“If you grind and put the work, you can get to anywhere you want to go. Nobody’s gonna stop you but yourself.” - Daniel Rivera On this episode of Got Your 6, Tony interviews Daniel Rivera, a United States Marine Corps veteran, wrestler, writer, producer, actor, and stuntman. A professional wrestler, he is known as Danny Limelight in New Japan Pro Wrestling and as Riv in Major League Wrestling. Danny is passionate about inspiring others, especially veterans, to work on and achieve their dreams no matter what, just as he did for his pro wrestling goal. He firmly believes in the importance of hard work to achieve success, as he consistently aims to be “the most hard working and most innovative talent in the room.” Danny was previously with All Elite Wrestling. He has been featured in several podcasts and has appeared in some films, including his own short film, Joe Riv (2021), which recently won 6 awards in the Hollywood Dreams Film Festival. ----- 01:15 – Introduction 01:53 – Producing, stunt directing, and writing the award-winning short film, Joe Riv 08:26 – The film bagging 6 awards in the Hollywood Dreams Film Festival 11:01 – Lessons learned from the Marine Corps: hard work and “selfless” leadership 13:08 – Learned filmmaking by trial and error/ Working on a Joe Riv full-length film 15:09 – His inspiration: Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson 16:14 – What his teacher told him on career day back in kindergarten 17:20 – How his wrestling character came to be 19:22 – The challenges of chasing his dreams while juggling being a new father and being on active duty 21:01 – His professional wrestling journey: From Impact, New Japan, AEW, to Major League Wrestling 22:09 – The impact of the pandemic on his wrestling career 23:04– On setting the bar high for her daughter and other Latinos 24:01– His biggest failure / bouncing back from failure 25:28 – He strives to be better every day by holding himself accountable ----- Here is how to connect with Danny Rivera: https://www.twitter.com/DannyLimelight (Twitter) https://www.instagram.com/dannylimelight/ (Instagram) https://www.tiktok.com/@dannylimelight (TikTok) https://www.cameo.com/dannylimelight (Cameo) https://www.prowrestlingtees.com/dannylimelight (Merchandise) ----- Connect with Tony: https://www.thetonynash.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-tony-nash/ (LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/thetonynash/ (Instagram) https://twitter.com/theTonyNash (Twitter)

Got Your Six with Tony Nash

027 Chasing Your Dreams from the Battlefield to the Squared Circle with Danny Rivera

“Find ways to contribute your time to something that gives you energy and makes a positive difference in the world.” - John Crowley On this new episode of Got Your 6, Tony Nash talks to US Army veteran John Crowley about his time in the military, his leadership icons, his transition from service to working towards a dual degree at Harvard, resiliency amid failures, and the power of volunteering. John Crowley is the president and COO of Steel Hearts, a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring fallen graduates of service academies. While being a full-time joint degree graduate student at Harvard, serves as the head of military affairs with Legacy, a digital fertility clinic for men. ----- 01:15– Introduction 02:24 – His transition from Army officer to full-time Harvard graduate student 03:07– Things he did in the military that he continues to do today: drink coffee, treat people with dignity 04:51 – How finding right role models can go a long way 05:35 – Why he has so many mentors from different stages of his life 06:45– The importance of authenticity in a leader 08:16 – His failures that have shaped who he is today, including failing at the start of his military journey. 10:26 – Resiliency amid failures: refocus, recalibrate, rebuild confidence 13:27 – The ongoing partnership between Steel Hearts and Paintru to paint every US service academy graduate killed in action while serving during the global War on Terror. 16:15 – Why he joined Steel Hearts: He could not afford to donate money, so he contributed his time. 17:35 – His work with Legacy and why it is high time to talk about male fertility issues 20:58– John says he is better than yesterday because of constant learning opportunities. ----- How to connect with John Crowley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-p-crowley/ (LinkedIn) E-mail https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLaSw7kXj5Z6xs8A6PuUC8w (YouTube) ----- Connect with Tony: https://www.thetonynash.com/ (Website) https://www.linkedin.com/in/the-tony-nash/ (LinkedIn) https://www.instagram.com/thetonynash/ (Instagram) https://twitter.com/theTonyNash (Twitter)

026 Finding Role Models in Every Phase of Life with John Crowley

Listen as Tony Nash talks to US Marine Corps veteran and entrepreneur Brendan Aronson on the value of networking and consistency. Brendan Aronson is the co-founder of https://paintru.com/ (Paintru), an online platform that lets people order high-quality custom art. An advocate of veterans as entrepreneurs, he says they are a perfect fit as they are uniquely ambiguous. After all, veterans are trained to find a way to win every single day – one of the military lessons he carries with him today, courtesy of https://www.amazon.com/Message-Garcia-Life-Changing-Classics-III/dp/0937539651 (A Message to Garcia). “To run a business requires a broad array of skills. There’s no tactical advice. There’s a lot of trial and error, looking online, and asking for help along the way. Having that Message to Garcia mentality that I don’t know how to do this, I’m gonna figure it out, I’m gonna get it work is the most critical part of being an entrepreneur.” Another habit that he still implements from his time in the military is taking ownership of every single task, seeing it all the way through completion. The Power of Luck, Networking A book that had impacted him is Jerry Colonna’s https://www.amazon.com/Reboot-Leadership-Art-Growing-Up-ebook/dp/B0796SNDSK (Reboot: The Leadership and Art of Growing Up) (2019). It made him realize that life is mostly composed of luck, timing, and serendipity – so take chances to meet people that can change your life. There is no shortcut to success, he says, but you can increase your likelihood of getting there by reaching out to people who can help you. Many people, he says, are finding ways to succeed faster by following the “normal” or tried and tested path of success. But life is too short to live another person’s life. He has been through different careers and lifestyles – from being an Infantry Officer to Wharton MBA graduate to having interned at Goldman Sachs. Through all this, he realized what will truly make him happy – having autonomy over his time and energy. He declined an offer to work fulltime for Goldman Sachs to build a life around this set of priorities. “You have no idea how long you’re gonna live. If you’re not happy now, you need to find a way to be happy. Second of all, you might be marching in the wrong direction.” Shortly after, he joined Paintru knowing all the risks associated with a startup. He says all the lessons he learned and connections he made along the way made him a better entrepreneur. Never missing the chance to connect with others, Brendan has found people who vouched for him, saw his capability, and who will help him should he fail. He recalls one of his recent failures, Paintru’s nursery painting products which did not sell. But with setbacks come crucial lessons and reflections. Brendan says they have since learned to acknowledge their expertise and its limitations. They have hired designers to help them identify and predict art designs that will be a hit. Connecting with people is a skill he is continuously working on, as he seeks to improve the company’s position. “You have to be able to reach out, be told no a hundred times, and be just ruthless about your follow up.” Actionable Advice One of his key actionable advice is to be organized – a must, he says, if you want to succeed as an entrepreneur. At present, he is using the software https://www.airtable.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_extra5=kwd-325289323194&utm_extra2=936407691&utm_extra10=47735600558&creative=464489871116&device=c&cx=us&targetid=kwd-325289323194&campaignid=936407691&adgroupid=47735600558&utm_campaign=brand_creator&utm_content=bofu_freetrial&gclid=CjwKCAjwy7CKBhBMEiwA0Eb7avbU_A1Jk8LeMlnpqpwdW7JnMAriVgPSeY-aO8gmosIZ0cLYfKxcnRoCVN4QAvD_BwE (Airtable) to manage his schedule, tasks, and sub-tasks, such as email follow-ups to ensure he does not miss anything crucial. “If you’re not organized, you have no chance of...

025 On the Power of Connections and Consistency with Brendan Aronson

Listen as Tony Nash talks to US Army officer Joshua Bowen about the power of reflection as an essential tool for leadership development. Josh is the director and founder of https://3x5leadership.com/ (3x5 Leadership), a leadership consultancy platform that provides current and emerging leaders with free resources, such as webinars, newsletters, and articles, to improve their skills and perspective. One habit he has formed in the military is waking up early. He often wakes up at 4 am to ensure he stays productive for the rest of the day. He also uses this time to write and get creative things done before working out. He shares about his passion for writing and how it did not come naturally for him. It was a “learned habit” he picked up from others, especially his mentor https://gotyour6.captivate.fm/episode/008-joe-byerly (Joe Byerly), the founder of https://fromthegreennotebook.com/about-the-team/ (From The Green Notebook) blog. The Value of Reflection, Mentoring Josh talks about the importance of reflection in leadership development, saying it is an often-overlooked aspect of in the fast paced military culture. Reflection allows leaders to assess what happened and provides them with various insights on how to frame and address issues. His preferred reflection method is writing, as he says it also allows him to share lessons and add value to other people. “It’s a primary mechanism for me to reflect and gain clarity on what I’m learning… Now what? How is this impacting my leadership?” Josh also says there has to be a balance between reflecting on the past and learning new things. He believes this is where getting mentorship bridges the two together. He talks about how one of his mentors asked him, “when are you gonna go beyond blog writing?” – a question that first made him uncomfortable but eventually inspired him to do more. Josh is taking this head on by conquering the impostor syndrome and working on writing professionally to create a bigger impact on leaders and organizations. “It’s very uncomfortable for me.  I just have this mental block…. That I am not worthy of that, my ideas are shared to that level. It is a huge vulnerability for me to try it. But at the same time also forcing me to think about bigger ideas that could help me proceed.” “We gotta live on the periphery of our comfort zones…. There’s no growth in the comfort zone, and no comfort in the growth zone.” Communicating the Why’s One thing he has learned in the past 5 years is how to better communicate perspective to his team. Helping people make sense of things around them enables them to expand their knowledge and understanding. In the military, he says people are trained to follow orders but it is also important to communicate the “Why’s,” so your team can better understand “who we are, what we do, why we do it.” He continuously listens to how others communicate so he can learn best practices  and what not to do. Josh also makes sure to communicate his failure to others. He talks about how he would share his failures and mistakes with junior officers and cadets at West Point, where he taught military leadership, to make them see the impact of his mistakes and not commit the same. “My failures have helped other people learn lessons earlier in their career than it took me to learn them myself.” Josh also reveals one unique thing about him: he has a “failure resume,” which details his career rejections, including not getting into the US Air Force Academy in 2006, failing to get the role of Superintendent’s aide at West Point. “At the end of the day it’s not about what job I’m doing, it’s just how well I do it.” Suggested by his mentor, the “failure resume” has taught him humility, ownership, accountability, and the importance of continuous learning. “I am being deliberate in my own development so I don’t commit the same mistake twice or fail in the same area twice.” At the end of the day, he says you do not have to be a...

024 On the Power of Reflection and Perspective as a Leader with Josh Bowen

Listen as Tony Nash talks to George Briones III, a US Reconnaissance Marine veteran, athlete, and the director for training and programming for the tactical fitness company https://soflete.com/ (SOFLETE). George looks back at his life in the military and talks about one thing that he continues to implement to this day: the necessary tactical pause during transitions. He shares how, while on patrol in Afghanistan, the team would move across choke points or dangerous areas and do a “security halt” to regain composure and to have quick and quiet communication. During short halts, team members drop to one knee, face out, and survey the moment and the environment around them. He says applying this military tactic allows him to be fully present in the moment. “I’m taking this dynamic of working in this team and just turning it more into an internal process. Where am I at? Where’s my headspace? Am I good to rock and roll for this next thing I got to do?” For George, it’s your job to take care of yourself. The tactical pauses do not have to take long and be complicated. It could be as simple as taking deep breaths or going out for some air before returning to work. Reconnecting with Himself Growing up a Catholic, George says he had to “de-anchor” himself from his spirituality when he entered the military to survive. But in the last 5 years, he says he has learned to reconnect with his inner self and spiritual side by doing things he used to love – drawing, painting, writing, and photography. “It’s me being able to recognize that I’m the Holy Spirit and I’m able to connect myself. If I can hold on to that, and stay attached to my heart from that perspective and from those actions in the way I live my life, it allows me to be grounded in keeping me who I am and continuing moving forward.” Now as he dives into content creation, writing, and sharing his thoughts in public, George says he has learned to adapt the skills he learned from the military to his daily life and his new world as a professional. This is where veterans struggle as they transition out of the military, as he says they had to retrain themselves “to live in a world they haven’t lived before.” He says professions or jobs regularly change but your humanity stays, so you have to value yourself. Learning Out of Necessity George says there is no book or secret magic pill that can fix your life or make you successful. You have to show up every single day. Recently, he was inspired by the podcast interview of New York Times bestselling author https://www.authoramyharmon.com/ (Amy Harmon), who said she learned writing by simply doing and reading. George says this made him realize that he indeed learned so many things in the military out of the necessity to survive. Now moving forward, he says he continues to do many things out of need for creativity and self- discovery. He says it’s part of who a person is, citing his own craving for conversation, creativity, and sharing his thoughts with others. One of the biggest lessons he needed to learn came from a devastating failure – giving up his own strength conditioning facility, which was his lifelong dream. He attributes this failure to his inability to fix himself, owing to his mental health struggles. But this ultimately led him to his biggest success – being empowered and prepared to look within himself, fulfill his needs, and address his problems. Without this failure, he would not be able to reach where he is now. “But at the end of the day, I’m happy with the lows I hit. Without those lows, I wouldn’t have been able to recognize the needs that I needed to get me back to the baseline and ultimately allow me to live the life I’m living today.” At the time, fresh out of the military, he recalls engulfing himself into work and in the process ignoring himself and his family. His failure to take care of himself led to the failure of those around him. It took him another year and a half to seek help.

023 On Transitions and ‘Security Halts’ in Life with George Briones III

Listen as Tony Nash talks to Herb Thompson, a United States Army Special Operations Forces veteran, author, and management consultant, about the importance of adaptability and seeing the big picture. Passionate about helping veterans find success, Herb wrote the best-selling book, https://www.amazon.com/Transition-Mission-approach-transition-military/dp/1734301503 (The Transition Mission), 6 months into retirement and after a series of calls with veterans seeking assistance with transition. After 20 years in the Army, he shares the lesson he learned that he continues to implement to this day: “Come with a plan but be prepared to adapt and live that out daily.” As Team Sergeant, he was assigned to direct a team, composed of different Type A, smart, and accomplished personalities, towards a shared goal. He says his experience there came in handy when he worked as a management consultant later on. For him, the military is not just a job, it is “a way of life.” Unlike professional athletes that do get constant downtimes off-season, service members “have to keep it at high level at all times.” “You can’t turn your brain off. You’re always improving. It consumes you…. And frankly, it takes a toll on you.” On Failures and Moving Forward He opens up about his biggest failure – failing the elite Special Forces Combat Diver Qualification Course. He recalls staying up late every night to practice swimming, which later on had an unhealthy effect on his mental health. But he says this failure ultimately led him to his biggest success: learning about humility and becoming a team sergeant. While it was a hard pill to swallow, he says he accepted it, played with his strengths, and found success with another team. “Own your journey, but also not being predetermined. You gotta work for it, adapt for it and make it happen.” A recent MBA graduate from Cornell University, Herb says he is now working on how to better articulate his value and skill sets to other people and companies. Trained to be laser-focused all the time, he is also now working on stepping back, seeing the big picture, and recalibrating.   Actionable Advice Herb shares practical advice, especially for transitioning veterans. To better communicate your value to other people, he says use I’s more than We’s and be a better listener. Pay attention, too, to how the other person is reacting to what you are saying, so you can improve the messaging in similar conversations with other people. He also swears by two things: taking down notes to not forget ideas and using the calendar (Calendly) to organize his schedule. While he admits he is not into automation, he seeks the help of other people, especially his girlfriend, in that aspect. Ultimately, Herb says be open to learning from everyone – no matter the other person’s status, age, or background. He cites as concrete example learning from his 13-year-old son about techniques in solving the Rubik’s Cube. “Don’t discredit a teacher. I’m always gonna learn. They may not be college-educated, not able to read or write. I’m gonna learn something every day.” “Every day I need to learn something. It’s seeking that knowledge, the hunger to learn, the hunger to improve. I think for me the day I lose that is the day that ok I probably don’t need to be here anymore.”

022 On Learning to Adapt and Seeing the Big Picture With Herb Thompson

Listen as Tony Nash talks to Daniel Rodriguez, also known as Danny del Ray, a decorated United States Army combat veteran, public speaker, athlete, author, and recording artist. He is known for his inspiring story of bravery during the Battle of Kamdesh in 2009 and starred as himself in https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3833480/ (The Outpost), a 2020 movie based on the engagement. Danny firmly believes in living with purpose and turning anything negative in his life into something good. After losing his friend and battle buddy, Kevin Thompson, in the Battle of Kamdesh, Danny fulfilled his promise to his fallen comrade to play college football. Upon returning to the US, he spent his last penny to produce a recruitment video that later on went viral. He was signed on as a walk-on receiver for Clemson University's NCAA football team. He attributes his love for sports to his father, who would have wanted an Olympian in the family. Among the lessons he learned from the military that he still implements to this day are being disciplined and goal-oriented. “It can be a gift and a curse… It is definitely a defining characteristic. I need a competitive edge. If you want something, you gotta stay disciplined. If you really want it, you gotta stay consistent.”   Focus on Health, Passion & Family After playing college football, Danny shifted gears to prioritize his health and other dreams – music and acting. He says he felt the need to focus on his well-being after realizing he had already suffered a lot of concussions and that a lot of his veteran friends were committing suicide. He then began his advocacy for holistic medication and hemp for medical use, especially for suffering athletes and veterans. By then, he started his career in acting and music. He shares how he told The Outpost production team that he would want to act as himself and even volunteered to pay for his way to Bulgaria where they were shooting it. In the end, his guts and persistence paid off, as the team took him in and rewrote the script. His journey as an actor and singer also led him to change his perspective on his origin. Danny, who was of Mexican descent, shares how he disliked being referred to as Hispanic growing up, owing to discrimination. This changed when he went to speak in a poor community in California, where half the audience could not understand him as they only spoke Spanish. It shook him and made him accept who he really is. Now, he is studying Spanish in Colombia and says he wants to reach more people as a public speaker, actor, and singer.   Biggest Failure Turned Success The 2009 Battle of Kamdesh has greatly impacted Danny’s life. It caused him pain, loss, and physical and mental injuries. But the experience and his promise to Kevin pushed him to move forward and live for those who died that fateful day. He recalls the confusion and anger he felt upon returning to the US. But on those difficult days, he recalls holding onto his promise and the memory of Kevin. “I gotta go do this. I gotta go live right for my friends. The Taliban wins if I off myself over here. Fuck them. The fight’s not over, the mission’s not over, so I gotta keep going.” “I’m trying to do what I’ve always wanted to do in my life. Today or yesterday is kinda a checkpoint for us veterans who have fought in the wars that have come to an end…. I think if that book closes, it’s an opportunity for a new chapter to be written.” Constant Improvement Now, Danny vows to always be prepared for the future – not because he fears failure, but because he fears not being ready when the opportunities come knocking – much like that overnight success of his viral video. “Be ready for what you want and if you’re not ready, you’re not gonna get it. It’s gonna pass you by…. Even if I fucking fail at it, at least I’m prepared for it.” A slayer of stereotypes and routines, Danny is all about showing up, embracing goals, and not just winging it – a mindset that he

021 On Showing Up and Keeping Promises with Danny del Ray

Listen as Tony Nash talks to Janell Hanf, athlete, mom, and US Marine Corps veteran, about lessons from the military and prioritizing one’s mental health. One lesson from the military that she continues to practice this day is having the sense of personal accountability. As a military officer who is responsible for anything that happens or does not happen to her team, she applies this belief in her own personal and professional life by being responsible, prioritizing time management, and keeping a planner, among others. “We all have the same amount of time. It’s just how do we choose to use it?” She spends a non-negotiable portion of her day, around 15 to 20 minutes, to assess and recalibrate. On Prioritizing Mental Health Janell opens up about the cumulative effects of stress and why we should seek help. She recalls having a mental breakdown while working as a company commander. At the time, she did not know it for what it was, as she thought she was physically ill and just needed to take a brief break. She had non stop headache, loss of vision, and loss of speech. It was a neighbor, who was also in the military, who convinced her to have a check-up. It was not a brain tumor, as she initially predicted. It was far deeper than that, as doctors found no medical problem. It was her mental health that was suffering. She joined a https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral (Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)) group class, which armed her with physical, mental, and psychological tips to get through tough times. Thinking she needed to build up a wall around her to get through in life, Janell now values the importance of reducing stress and releasing it all. Some of her actionable advice include: setting screen time limits for mobile apps, quitting alcohol, and limiting caffeine intake to improve focus and keep one’s mental health on track. These are lessons that she says she never learned from the many different leadership courses she was required to take as an officer. “Just recognizing like ‘Hey you got a lot going on, you’ve only learned how to push through.’ That’s what the Academy taught us. There are breathing tools, physical tools, emotional, social, psychological. Eventually, when I went to the course 2 months later from when that first night happened, things kept happening after that – where I was breaking down at work, still not able to hold it together. It was clear that it wasn’t something that I can take a day off and go back and be normal.” Her eye-opening experience prompted her to openly speak about mental health “because you never know who might need to hear it.” “If we don’t talk about some of those tough times or some of the tools, we’re not being the lifeline to our buddies… If I can help one person, then it was a win.” Trust the Timing Janell considers this “crash and burn” phase as the lowest point of her life that eventually led her to succeed. The breakdown and the therapy occurred before the pandemic, allowing her to indirectly prepare for what was to come because of the global crisis. She shares that she sought help as she wanted to be strong for the family because her husband was getting ready to deploy then. “Then COVID happened while my husband was deployed. That’s why I kinda look back and say, I’m grateful for the timing because I think so many people are in that situation that I just described, they face that during COVID…. So much uncertainty and so it really speaks to that. This isn’t just something isolated to military veterans.”   On Kindness and the Power of Showing Up With the pandemic, one habit that she tries to do daily is practicing kindness and patience to people she is around the most – her son and husband. “If I’m not being kind and patient to them, I really see it in my son. So I realized I need to model that behavior, authentically not fake because  kids see through that, and just really being able to have a...

020 Prioritizing Mental Health and Normalizing Getting Help with Janell Hanf

In this new episode, Tony Nash talks to Tyler Gordy, a decorated United States Army combat veteran and business executive, about his journey from battlefield to boardroom. An enlisted soldier and later a commissioned Army officer through the United States Military Academy, Tyler obtained his MBA from Harvard Business School. He is the CEO of Professional Warranty Service Corporation, a provider of new home warranty products to residential construction firms. Tyler shares how the military has shaped his life as an executive – from as simple as waking up early at 4 am, to working out and walking under the sun to set his circadian rhythm in motion. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maximizing-productivity-physical-mental-health-with/id1545953110?i=1000528586045 (Studies) show getting sunlight in your eyes first thing in the morning is vital to your mental and physical health. Tyler also shares the importance of not checking his phone immediately after waking up. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maximizing-productivity-physical-mental-health-with/id1545953110?i=1000528586045 (Science) shows that keeping yourself moving forward, especially outside, helps generate optic flow and suppress the amygdala, the part of the brain responsible for anxiety. Such movements help you become alert but not anxious, focused and not too relaxed. This habit has also given him time to meditate and allowed him to start each day by taking care of himself before he takes care of the company and his team. “It’s important to stay disciplined and not do that [check my emails first thing in the morning],” adding that it helps set the tone for the rest of his day. He shares how he learned this lesson through burnout back in West Point, where he served as First Captain of the Corps of Cadets in 2010. “By that point, I worked myself to the bone. I felt I didn’t have a ton to give that year in terms of energy. I felt like I already reached the point of burn out.” On Leadership Some leadership books have made an impact on Tyler, including https://www.franklincovey.com/the-4-disciplines/ (The 4 Disciplines of Execution) (2014) written by Sean Covey, Jim Huling, Chris McChesney. Also referred to as 4DX, the method is a simple and repeatable formula for executing strategic priorities by following The 4 Disciplines: Focusing on the Wildly Important Acting on Lead Measures Keeping a Compelling Scoreboard Creating a Cadence of Accountability Tyler says he and his team use 4DX as part of their broader operating model. Another book that has impacted him is Stephen Covey’s https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Principle-Centered-Leadership/Stephen-R-Covey/9780671792800 (Principle-Centered Leadership) (1990), which highlights the importance of character and competence to gain others’ trust and be able to trust others.  “Leadership is one of those things – it’s really easy in theory but it’s really challenging in practice. But even though I’ve known about these things, I still struggle with it.” On Listening to and Empowering People Now as a chief executive for a publicly-traded subsidiary of Kingsway Financial (NSE:KFS) , he focuses on listening to his people and seeking feedback often. “I listen often and that helps me really recalibrate and get on with the task… I’m just trying to learn and to trust and hear my people out.” He, however, admits the difficulty of acting on feedback. He cites as example one feedback that the firm is doing too much stuff. “Businesses don’t die from starvation, but from indigestion where you’re trying to take on too much. It has become critical where we’re getting to the point of burnout and we needed to adjust.” One thing he has been working on recently is how to better empower people, which he believes starts with hiring the right people, who are competent and trustworthy. This is a bit tricky to navigate as it is totally different from the military world, where he says those who don’t perform...

019 Empowering Others and the Art of Listening with Tyler Gordy

Listen to this new episode of Got Your 6 podcast as Tony Nash talks to author and former United States Army Sergeant Michael Bluemling Jr., whose personal mission is to help the veteran community particularly with transition. Michael talks about his trauma growing up with an abusive father and shares how he overcame this, as well as other challenges in life. A fully disabled veteran following a brain injury, Michael now focuses on fitness, Spartan race, and his service dog, Chanel. As a fourth generation service member, Michael says he grew up learning about the fundamentals, such as making your own bed with hospital corners every day – a habit he practices to this day. “No mission too difficult, no mission too great. I wouldn’t be who I am without the military. This country wouldn’t be what it is without the military.” He opens up about the abuse and trauma he faced as a kid with an alcoholic and drug dependent father. He has since self-published three books that aim to help other survivors move on, break the cycle of abuse, and trust people again. Helping Veterans Michael opens up about the discrimination faced by veterans once they leave the military. Citing his own experience, he has vowed to help veterans cope with transition. “A lot of veterans are misunderstood when they come back into society because people don’t really understand them, and so it’s kinda hard to talk to somebody, to have them help you or reach out.” One new belief that has improved his life is that no one person can do it alone, which he says also applies to veterans. To work on this, he has allowed himself to open up to other people by branching out to form business partnerships – a move that has allowed him to share his ideas, trust others, and gain a support system to carry on. To help him cope, he got himself a service dog named Chanel, which he trains himself. He says it has made a positive impact in his life because he felt he was able to live and heal again. His advice is to never forget about yourself in the process of helping others. “A lot of veterans, we need a pause for a minute… What I realize is I gotta take care of me. Unless I take care of me, then I can’t help any other veteran.” He also highlights the importance of humility. Coming out of the military, Michael says he realized he is not the only person who can do great things. “Yeah I did a lot of great things but guess what, somebody did something, too. So it’s more about what the experience did that I can share with them versus what I did for myself.” On Failures He talks about the financial challenges he faced when starting his business Power of One – a learning experience that helped him figure out his next career steps. While money is needed to survive, he says “money doesn’t make you happy.” In 2020, he ran for US House representative of Florida's 21st district but dropped out due to COVID concerns. At 43, he says he realized the importance of his actions and the positive impact these should have on others.  “I think that successes are great but your failures actually catapult you forward a lot further." ----- https://forms.gle/Hue634JVwsjhaPJ17 (Stacking Wins)

018 On Life After Trauma and Living with a Traumatic Brain Injury with Michael Bluemling Jr.

On this new episode of Got Your 6, Tony Nash talks to athlete and US Army Captain Dee Clegg. Dee talks about CrossFit and her life in West Point and the military. She also opens up about her guarded optimism regarding her impending transition. As she prepares to transition to civilian life, Dee says she is nervously excited for her future. She says she plans on taking a brief break first before deciding if she wants to go to school or get a job. Two habits she learned from the military that she still takes with her are: having a routine – including her daily planning of activities and her calibrated circadian rhythm, or waking up at the same time everyday – and being punctual. Dee firmly believes that punctuality is a sign of a person’s respect for others. She has also started practicing her listening skills. A self-professed talker, Dee admits she is not an active and engaged listener but she has decided to work on it to improve her relationships and communication with other people. She does this by regularly listening to podcasts and audio books, as well as calling up friends and family – methods that she says allow her to listen intently to others and learn from them. On CrossFit and coaching One course that has greatly influenced her life is CrossFit Level I, which brought her into the new world of competitive fitness. Dee says CrossFit opened her eyes to the power of the body, the role of nutrition, and proper body movement. “It drove me to want to do more and I could also influence other people. I fell in love with not just training my body, but training other people and seeing what they can do. I like helping people get fitter.” With this, she is encouraged to pursue physical therapy. Owing to her own injury and recovery experience, Dee says she wants to help injured people by being a hands-on therapist. Painful failures that led to big changes Dee has her fair share of crucible events in her life. But the most painful one was when she failed her soccer teammates at West Point during sophomore year. She got suspended from the soccer team for an alcohol violation. She says she failed her team as a person, and not just an athlete.   “It was one of the hardest moments I’ve ever had because I realized I’ve been putting myself first, I didn’t think of the team. I just wanted to have fun. It was a super selfish act. I regretted it instantly. That’s changed me in so many ways.”   While serving her suspension, she joined the track and field team where she met great and inspiring people. She worked hard and joined the Fellowship of Christ to practice her faith. “It was like I had to make that mistake to meet these other people who helped me, influenced me going forward. This isn’t about you, it’s about the team. It was a huge monumental moment but I didn’t know it at the time. It’s something I needed to happen. I needed that failure to become a better person.”   She sought the help of a mental skills coach and was able to return to the team – but this time armed with significant life lessons. “It definitely shaped who I am today. I am so glad it happened like looking back. I needed that. It was a kick in the ass. What are you doing? Get your shit together.” Injury and recovery That failure has somehow prepared Dee for what was to come. She suffered a back injury in 2020 that prompted her to transition out of the military earlier than intended. This injury was so severe that it required back surgery. She is still on the road to recovery, but moving and feeling immensely better . One important thing she learned during her rehab is to trust the process. From squatting 300 lbs to deadlifting over 350 lbs, Dee could not sit, drive, or bend over to tie her shoes. She trusted her coach and the recovery program – no matter how slow the progress seemed. “It’s so cliché to say trust the process but I’ve had to really just believe in it. This injury 100% has made me believe

017 Bouncing Back and Trusting the Process with Dee Clegg

On this new episode of Got Your 6, Tony Nash talks to Sebastian Paz, a US Air Force combat veteran, emergency department nurse, and co-founder of the non-profit https://www.vetwod.org/ (VETWOD). One mindset that he continues to practice even after leaving the military is being goal- or mission-oriented. Every day, he tries to maximize time and opportunity. “I’m all about maximizing every single day, getting the most out of myself, out of people, out of situations. The military has shaped me in that facet where I have 24 hours a day, let’s put it to good use.” ----- Three books that have made an impact on his life are the Holy Bible, especially the parables as he says they are useful in everyday life, https://davidgoggins.com/book/ (David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me), which reveals that most people only tap into 40% of their capabilities, and William P. Young’s https://wmpaulyoung.com/the-shack/ (The Shack), which Seb says spoke to him about forgiveness, unconditional love, and self-development.  Putting ‘fear of failure’ to good use Seb talks about growing up without a father and how this drove him to become a better person and a present father to his two children. He also shares why he has a “respectful fear of failure,” in that he is scared not of failing but of making the same mistakes again. He talks about one of his passions – parenting – and how his fear of failure drives him to be a better parent. He knows there are two lives in his hands and he wants his children to grow up to be good and respectful people. “The biggest failure that has really made me who I am today is the failure of my father not being who he should’ve been and that is what drives me to be the father I wish I had – and not in a hateful or resentful way because we made amends. That part of my life is healed, there’s closure but that still drives me.” While it’s healthy to fear failure, Seb says people should not be paralyzed by it. “As long as I tried and learn from those failures, we turn them into success.” Why he doesn’t consider himself a success Seb shares actionable advice on fighting societal pressures to succeed. He believes that people should not put themselves in boxes. Contrary to society’s need for speed, he believes working towards a goal, even just a little bit every day, is more than not doing anything at all. It is all about maximizing your time. He talks about the systemic pressure to go all out all the time – all or nothing. This isn’t right, as he says the trajectory isn’t always straight and it is ok for people to slow down, shift gears, focus on the little things, and change their mindsets. “It’s almost like everything has to be overnight success.” “Doing something, even if it’s a little bit, it’s more than doing nothing at all.” Seb, a constant learner, says he does not – and will never – consider himself successful, as he believes there are always challenges to conquer and problems to solve. On resilience and adaptability Born and raised in Colombia by a single mother, Seb moved to the US a few months before 9/11, becoming a naturalized citizen in 2009. Seb believes in the power of hard work in changing your life for the better, saying “the journey won’t unfold by luck.” He also believes in the power of resilience in order to continuously grow in life – no matter the situation. “You won’t get to where you want to go or where you’re supposed to go by sitting on a couch.” A self-made man, Seb shares his “big dislike” for people attributing success to luck. “I have a big dislike for people saying in various forms, something like ‘Oh, you’re so lucky,’ or ‘Oh, you’re living the life. Because I feel like disrespect not only to me, to everyone that works really hard and that maximizes their opportunities and knocks a thousand doors just so one door could be opened or get kicked out, slip and fail.” Ultimately, Seb says that if he, who has no special opportunities or elite background, was able to...

016 On Resiliency and Maximizing Your Opportunities with Sebastian Paz

On this new episode of Got Your 6, Tony Nash talks with Drew Mayville, a US Army Special Operations Forces veteran and special operations equipment manager at Beaver Fit North America. Drew, who transitioned out of the military just over a year ago, says he still carries with him some habits from the military, such as waking up early and having a regimented schedule. This helps him keep his discipline and momentum primed as well as setting his day’s tempo. However, there are some key lessons he had to unlearn as he navigates the civilian life. Now, he tells veterans to learn how to prioritize themselves. He reminds veterans that the military keeps on moving and turning even without you, so you need to take care of yourself, too. While veterans should not abandon their military values, he says they have to be flexible in adopting to new values. “You’re the priority in this transition. You really got to build your stake and look out for your own interests because you don’t have this giant big green Army machine looking out for you.” “Money isn’t everything, but it is a thing. That’s just how the civilian world works." ----- Growing up in a military family and having served for a decade, Drew says another lesson he had to let go of is focusing too much on the future. He is now working on living life in the moment. Enjoying the present allows him to take a step back and see the big picture, especially in his job and career.   Ranger School and getting difficult things done One thing that has made a tremendous impact in his life is Ranger School, which he says was the first hard thing he did coming out of West Point. He learned a lot about leadership and, most of all, about himself. It has become a motivation for him to get up and do better every day. As he says, once you have a Ranger tab, people expect more from you. You also expect more from yourself. It was also there where he learned one key lesson in failure that has stayed with him until now. He recalls their last week at SFAS or the Special Forces Assessment and Selection, where his team was leading in the early events but went downhill after encountering a problem – getting stuck on making it easy to transport telephone poles and ropes led to internal bickering and conflict. Then, a teammate calmly told them that the issue is that they spend so much time and effort to make it easier instead of accepting the enormity of the task and just get it done anyway. While it’s sometimes good to think outside the box, Drew says, “sometimes you just gotta have it done.” “It’s gonna suck; the sooner you can get over the fact that it is gonna suck, the quicker you’re gonna get to the end.” Tomorrow is always a good day to be better  Drew shares his mindset in ensuring continuous improvement: There’s always a tomorrow to become a better version of yourself. He says it does not matter so much what happened yesterday – whether you failed or succeeded –because that is already over. You have to focus on what can still be done. Failures and mistakes are part of change and learning, but they should not control you. “Learn from it but don’t dwell on it. Forget what happened yesterday, good and bad, and just focus on the present and just know tomorrow’s coming. I can do better tomorrow.” ----- https://www.tenthousand.cc/ (Ten Thousand) promo code for 15% off your first order: GOTYOUR6 https://forms.gle/Hue634JVwsjhaPJ17 (Stacking Wins)

015 The Need to Prioritize Yourself with Drew Mayville

On this fresh episode of Got Your 6, Tony Nash speaks with COL Candice Frost, commander of the US Joint Intelligence Operation Center for Cyber Command. Candice juggles many roles – mother, wife, leader, and entrepreneur. For Candice, staying in her comfort zone was never an option. She shares the importance of taking risks and embracing challenges to grow and flourish. But as she continuously reinvents herself, one thing remains constant for her family. She shares life and leadership lessons she learned from West Point and the military, her new world of cybersecurity, and her divorce – which she considers her biggest failure that ultimately led to her greatest success. ----- Wearing many different hats, Candice firmly believes in the need for balance. “Like anything in life, I love the surfing analogy: it’s all about staying up on the board, and it takes a LOT of balance.” She believes in going out of your comfort zone, subscribing to former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote: “Do one thing every day that scares you.” A creative and a “go with the flow” type of person, Candice found her days at West Point to be challenging – the highly regimented life, unending rules, and working with “complete rock stars” on the track and field and marathon team. But she embraced all these and saw opportunities for learning and growth. “Everywhere you go in life, the more you step out of your traditional bubble and into the unknown…. you can grow and do so many different things. But you have to take that first step.” Uncomfortable situations, she says, develop grit and bring out a new side of an individual. Of Priorities, Reinvention, Lifelong Learning One of the books that was life-altering  to her is John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, a classic novel about a pearl diver named Kino who finds a precious pearl and is transformed by the greed and evil it attracts. Candice says the book gives terrific life lessons, including determining your priorities and “making sure you carry that with you throughout life.” One thing remains constant in her life: her family. These are the people that matter the most to her, no matter what. Another book she has read more than once is the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Radical Candor: How to Be A Kick Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity by Kim Scott, whose speeches and interviews Candice also frequently listens to. The book provides her insights on “how to adapt, reinvent, and grab the best talents” in her field. Candice says she consistently reads up on the latest cyberspace news and trends, including cryptocurrency. She likens the experience to learning a foreign language – something that keeps her mind agile. To continuously improve herself, Candice shares this actionable advice: spend 30 minutes to an hour each day doing research or reading to advance your skills and prepare for the future. “It’s just making sure that you look at every single day: What am I learning? What am I doing to advance myself mentally so that I can be prepared for what’s next?” “People that are very comfortable where they’re at, I worry for that because our world is so rapidly changing.” Leadership Lessons In her early career, Candice says she was very forward-leaning and a bit impatient. Now, she says she has learned to give people grace. She has also learned to distinguish between what is important and urgent. “Giving people the ability to understand that not everything needs to be done right now, right here. There are moments when you have to roll up yourselves. But separating the important from the urgent, that has come to me.” She also highlights the importance of empathy as a leader because it opens your world in many different ways. “If you could understand and walk in someone else’s shoes, you’re a much better leader; you’re a much better person overall because you can have empathy with what they’re going through.” Her Biggest Failure Candice opens up about her...

014 Reinventing Yourself and Redefining Your Future with Candice Frost

Listen as Tony Nash talks with athlete and personal trainer Michael Eckert, the 2015 Guinness World Record holder for most pull-ups (50) in a minute. Although extremely physically fit, Michael reveals his fitness “kryptonite” and failures and shares how he overcomes them. He talks about the importance of doing what you enjoy and surrounding yourself with things and people you like. Pull-ups mastery Michael Eckert, the 2015 Guinness World Record holder for the most pullups (50) in a minute, says his love and passion for pull ups began at home, after his father, an Army officer, brought home a military style pull up bar. He and his brother, who would later become an Army Infantryman, would engage in friendly competitions in their backyard. This worthy rivalry strengthened Michael because it was all fun, making him want to do more pull ups without any pressure. At the time, he was not aware that doing at least 40 pull ups was a huge deal. It was not until a rock climbing buddy dared him to do it and he was able to do 45. He is currently training to set the most pullups in 24 hours in September. Now that he’s no longer an active duty Marine, Michael says he continues to value physical fitness and athleticism. “Whether morning, night, once a day, I always do something that involves moving my body around.” “I think everyone should be physically fit because you function better as humans when we’re functionally in shape.”  He has his own fitness app Live Above the Bar, containing video workouts, nutrition guides, and health tips for his community. He is also a member of FitOps Foundation, an organization that seeks to reduce veteran suicide through fitness.   On being a generalist As a kid, Michael says he did not have any specific ambition. He was a little bit into everything that he enjoyed and he just loved the thrill of competition. “Since I spread myself around, I’m a pretty well-rounded athlete across the board. That’s where I am right now.” He also never had a big role model growing up – in the real world, at least. He looked up to Goku, the protagonist of the Dragon Ball Z anime. Goku, originally sent to destroy Earth as an infant, grew up to become the strongest warrior and Earth defender.  His fitness kryptonite Famous for being the pullup guy, Michael reveals his biggest fitness kryptonite: mobility/flexibility. He recalls his time in the American Ninja Warrior, where he says everything  was a walk in the park until the finals, when he fell like a rock on the water after failing to accomplish the Jumping Spider.  “I was on national television, I looked down those two walls. I was like, I know my legs can’t go that far apart.. But I’m on TV so I tried. So it looks like I jumped off the trampoline straight into the water. Like I didn’t even try to go on the wall.” Recently, he has been trying to focus on gaining flexibility. Calling himself an “extremely inflexible” person, he does not like doing it but he knows it will increase his performance. He says if he keeps on doing something he hates, he just ends up putting it on the side. He ends up tweaking some stretches to find it more appealing to him. Good thing, too, there’s another option: sauna. He recently bought one and he says it is one of his major investments for his health and performance.   Darkest time in his life Michael recalls the darkest time in his life. In 2017, in the same week, he injured his wrist a couple of days before coming out of active duty and lost his best friend, SGT Tryee “Banana” Green, to suicide. At the time, he was confronted with two decisions: “I can either join him and not be here anymore and I can push through and see where this goes.” He considers these two as his greatest failures. But he hopes he could turn them into success in September when he again tries to break the world record for the most number of pull ups in 24 hours. Despite his injury, he continues to train hard...

013 Pushing Yourself to the Limit with Michael Eckert

Hosted by Tony Nash, this six-question podcast brings together high performers to share their methods, strategies, and ideas delivered in an informative way and, most importantly, actionable ways that will help you lead yourself and those around you better from the battlefield to the boardroom.

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Got Your Six with Tony Nash

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