Sean Murphy

Sean Murphy – Navy SEAL (Ret.), Leader, Speaker, and Resilience Expert

Sean Murphy is a retired Navy SEAL with 22 years of distinguished service in Naval Special Warfare. His path to the Teams was far from ordinary—marked by early adversity, grit, and an unrelenting drive to prove he was built for more. Growing up in rural Oklahoma in a family of five boys, Sean learned the meaning of hardship early on. Living in a one-bedroom apartment with his mother and brothers, sharing floor space and food stamps, he found strength in simplicity and resilience in the struggle.

Initially without direction, Sean walked on to a college football team purely because a friend invited him. He studied criminal justice and considered law enforcement until a run-in with Army ROTC lit a fire. But it was a chance encounter with a Navy SEAL recruiting video—and the dismissive laughter of a recruiter—that locked in his mission: to become a SEAL, no matter the odds.

Sean’s journey through Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training is legendary. He endured multiple rollbacks due to injury and illness, spending more time in Hell Week than most SEALs ever experience. Where others quit, Sean adapted—learning, healing, and returning stronger. It took him five classes to graduate, but he never wavered.

Once in the Teams, Sean earned a reputation as a humble warrior, a servant-leader, and a relentless operator. He deployed around the globe and contributed to some of America’s most complex missions, including the hostage rescue of Jessica Buchanan in Somalia.

Today, Sean brings his lessons on grit, leadership, and team dynamics to corporate boardrooms, law enforcement agencies, and elite sports teams. He is the VP of Corporate Leadership at UHP, a company that designs transformative experiences rooted in real-world pressure, built to test and refine the mental toughness of leaders.

Sean’s message is simple: “You’re not born unbreakable. You become it—through adversity, discipline, and purpose.”