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Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability

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What is sustained optimal performance?

Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability

Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, speaking with podcast host Aleksandra King on The BEYOND Podcast. Derrick McManus says STAR Group trains its people to operate at 100% all the time, yet with two severed arteries, sustained optimal performance meant slowing his heart rate and breathing.

McManus was shot 14 times and spent three hours on the ground. This is where he names the philosophy he now teaches, and it turns on a distinction he says saved his life. Special forces training sets a particular expectation about output.

I've come up with a philosophy of sustained optimal performance.

Derrick McManusFormer South Australian Police STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability

Slowing down let him keep thinking, and he started for the next corner of the house, away from a glass door that left him exposed. His legs collapsed within a few steps and he crawled on, pistol in one hand, weaker all the time.

Watch this moment37:19 (opens in a new tab) In the episode
Quote from Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast: “We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the time.”
Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND Podcast.
We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the time: a short video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND PodcastShort video · 0:46
We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the timeA short video from Derrick McManus on The BEYOND Podcast · the moment in the episode

Cite this page Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, “What is sustained optimal performance?”, at 37:19 in conversation with Aleksandra King, The BEYOND Podcast, 21 May 2026. Sourced.media. https://sourced.media/questions/what-is-sustained-optimal-performance/ (permanent identifier https://sourced.media/id/C_NGZNF7V8RE)

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Derrick McManusGuestAleksandra KingHost

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Human Durability

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Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND PodcastPhoto1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND PodcastPhoto1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND PodcastPhoto1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND PodcastPhoto1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND PodcastPhoto1:1Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, in conversation with Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityAleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, with Derrick McManusPhoto1:1Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, in conversation with Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityAleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, with Derrick McManusPhoto1:1Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, in conversation with Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityAleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, with Derrick McManusPhoto1:1

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The process is universal. A short video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast0:33The process is universal. · Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityShort video9:16We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the time: a short video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast0:46We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the time: Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityShort video9:16If you're getting shot, it's quite acceptable to fall over. A short video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast0:29If you're getting shot, it's quite acceptable to fall over. · Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityShort video9:16Everybody in our office started going, Adelaide, Adelaide. A short video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast0:38Everybody in our office started going, Adelaide, Adelaide. · Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityShort video9:16The majority of the day was a very ordinary day. A short video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast0:56The majority of the day was a very ordinary day. · Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityShort video9:16

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Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus and Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastGroup photo1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus and Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastGroup photo1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus and Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastGroup photo1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus and Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastGroup photo1:1Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastDerrick McManus and Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastGroup photo1:1

Videos

The synopsis video of Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, in conversation with Aleksandra King on The BEYOND Podcast14:53The synopsis: Derrick McManus and Aleksandra King on The BEYOND PodcastVideo1:1

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Quote from Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast: “We're all excited, but we are risk managers, not risk takers.”“We're all excited, but we are risk managers, not risk takers.” Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityQuote image1:1Quote from Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast: “I'm hit, I'm hurt, but I can still shoot.”“I'm hit, I'm hurt, but I can still shoot.” Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityQuote image1:1Quote from Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast: “We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the time.”“We are trained to operate at 100%, 100% of the time.” Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityQuote image1:1Quote from Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast: “If I'd just gone into pessimism, I've been shot, my life's going to be terrible, I wouldn't have had the strength to keep on fighting.”“If I'd just gone into pessimism, I've been shot, my life's going to be terrible, I wouldn't have had the strength to keep on fighting.” Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityQuote image1:1Quote from Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human Durability, on The BEYOND Podcast: “A brave person has predictable actions. A coward is not predictable.”“A brave person has predictable actions. A coward is not predictable.” Derrick McManus, former STAR Group officer and founder of Human DurabilityQuote image1:1Quote from Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, on The BEYOND Podcast: “How many of us don't have wills?”“How many of us don't have wills?” Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastQuote image1:1Quote from Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, on The BEYOND Podcast: “We're all in danger all the time.”“We're all in danger all the time.” Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastQuote image1:1Quote from Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND Podcast, on The BEYOND Podcast: “It's business as usual to get called to this high-risk situation that's going on.”“It's business as usual to get called to this high-risk situation that's going on.” Aleksandra King, host of The BEYOND PodcastQuote image1:1

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Derrick McManus: Shot 14 Times in a Police Siege

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