, negotiators, and intelligence officers whose lessons were earned under real pressure, then distilled here into summaries and takeaways you can actually use.

The second is to help. Veterans and their families deserve doors, not just inspiration: crisis support that answers, benefits help that works, organizations that show up, and a public record that holds the VA to its promises. You will find all of that below, gathered in one place.

Everything here is free. Start with a teacher, walk a path — or, if today is a hard day, skip straight to the help section. That is what it is there for.

The teachers

The biggest veteran voices in the library.

Three channels, more than four thousand video pages — every episode with our written summary and key takeaways, free to read and watch.

Self-defense & rightsColion NoirAttorney and Second Amendment advocate whose breakdowns cover self-defense law, gun policy, media narratives, and the responsibility that comes with carrying. 2,029 video pages, each with a summary and key takeaways. Mike Drop conversationsMike RitlandFormer Navy SEAL and working-dog trainer; host of the Mike Drop podcast — long conversations with veterans, operators, and handlers, plus hard lessons on discipline, loyalty, and dogs. 1,161 video pages, each with a summary and key takeaways. Military aviationMax AfterburnerFighter pilot telling military aviation stories — split-second decisions, cockpit discipline, and what flying at the edge teaches about judgment under pressure. 1,088 video pages, each with a summary and key takeaways.

The roster

Learn from the people who were there.

Operators, intelligence officers, negotiators, and leaders — each profile connects their story to books, podcasts, videos, and practical lessons.

FNG Academy - Green Berets, Special Forces preparation, and selection mindset Green Beret preparation

FNG Academy - Green Berets, Special Forces preparation, and selection mindset

FNG Academy anchors the Army Special Forces lane: selection mindset, standards, and preparation.

Open profile Shawn Ryan Operator interviews

Shawn Ryan

Long-form conversations with special operators, veterans, intelligence voices, and high-stakes leaders.

Open profile Chris Voss FBI negotiation

Chris Voss

Tactical empathy, labeling, calibrated questions, and crisis-negotiation lessons for everyday conflict.

Open profile Joe Navarro FBI observation

Joe Navarro

Body language, nonverbal communication, baseline behavior, and responsible observation.

Open profile Andrew Bustamante CIA lessons

Andrew Bustamante

EverydaySpy, awareness, risk, influence, privacy, and decision-making under uncertainty.

Open profile Jonna Mendez CIA disguise

Jonna Mendez

Cold War intelligence stories, disguise, technical preparation, and invisible public service.

Open profile Tim Kennedy Green Beret resilience

Tim Kennedy

Failure, rebuilding, service, combat sports, and the hard standard behind a second life.

Open profile Admiral William McRaven Service leadership

Admiral William McRaven

Small disciplines, SEAL leadership, SOCOM command, and crisis-tested responsibility.

Open profile Andy Stumpf Calm under pressure

Andy Stumpf

SEAL experience, Drownproof, risk, loss, and the practice of staying steady when life goes underwater.

Open profile Jocko Willink Ownership

Jocko Willink

Discipline, leadership, humility, team standards, and the refusal to outsource responsibility.

Open profile David Goggins Mental toughness

David Goggins

Endurance, discomfort, accountability, and the inner standard after motivation fades.

Open profile Marcus Luttrell Brotherhood and survival

Marcus Luttrell

Lone Survivor, team loyalty, sacrifice, and the cost of the mission.

Open profile Bear Grylls Survival and expedition

Bear Grylls

Resilience, field improvisation, adventure, and choosing life in hard environments.

Open profile Ollie Ollerton SAS/SBS path

Ollie Ollerton

British special forces lessons in selection, endurance, recovery, and identity after service.

Open profile Jay Morton SAS SAS standards

Jay Morton SAS

Selection, service, leadership, and the repeated choice to keep moving under pressure.

Open profile

Paths

Walk it by where you are.

The full military command center, the after-service shelves, and the daily standard that ties them together.

Command centerMilitary & Special OperationsThe full military lane: unit paths, selection standards, rescue stories, and high-stakes service lessons. After serviceVeteransTransition, post-service identity, practical care, family support, and purpose after the mission. DignityWounded VeteransCare, benefits, caregiver relief, elder support, connection, and turning respect into action. Elder careElder VeteransHomebound care, aging with dignity, caregiver support, loneliness prevention, and end-of-life respect. Daily standardDisciplineThe daily standard behind every teacher in this hub: structure, ownership, and doing the hard thing first.

Get help

Real doors, not just inspiration.

Crisis support that answers around the clock, the official VA door, a directory of the organizations that exist to serve veterans and their families, and a practical toolkit for anyone who wants to help.

24/7 crisis supportVeterans Crisis LineCall 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. Confidential support for veterans in crisis and the people who love them — no VA enrollment required. The official doorVA.govApply for benefits, check a claim, find care, and manage your VA record. Benefits hotline: 1-800-827-1000. DirectoryVeterans OrganizationsEvery major veterans organization — what each one actually does, who it serves, and how a family uses it, including programs for spouses, parents, sons, daughters, and widows. Action toolkitVeteran Support ToolkitScripts, checklists, official doors, caregiver relief, home support, and a seven-day plan for people who want to help.

The wider fight

The record, kept in the open.

Learning is half of this hub. The other half is accountability: a sister site publishing open letters to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in full — and a community making sure no family's story dies untold.

The recordDearDougCollins.comOpen letters to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, published in full, with the VA's answers — or the running count of the days of silence. The VA, on the record. Add your nameSign the PetitionAsk Secretary Collins to read the record and answer it. Add your name to the public count of citizens standing behind that ask. Your family's recordTell Your StoryIf the VA has failed a veteran you care for, put it on the record — under your name, anonymously, or for the record only. CommunityTell Your Story on VideoVA Video Recorded Complaints By Vets & Caretakers — our public Facebook group, where veterans and caretakers record their VA stories on video so they live on.

Sister brand · Vacation Club Promo

All-inclusive resort stays from $435

Qualified couples: promotional Mexico and Caribbean packages at real resorts. Short presentation during your stay — enjoy the rest of the trip.

Check vacation packages Sandos Mexico deals

Qualifications apply · presentation during stay · no purchase required

Subscribe YouTube Suggest