Ben Shortreed | The Blueprint for Unbreakable Mental Toughness

Fireworks took his hand — but not his purpose.

In this episode, Josh Kosnick sits down with Ben Shortreed, a Marine Corps veteran, entrepreneur, father, and 2025 Superhuman Man of the Year. What began as a backyard party ended with Ben losing his left hand in a freak fireworks accident. What followed was even more brutal: unbearable phantom pain, opioid dependency, an identity crisis, and a battle with suicide.

But this story isn’t about suffering — it’s about the blueprint for mental toughness that Ben forged in the fire.

Inside this raw and transparent conversation:

 • The night that changed everything
 • Facing down phantom pain and addiction
 • How fitness helped him reclaim his identity
 • Fatherhood, faith, and finding purpose through adversity
 • Why he joined the Bridge Builder Mastermind
 • What “no excuses” actually looks like

🔥 Want to transform your body and mind?

Mention Ben Shortreed’s name and get $500 off the Supra Human program: https://suprahuman.com

⸻

⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Ben’s mindset after the accident
01:03 – Fireworks, addiction & phantom pain
07:10 – Rebuilding post-trauma
13:41 – Phantom pain: the silent battle
16:27 – Business, identity & purpose
23:49 – Finding Supra Human
28:24 – Real transformation begins
31:09 – Fitness as identity
40:33 – Escaping painkillers
42:49 – Goals, growth & fatherhood
48:18 – Mastermind power & competition
51:56 – Action as the cure for anxiety
56:30 – Faith, regret & God’s plan
01:02:14 – Family, legacy & mental health
01:03:44 – Veterans, hormones & mission

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes featuring top business minds, elite performers, and leadership experts.

Connect with Josh Kosnick: https://linktr.ee/joshkosnick

#SpartanLeadership #Leadership #BusinessSuccess #Mindset #Entrepreneurship #SelfImprovement #Podcast #JoshKosnick #SpartanMindset