Overcoming Perfectionism and Combat Stress

Cole Grace knows danger up close. In Iraq, he spent his days disarming IEDs and dodging sniper fire. But coming home wasn't the relief he'd expected. Instead, he found himself at war again, trapped in a loop of relentless perfectionism, unexplained chronic pain, and an addiction that crept up quietly, almost unnoticed.

In this conversation, Cole opens up about the brutal reality of fighting battles you can't see. He shares how he finally confronted childhood wounds that had intensified his combat trauma and what it took to silence the inner voice that always said he wasn't enough. If you've ever felt stuck in your head, lost in your own pain, or wondered if peace is even possible, this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

• 01:00 - Facing bombs and bullets in Iraq
• 08:45 - How combat fuels relentless perfectionism
• 20:30 - Addiction, chronic pain, and medical dead-ends
• 28:15 - Rewiring trauma without the BS
• 35:45 - Finding peace after chasing success

Links & Resources

• Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1
• Follow Cole Grace on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@cgrace21

Transcript

View the transcript for this episode.