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.