David:
That is the Greater Pockets Podcast, present 713.

John:
After I confirmed as much as the Blues, they mentioned, “Gucci, we’re glad you’re right here,” after which they took me on a demo trip they usually blew my thoughts. We took off and also you mentioned it’s majestic, proper? Are you able to think about being in that cockpit the place you are taking off 4 jets on the runway? Pilot does this violent left wing down, we’re simply tucked in beneath the afterburners of the airplane in entrance of you, there’s metallic throughout you, the flames are popping out. The airplane’s shaking. These guys begin going straight up. My eyes bought this large. I’m a Navy tactical fighter pilot. I’ve been off plane carriers, I bought 500 service landings, and this blew my thoughts. And the thought that hit me was, how am I going to do that?

David:
What’s happening everybody? That is David Greene, your host of the Greater Pockets Podcast, the most important, the perfect, the baddest actual property podcast on the earth, right here right now with a fireplace episode for you that I assure you’ll go away feeling higher about your self, your life, and your future than you probably did earlier than you listened to it. Individuals pay plenty of cash to really feel this good, and also you’re getting it at no cost. In right now’s episode, my co-host Rob Abasolo and I interview John Foley, a former Blue Angels pilot, that means he was among the best of the perfect of the perfect in his career. If you happen to’ve ever seen Blue Angels fly, it’s completely unimaginable. And John pulls again the curtain and tells us so much about what he went via, struggles he had, occasions he failed, and the way he bounced again from that. How he interpreted failures to turn out to be a foul A-S-S at what he does, and he’s very captivated with you having the ability to expertise the identical factor, which is why we love John, and we’re certain that you’ll too. Rob, what had been a few of your favourite components of right now’s present?

Rob:
Effectively, initially, we met the true life Tom Cruise from Prime Gun. I imply, that is simply loopy. He was truly in that place, and he talks about how he was in a position to be part of the Blue Angels, which is the highest 1% of the highest 1% of the highest 1%. And it’s simply loopy to listen to his story, and speak in regards to the procedures and the processes that he put in place to turn out to be one of the vital esteemed, superior pilot, storied historical past pilot, of all time. The Blue Angels is only a very prestigious group to be part of. So it’s truthfully a kind of issues the place I want we may have an element two. We’ll need to have him on, as a result of he’s additionally a comparatively established actual property investor too, which we didn’t actually get an excessive amount of into that. We bought into the precise philosophies of creating a great mindset.

David:
I’m so impressed from this, I’m fascinated with taking the highest folks from my mastermind and creating a gaggle referred to as The Greene Angels. We’ll need to see if that’s one thing that I truly do. Earlier than we herald John, right now’s fast tip is easy. John talks about gratitude and the way highly effective it’s, and I wish to add, gratitude might be the cleanest gasoline you may probably burn in the case of motivating your self. All of us have completely different motivations on issues that we wish in life. They don’t all burn cleanly.
Typically there are unfavourable unintended effects that come from the issues that encourage us to hit monetary freedom, or wealth, or no matter it’s that we’re in search of in life. So my problem to you is to start out every single day to attempt to incorporate a bit of bit extra gratitude into your life than what you had the day earlier than. As you take heed to the present, in the event you get all the way in which to the top, you’ll hear Rob speak about his secret. So studying the best way to play the guitar 100% higher each single day than what it was when he began. You’re not going to wish to miss that. All proper, with none additional ado, let’s herald John. John Foley, AKA Gucci, welcome to the Greater Pockets Podcast. How are you right now?

John:
David, glad to be right here. And people 4 phrases meant one thing particular to me after I was a Blue Angel, and I assure you by the top of this podcast, your viewers will perceive what meaning.

Rob:
Effectively, earlier than we get into the assembly of that, I actually wish to know the that means of Gucci, as a result of that’s your nickname, man. Are you able to give us a bit of little bit of a background there?

John:
Yeah, Rob. So it’s truly extra what we name a name signal. And within the Navy, in fighter pilots, you get a name signal. Now let me provide the first clue. You don’t get to select it, and in the event you prefer it, it doesn’t stick, proper? So no fighter pilot needs to be referred to as Gucci, man, you wish to be Hitman, Viper, Iceman, Maverick, one thing cool, however do one thing silly, and your teammates will remind you. And that’s what occurred to me. I don’t know in the event you knew this, I did a number of the unique flying within the first Prime Gun film, and all my buds are doing the flying on this final one. So that you get branded with the decision signal and I did one thing silly someday and Gucci caught.

Rob:
Are you able to inform us what that was?

John:
Yeah, nicely it’s near taking a look at you in that shirt, man. So right here’s what occurred, okay? I confirmed up, we’re in Fallon, Nevada, that’s the place we had been filming Prime Gun. That’s the place we do all of the strike stuff, and we exit, all the pieces’s wanting fairly nicely they usually say, let’s exit within the city, let’s go to Reno. So I’m assembly within the foyer of the, they name the BOQ, and I present up sporting a skinny black leather-based tie. That wasn’t even cool within the ’80s. And my teammates are all in denims and T-shirts, they usually take a look at me they usually go, “That’s Gucci,” and I flinched. And when you flinch, they know that they bought you. Increase. It caught. Now it didn’t assist that I used to be dwelling on a sailboat, and driving an Alpha Romeo on the time, too.

Rob:
I see. Yeah, I’ve discovered this one the exhausting means. If you happen to attempt to deflect a nickname, it solely makes it worse. You’re mainly simply pouring fuel on the hearth.

John:
That’s it. I’ve tried my complete profession to vary that and it didn’t work. And now it’s supposedly a cool factor to be Gucci. However I’ve bought to let you know, after I was nailed that within the mid-’80s, it was not cool.

Rob:
Superior man. Effectively you had been in Prime Gun. I’ve bought a little bit of a confession right here, I had by no means truly noticed Prime Gun till a couple of 12 months in the past and I felt like I used to be conned. I used to be like, how did nobody inform me about… How did nobody drive me to observe this film my complete life? After which I simply noticed the brand new Prime Gun, too. So already on the spot fan, on the spot traditional in my thoughts. I adore it a lot. What was your position on that film? Had been you an precise… Had been you somebody within the solid? Had been you a stunt double?

John:
No. Okay, so primary, undoubtedly not within the solid. These are referred to as actors. We’re the true deal. We had been the true pilots doing the true flying, and there’s no stunts in that film, okay. That’s what you consider in Hollywood, stunts, and what you’re seeing, and the rationale the flying is so life like is that’s actual stuff man. That’s us flying the jet. So the reply to your query, I used to be simply in the fitting place on the proper time. I occurred to be on the plane service, it was referred to as the Enterprise, it’s 1986, we’re off the coast of San Diego. Prime Gun was filming down in Miramar, they usually wanted to get some service scenes.
So that they flew out to the plane service and I simply occurred to be on a squadron flying jets off the service, and that’s once they had been doing the filming. So that you do not forget that iconic first scene? I imply in the event you keep in mind how that film began, they really did it in Prime Gun Maverick, too. You see myself, you see my teammates taxing as much as the catapult. You see steam coming off the catapult, see my teammates throughout me. They bought this cool track, Hazard Zone, blasting, you salute the capital officer, they salute you again, and bam, you get launched off that service. You go from zero to 200 miles per hour in 1.8 seconds. In order that was what I used to be doing. That was simply my regular day. We didn’t do something fancy.

Rob:
That’s wonderful man. So give us a bit of bit about your background. We all know that you simply’re a longtime Blue Angel right here, a little bit of a… I’m starstruck right here as I’m going via this. Inform us how you bought there, and a bit of bit about your story.

John:
Yeah, completely man. I believe you bought to get to know folks earlier than you even wish to take heed to what they need to say. So for me, I used to be born in Germany. My dad was a military officer. I cherished my dad, I cherished my mother, had a fantastic household. And someday I used to be like, “Man, I wish to be my dad.” So he was an engineer, and he was a military officer. After which someday he took me in an air present. I’ll always remember this present day, Rob, it was Newport, Rhode Island. I’m 12 years outdated. I lookup within the sky, I see these six magnificent jets flying that day. And I turned to my dad and I mentioned, “Dad, I’m going to do this.” A 12 12 months outdated child. I had no concept the best way to get there. And I believe that is good for actual property, it’s good for buyers, it’s good for entrepreneurs.
And that’s, you bought to have a dream. However right here’s the distinction. I consider the dream has to hit you within the coronary heart, not the top, and you then bought to attach the dots, as a result of there’s too many individuals which have unrealized goals on the market, proper? Unrealized visions. So I discovered this as a child, that man, you bought to have a plan, and guess what? You higher have a pair backup plans as a result of the primary one’s not going to work. I bought rejected twice to hitch the army. They mentioned I used to be not bodily certified. I’ve to be a army pilot if I’m going to fly for the Blues. Initially, began flying jets off plane carriers, a la film Prime Gun, however then grew to become an teacher pilot. After which someday I lastly bought chosen for the Blue Angels. It took me 18 years from that preliminary dream to make it occur.
And that simply began again after I was in my early 30s. After which after that, and we will dive into the Blues, however I believe what’s extra essential is after that I wished to reinvent myself. I heard this phrase entrepreneur and I used to be like, I can’t even spell it, nevertheless it sounds fairly cool. And ended up needing some training. Went to Stanford Enterprise College, bought three grasp’s levels, labored in enterprise capital, in the course of the growth and the bust 2000, 2001. I imply, growth, the entire world blew up, and a query hit my thoughts. I used to be with the companions of that agency, and I used to be like, how come? Not that the bubble burst, however my how come query was how come some folks outperform others?
How come some folks can constantly win it doesn’t matter what the circumstances, whether or not it’s market, whether or not it’s COVID, whether or not it’s elevated rates of interest, whether or not it’s provide chain challenges, whether or not it’s a recession, whether or not it’s inflation. My level is a few folks learn to overcome it doesn’t matter what. And that’s what I’ve been doing the final twenty years, is working with the perfect groups on the earth, sports activities groups, corporations, Google, Microsoft. I’m with Nick Saban and Alabama Soccer, and I work with these groups into large excessive efficiency groups and the best way to flip them into enterprise outcomes.

Rob:
Wow, okay. So there’s so much I wish to unpack right here as a result of it began, the dream truly began, at a really younger age, and also you had been like, “That’s going to be me someday.” Did you at all times know, was there ever a doubt in your thoughts that that was going to turn out to be a actuality?

John:
Effectively, there’s plenty of doubts alongside the trail if you fail. And I had a ton of failures, a ton of setbacks. However I’ll say that the dream, because of this it’s crucial, the dream was not within the head, it was within the coronary heart. So at any time when that stuff occurred, I related again to my coronary heart and I simply mentioned, “No, I can nonetheless do that. It’s simply going to take a unique path.” Offer you instance. So I’m flying jets off plane carriers. I’m main a strike. I’ve a hung bomb, I’ve bought to jettison the hung bomb. I don’t undergo my guidelines like I’m purported to, and I hit the jettison button, and I hearth a warmth searching for missile. By mistake, I nearly shoot down my very own teammate. And I’m like, “Holy crap.” The truth is, truly I used to be like, “Oh (censored), come again.” And at that time I used to be lucky, it didn’t harm anyone, nevertheless it may have, proper?
And I’m going into my commanding officer that day, I landed the jet, and he mentioned, “What occurred?” And I’m going, “I blew it, sir.” I informed him the story that I didn’t do my guidelines like I used to be purported to, I bought the switchology combined up, and after I hit the jettison button, the missile went as an alternative of the bomb. He goes, “Okay, thanks for telling me, you’re grounded.” So I’m grounded now. Now I had my letter into the Blue Angels. I used to be going to be an teacher pilot, all that went away. The truth is, I wasn’t certain they had been going to let me preserve flying, all proper? They’ve a board of inquiry and all that stuff, and it took me three days to understand the basis reason behind that mishap. However you wish to guess, what do you assume the basis reason behind that mistake was?

Rob:
A thousand switches in entrance of you?

John:
There have been a ton of switches. Let me let you know. There’s a ton.

David:
Yeah, however you mentioned you hit the fitting change. You probably did what you meant to do.

John:
Nope.

David:
You talked about that you simply thought you had been jettisoning it, so-

John:
Effectively, I hit the jettison button-

David:
But it surely fired the missile, which meant there was one thing improper with the guidelines forward of time. So I’m going to guess you simply bought snug. You simply thought like, “Man, I’ve carried out this 1,000,000 occasions.” You hit autopilot, you didn’t take it critical if you had been preparing.

John:
Dude, David, I’ve informed that story over 2000 occasions, you’re the primary one which bought it proper off the bat. Yeah, it’s complacency, okay man? I bought too snug doing one thing I shouldn’t be snug doing. Let me let you know, the primary time you fly dwell ordinance, the little hairs in your neck get up. Even your head together with your bald head, like me. These issues, these get up they usually stopped standing up as a result of I used to be doing it day in and day trip, and I bought too snug doing one thing I shouldn’t be snug with. So I discovered that lesson the exhausting means, all proper, so right here’s the query. Everybody who’s listening, the place’s your blind spot? The place are you too snug? Even the 2 of you, you guys are cranking it. You bought a kickass podcast going, we’re investing, this can be a nice alternative for folks, however the place are you too snug?
Do you will have a course of, a guidelines? And that was the opposite factor. I didn’t open up my guidelines. I believed I might do it from reminiscence, and also you don’t try this, okay? You don’t try this in these conditions. In order that’s precisely it. Complacency kills. Now right here’s the excellent news. As soon as I discovered that, yeah, I needed to dig myself out of a gap. It was a giant gap. They ripped up my letter to the Blue Angels. Not even an opportunity. I needed to go reinvent myself. Took me years. However finally I bought the shot once more, and I made it work. And so I believe it’s okay to make errors investing, it’s okay to make errors in life in the event you discovered from them. And never many individuals actually study from them.

Rob:
Do you’re feeling just like the punishment, or not the punishment, however the precise, I suppose getting grounded from the group, was that harder than the precise psychological video games that you simply needed to sit via throughout that point? As a result of I think about that being grounded is like, okay, I get it, proper, however then truly having to sit down with that and assume via the completely different situations, I think about that that may have been in all probability simply as exhausting, proper?

John:
Man, okay, Rob, you’re lifeless on. That was embarrassing. I’ll say not solely more durable, it was embarrassing, as a result of image this. You’re a pilot, you’re on the plane service, there’s solely about 100 and so pilots on the service, 5,000 folks, and abruptly you go from sporting a flight swimsuit and that’s your day, to you’re in a khaki uniform, all proper? All of your buds know that you simply’re grounded, not solely the buds in your squadron, however everybody within the air wing, after which they provide the (censored) jobs. I needed to go up into the tower, watch my buddies fly and land, and we’re referred to as a rep in case there’s an emergency. So not solely are you grounded, however that’s the larger factor. It’s what’s the mindset? And folks don’t even wish to take a look at you.
You ever observed that? You walked out the hallway, folks know that there’s an issue. So that they wish to look away. So yeah, it’s a psychological head sport for certain. However I’ll say this, it’s what I wanted. And my commanding officer knew that. You see, if he had saved me flying, and all the pieces would’ve been the identical, and I had carried out that mishap board, which decides, okay, that’s a pilot mistake. They might floor you for all times, they’ll pull your wings. They didn’t, okay, and I used to be solely grounded for 3 days, as a result of that’s what it took me to understand what you simply mentioned. And when you notice that, now the following factor occurs is you bought to get your butt again within the sport. As a result of now you bought to beat that worry and doubt that’s in your thoughts.

Rob:
Okay, so was this the second that, I imply clearly you acknowledged the complacency facet, however was this speedy? You had been like, “Okay, right here it’s, I’m going to repair this. I’m going to create my guidelines and my processes.” What was the following large turning level for you?

John:
Yeah, so the large aha was it took three days. Initially I’m blaming it on stuff that wasn’t the basis trigger, it’s nominal trigger. So I didn’t escape my guidelines. I may simply say, “Okay, subsequent time I’ll use my guidelines.” Did I get the switchology combined up? You’re proper, there’s 126 switches. Did I mess one up? Yeah. Can I repair that? Yeah, however that’s not the basis trigger, see? So after three days after I realized that it was getting too snug, then that was an aha second. When you will have these mild bulb moments, it’s okay, however now it takes a very long time to dig your self out of that gap. So I had to return to the fundamentals, return to doing my guidelines, return to only executing on the small issues. And I used to be truly flying off the airplanes once more.
I wasn’t main strikes. I used to be working my means again up. And one of many LSOs, the touchdown sign officers, these are the individuals who convey you aboard the ship, the top man for the entire air wing seems at me, he goes, “Gucci,” it took about two weeks. He goes, “How’s it going?” And his identify was Filthy. And I’m going, “Filthy, what do you imply the way it’s going? It sucks. I imply, what do you assume?” And he goes, “Okay.” He says, “Effectively I do know you’re going via a bunch of (censored).” He goes, “How would you wish to turn out to be an teacher pilot in F18s?” And I checked out him, I used to be flying A7s on the time and F14s. I mentioned, “What do you imply teacher pilot in F18s?” That’s the holy grail, apart from the Blue Angels. And I mentioned, “I might love that, however what are you speaking about?”
He goes, “Effectively, how would you additionally wish to dwell in El Toro, California?” Which is Dana Level, all proper. I’m like, “What? Are you kidding me?” As a result of Miramar is a cool place to dwell down in San Diego. I mentioned, “I might love that.” I mentioned, “However there’s no Navy jobs there.” He goes, “No, you’re proper. The Marines have a base. They’re standing up an F18 squadron, they want one LSO. You’re the man if you’d like it.” I used to be like, “Holy crap. My complete dream went full circle.” So I bought the job, and I needed to reestablish myself, which I did, after which I reapplied to the Blues and all the pieces labored out. So it took some time, however the aha second was there. And you then bought to dig out, and you bought to have course of, you bought to have procedures. However extra importantly, preserve your perception ranges excessive. Hold your mindset excessive. Don’t let go of your aim.

David:
So I’ve bought a query for you. That is clearly a pivoting level in your life. Of all of the tales you may inform, that is what you opened with. Now clearly this story may have gone a horribly worse path, the place it could possibly be, “I killed one in every of my buddies,” and who is aware of what sort of penalties can have come from if there may have been jail time? This story may have been, “I used to be labeled a prison.” I imply, I don’t wish to insinuate that that’s the case. That is the way in which issues get spun, when “I hit the improper button,” turns into, “I’m a assassin.” Fortunately that wasn’t the way in which that issues went down for you. So you will have this renewed lease the place now you get to… You’ve gotten a brand new shot at life, nevertheless it was very impactful with the way in which that it modified the way you had been pondering. What it made me take into consideration was we don’t at all times keep in mind our wins, particularly if you’re a excessive performer, which you clearly are.
You’re making an attempt to be a Blue Angel. We count on to win. We keep in mind the losses, you hear this from actually good poker gamers. They keep in mind the hand that they misplaced that they need to have gained. They don’t keep in mind all of the occasions it went nicely. You hear this from golfers, they keep in mind the put they missed or the shot that they shanked. They don’t keep in mind those that they did completely. There’s one thing about life the place the losses that sting the worst can both destroy us, just like the hypothetical instance I gave earlier than, or can completely strengthen us and assist us to hit ranges that we by no means would’ve thought. In order that one expertise impacted you. I don’t wish to say scarred you, nevertheless it was such a monumental influence that complacency is now your sworn enemy for all times. You’re not going to be caught complacent. We’d hear tales of this in legislation enforcement that had been simply horrendous, since you get used to carrying round a weapon on a regular basis, and also you’d hear about, somebody exhibits as much as a coaching and the workers, the instruction workers, doesn’t test their weapon or doesn’t test it adequate.
And the individual simply out of behavior, they present up, they take all of the rounds out of their rifle, they put dummy rounds or no matter, they usually’ve carried out it so many occasions you get complacent. And there are horrible tales of somebody displaying as much as a coaching and truly firing a dwell spherical at one of many position gamers or one thing, which are simply sickening. However such as you mentioned, it’s at all times complacency. It’s such a small factor that would have been carried out to cease it. Complacency is that this evil spirit that will get in your head and tells you, “You don’t have to do this. The principles don’t apply to you. You’re higher than that.” It’s nearly a type of vanity, proper? And I’ve caught it many occasions in my life the place you’re driving to a name code three-

John:
Ego.

David:
Yeah, and also you’re simply in your head you’re like, “Oh, that is no large deal.” It’s a large deal. You bought to push that stuff out and get proper again in. However such as you mentioned, ego is the enemy in that case. You inform the story and it’s a extremely good impactful story. However I’m curious, if you had been in that tower and also you had to consider how embarrassing it was, folks don’t wish to speak to you. There’s clearly your individual ethical guilt of, “I can’t consider I fired a missile at any individual, do I even need to be a pilot?” All these ideas bought to be going via your head. How did you just be sure you didn’t take the highway of despair that so many individuals can go into once they make their first mistake, their property doesn’t work out, or that one thing goes improper with no matter their endeavor was they usually interpret like, “Ah, see I knew it. God doesn’t need me to do that. If he did, I wouldn’t have made that mistake.” How did you strengthen your outcomes to say, “I’m going to come back again and be higher.”

John:
Yeah, so I believe David, by the way in which, nice analogies you’re giving. I might simply add not solely a police officer and me, that’s life and demise. However hey man, it’s little issues like texting when you’re driving. Okay, everyone knows that’s not purported to do it, however…

David:
Oh, that’s a great one.

John:
Yep. I do it typically. And my spouse, it pisses her off a lot. She goes, “Come on,” and I can rationalize it. “Oh, I can multitask,” all this crap. So the underside line is, it’s not simply life and demise. It’s small stuff that may make a giant distinction. So to reply your query although, you want a course of. You want a system, you want a framework that helps you out of those tough occasions. It’s not sufficient simply to say, “Oh, okay, I figured it out. I made a mistake and I’m again within the sport.” No, you higher have a strong course of. So for me, it’s what I discovered within the army, and what actually grew to become extraordinarily highly effective on the Blue Angels, is this concept of what I name a cadence of execution. It’s this concept of briefing. Be ready earlier than you go flying.
Did I temporary that day? Completely. Was I ready? Sure. While you’re executing although, you bought to understand that issues change, okay? And that’s one factor that you could find out in a short time in fighter pilots, why somebody adapts to that’s you bought to adapt airborne. I don’t care what the situation is, the minute you get airborne, issues change. Similar factor in actual property. So are you able to adapt to a market which is altering on a regular basis, proper? However right here’s the key, I’ll provide you with a secret proper now. None of that’s going to make the sport changer. The sport changer is what I name a debrief, or a glad to be right here debrief. We learn to try this within the army. You at all times debrief a mission. You at all times are continuously, the minute you land, you return and also you mirror on what went nicely, what may have gone higher, and you are taking duty.
And that is the important thing. You are taking private duty for the end result, and also you don’t blame it in your teammates. You don’t level fingers at any individual else. And we try this religiously. So I’ve that ingrained in my course of, that I’m debriefing each occasion. Like, we’ll debrief this podcast, all proper, I wish to know, hey, what went nicely? However extra importantly, what may have gone higher? So I’m continuously on this suggestions loop. After which if you get to the Blue Angels, and we will dive deeper on this if you’d like, they take that debrief to a complete new degree. They take this factor what I name glad to be right here debrief, the place you’re not solely going over the occasion, you’re reinforcing the why. Why are you doing this? The appreciation, the gratitude. So after I landed my jet on the Blue Angels, did I’ve quite a lot of little issues I may have carried out higher? Completely. As a result of if you’re pushing the bounds, the bounds push again. So you may really feel that, proper? However the appreciation and gratitude is what will get you thru it, and also you want each.

Rob:
Okay. So yeah, I might truly like to dive into that as a result of I’m at all times so fascinated. I’ve seen many Blue Angel exhibits, truly I used to work in Huntington Seaside for 4 years.

John:
Good. I’m going there in a pair months to talk with a company, and had been you there final 12 months? As a result of the Blues had been a part of a extremely distinctive present there proper off the pier.

Rob:
I used to be not, I used to be in Tennessee, however I did catch in all probability 4 exhibits in my time there. And there’s a degree of synchronization, and coordination, and choreography, and orchestration, it’s actually fairly majestic is the easiest way to place it. And so I’ve at all times puzzled, I imply you’re coming from the army background. Is the Blue Angels a tougher endeavor, or is it only a completely different type of problem than you would possibly encounter in your army missions? I’ve bought to think about they’re simply very completely different sorts of inauspicious.

John:
Yeah, they’re completely different, nevertheless it takes it to a complete new degree. It’s the 1/tenth of 1/tenth of 1% that get to do the Blue Angels. So in the event you keep in mind how Maverick began within the film, in Prime Gun there was a scroll and it mentioned there’s this factor referred to as Navy Fighter Weapons College, it’s the highest 1% of all fighter pilots and the pilots name it Prime Gun, okay? The explanation they did that’s they had been setting the tone. That’s proper. That’s the highest 1% of fighter pilots. The Blue Angels are the highest 1/tenth of 1/tenth of 1%, proper? Now to your query, in a flying abilities stick and throttle we name it, you must elevate your sport to an un unexpected degree. 300% enchancment in 90 days.
After I confirmed as much as the Blues, they mentioned, “Gucci, we’re glad you’re right here,” after which they took me on a demo trip they usually blew my thoughts. We took off and also you mentioned it’s majestic, proper? Are you able to think about being in that cockpit the place you are taking off 4 jets on the runway, pilot does this violent left wing down, the place he’s tucked in beneath the afterburners of the airplane in entrance of you. There’s metallic throughout you, the flames are popping out, the airplane’s shaking. These guys begin going straight up. My eyes bought this large. I’m a navy tactical fighter pilot. I’ve been off plane carriers, I bought 500 service landings, and this blew my thoughts. And the thought that hit me was, “How am I going to do that?” As a result of what they had been displaying me was this can be a complete new degree. This can be a complete new league.
They usually had been saying, “If you wish to play on this league, do you wish to play on this league, Gucci? Then you definitely bought to lift your efficiency 300% in 90 days.” And now right here’s the excellent news, there’s a course of to do this. There’s a method to take folks, not simply me, we do that with three pilots yearly, they usually undergo that course of they usually get to that degree. So the reply to your query is in a flying means, it doesn’t get any more durable or any higher. However tactically now, it’s a complete completely different sport. While you’re flying tactically off the carriers, if you’re going to Prime Gun, it’s not stick and throttle, it’s weapon system administration. It’s understanding the situational consciousness. That’s a complete completely different degree of experience. So we take people who find themselves already good at that after which we are saying, “Let’s now enhance your flying abilities 300%.”

David:
That is such a robust message, significantly for anyone that hasn’t but in life pushed themselves into some extent the place they had been making an attempt to be elite at one thing, which I might assume might be the vast majority of folks in America. We have now a really snug life. And that’s not meant as a slight in the direction of individuals who have a more durable life than different People, however in the event you examine us to human beings 6000 years in the past, or somebody now dwelling in a foreign country, our life is relatively extra snug than different folks’s, the place the human physique and the mind was actually designed to function not in a wonderfully nerfed world the place issues don’t go improper. And I keep in mind experiencing this for the primary time at one thing so simple as going from the freshman basketball staff to enjoying with the varsity. I bought requested to play with varsity after I was a sophomore, and the pace of the sport was so good freaking quick.

John:
Good.

David:
Thanks for that. Sure. It was wild how briskly it was, proper? I had these habits the place I might be dribbling and also you’d get a defender to decide to you, and also you’d decide up your cross, and also you’d pretend it to 1 facet, and he’d go that means, and also you’d cross it to the opposite man. It was like bread and butter, really easy. After which I bought to varsity and the man would faux like he dedicated to 1 defender, after which soar again, and I’d decide up my dribble and go to cross it to the opposite man and he’d intercept the cross. And I’m like, “They might try this?” Otherwise you’d come down with a rebound, they’d hit it out of your fingers. Since when was {that a} factor that will occur? Or they’d steal the ball from behind you. There have been all these items that I by no means had to consider enjoying with decrease competitors, however I by no means needed to consciously work out that drawback.
My mind informed me, “Watch out. You don’t know the place the man is. He’s in all probability behind you.” Or, “While you seize that ball, maintain it actually robust.” Your thoughts adapts to the wrestle you’re in. What I suppose I cherished in regards to the level you had been at was we frequently personalize, “I’m the issue. I’m not good at this. I ought to give up,” the place what you’re saying is, “The issue is my lack of preparation. The issue is my lack of publicity to making an attempt to play on the highest degree. The issue is my complacency. It’s not me. I’m not these issues. These are habits that I’ve or values that I maintain that may be improved.” And that little tiny shift in blame is the distinction between, “I ought to give up this. I shouldn’t do it. I’m not adequate. I knew I wasn’t adequate, keep in mind I used to be by no means adequate for my mother? Effectively now it’s being validated,” and all that stuff goes via your thoughts, versus. “I can do higher. Let me get in there once more. If they provide me one other shot, I’ll get higher at it.”
And that’s what we wish the listeners to listen to as a result of actual property investing is daunting. You possibly can screw up. The truth is, you’ll screw up. And it’s unimaginable to not screw up. You possibly can’t play the proper sport in a sport. You possibly can’t have the proper funding. One thing at all times goes lower than ultimate. And in the event you interpret it as, “I’m the issue,” you gained’t purchase actual property. You’ll be lulled into different issues like investing into multi-level advertising schemes, or pyramid schemes, or cryptocurrency, or no matter the brand new pattern is. If you happen to say, “My inexperience was the issue, my lack of understanding was the issue, my ignorance was the issue,” there’s one thing that may be carried out to appropriate that. And I actually, as you inform the story, I’m like, this can be a nice instance of an individual who simply, for no matter cause, you attributed the issue to not you as a human being, however your lack of preparation. And also you at all times had been like, “I may do higher.” I imply, am I means off with my understanding of your story thus far?

John:
Man, David, you nailed it, okay. And I believe the analogy again to investing is admittedly crucial. And that’s, you bought to encompass your self with individuals who you wish to be like, okay, so after I bought chosen for the Blue Angels, I noticed I wanted to up my sport. However guess what? As a result of I’m round individuals who knew the best way to do it, they usually determined to mentor me, they coached me identical to you guys are doing. The explanation this podcast is so helpful to folks is we’re gaining data and instruments of people that have carried out it at a excessive degree. In order that’s the primary factor, is frequently push, have that drive. And that’s why after I mentioned the dream has to hit you within the coronary heart, have the drive to enhance every single day just a bit bit. It doesn’t imply I’m not going to screw up. The truth is, in the event you’re actually self-aware, you’ve made quite a lot of errors and that’s fantastic.
What I wish to do although is have a course of and extra importantly, a mindset. What you’re attending to, David, is precisely proper. What’s the mindset? Am I in my lizard mind, and am I working out of worry? Or am I in my grownup, and I’m truly working out of alternative? The RATs, the reticular activating system, it’s solely two issues are going to get via, a risk or alternative. While you see that you simply’re going to react. Do you notice that each time I snap my fingers right here, you get 65 possibilities to decide. That’s the quantity of impulses which are coming via your eyeball. So it’s what we name the hole, the hole between the stimulus and the response. And it’s in that hole that you simply make your selections. It’s in that hole that you simply both go down the rabbit gap, otherwise you reset and also you spiral up.
And there’s a method to focus your thoughts. There’s a method to prepare the thoughts. I do meditation, I do visualization, I’ve plenty of issues once they’re working with Crew Penske and we’re profitable the Indy 500, it’s about mindset. They already bought the processes down. That is nice teamwork, nevertheless it’s the mindset that makes you an Indie 500 champion. It’s the mindset that makes you a nationwide champion. And never simply to get there, however then the more durable half is sustaining excellence. And that’s what I work on with corporations and other people. How do you maintain excellence beneath change?

Rob:
Yeah, that is actually… I don’t assume persons are greedy how thoughts blowing that is, as a result of I at all times take into consideration, if you’re making an attempt to get higher, it will get exhausting to get higher at a sure level. After I was studying guitar, after I was within the seventh grade, picked up a guitar and my aim was, can I get 100% higher? After which it was like, okay, cool, subsequent day I bought 100% higher, after which the following day I may get 100% higher. However then it bought to the purpose the place then it was like, can I turn out to be 50% higher in a month, after which can I get 20% higher in a 12 months?
And so at a sure level, getting 1% higher turns into extraordinarily tough. And also you’re speaking about not simply the army, however Blue Angels the place you’re like, okay, these guys are coming in and we’re making an attempt to get them to turn out to be 300% higher. You’re making an attempt to get the best pilots in historical past, arguably, to turn out to be 300% higher. And that to me, I can’t even grasp that. However you talked about that there’s a course of for this, so I’d love to listen to what does that seem like? As a result of in my thoughts it appears unimaginable.

John:
No, good query. I really like the thought about this mindset of steady enchancment. I wish to add this. What I’ve instilled in my mindset is the method of getting higher, this steady enchancment, not the end result. You see, in the event you put a aim on the market and when you hit that aim, that’s too late, man, you bought to reset your self earlier than you hit that aim. So the purpose is, I’m continuously on this means of getting higher, steady enchancment. And by the way in which, not simply myself, however worth to the consumer, worth to the people who find themselves listening right here, proper? Worth to your households. See, what we’re speaking about is not only enterprise, all proper? It’s your mindset of the way you strategy life. And I wish to strategy life with what I name joyful effort. So effort’s not sufficient, we will speak about that, however you must add this glad to be right here in there, this pleasure.
And to do this, you bought to personal the end result and you bought to present all of it you’ve bought. If you happen to attempt to shed that on any individual else and also you don’t take that private duty, you’re not going to study. And also you simply higher hope you get one other problem which you can sort out. However again to the method. So Blue Angels, I’ll provide you with an instance. While you be part of the Blue Angels, first, for six weeks, you don’t have any job, okay? Truly, the choice course of is you get chosen, all you do is observe, and also you get to sit down in on the briefs and the debriefs, and these things is gold. The truth is, if anybody needs to see a few of this, they’ll simply go to my web site, JohnFoleyInc.com. And I’ve bought tons of video of what I speak about, YouTube, all that type of stuff.
However the level is, you get to look at how we go about course of, focus, this visualization course of, how we’re going via our checkpoints, we all know what our middle level is. That’s the one level of focus. We have now flight strains with one mile, two mile, three mile checkpoints. So simply milestones in a marketing strategy. However the milestone shouldn’t be, “Hey, the 2 mile checkpoint’s going to be this white home.” No, the milestone is 2 mile checkpoint, northeast nook, two story white home, higher window with the inexperienced shade. See? See, after I mentioned that, you see your degree of readability. I can truly see the inexperienced shade of a window flying the wrong way up 100 toes off the bottom at 500 knots. If I do know what I’m in search of. If I don’t know what I’m in search of, it’s a blur. Similar factor in investing, identical factor in life.
So that you decide up these cues, you then higher have a means of any individual who’s serving to to educate you and mentor you. So for the following 90 days, I’m going via 120 coaching flights. We return to fundamentals. You’re proper, we do take pilots who’re extremely expert at that time, and we break them down and say, okay, let’s return to fundamentals. Let’s simply get in sync, turning the smoke on, the smoke off. Then let’s get in sync the place we get our checkpoints. I’ve 20 seconds to go from 6000 toes right down to 200 toes, and I bought to be on time, on altitude, on air pace. So this, to maneuver ahead is there’s 120 coaching flights. I’m getting higher every single day. I movie these, I take a look at them, I requested, right here’s the crucial half, not the flight. It’s what you study from it, okay? And I additionally wish to study what’s going nicely.
As a result of we wish to double down on what’s going nicely, okay? I don’t wish to simply give attention to errors, proper? Double down on what’s going nicely. After which three issues. I’ll go away you with three issues that need to occur in each investor, in each excessive efficiency neighborhood. You bought to attach, you bought to align, you bought to commit. It’s that easy. Say it once more. Human beings, we have to join, all proper? You and I, the three of us proper right here, we’re connecting at a unique degree than we had been earlier than we began this podcast. Then we bought to align.
So you bought to be sure you’re all headed in the identical path. What’s the aim? After which there needs to be a dedication. And that is the place most individuals fall brief. It’s what degree of dedication. After I climbed into that cockpit, I used to be committing my life. I used to be prepared to present my life for my teammate. However guess what? Not simply me, all people. All people. You’re surrounded by individuals who have this degree of dedication. And if you’re surrounded by that sort, you don’t wish to let any individual else down, and also you’ll do something in your energy to not let your teammate down. And that’s the glad to be right here mindset.
To me what you mentioned about not having a transparent goal. As a result of there turns into this level the place you turn out to be so good at one thing the place you now have quite a lot of choices. You’re like, I’m good at this. Listed here are all of the completely different angles I can take. And I’ll in all probability achieve success in any respect these completely different angles as a result of I’m good at what I do. And I believe actual property is actual property investing may be very very like this, the place in the event you turn out to be a seasoned investor, you perceive the ideas, you’re crushing it in your portfolio. For me, I began out in short-term leases, now I’m type of like, oh, there’s sub two after which there’s wholesaling and there’s, there’s syndication. But it surely’s actually exhausting to begin to, with out that clear goal, with out that clear aim to actually continue to grow. As a result of I used to be at this level a few months in the past the place it’s a little bit of the Cheesecake manufacturing facility of choices for me the place I’m like, I wish to do all of it.
However with out actually having that clear single aim to information you, I can completely relate to that. As a result of it wasn’t till lately the place I began actually refining these targets and simply making an attempt to determine what’s, if I can simply preserve shaving down my targets to that one finite aim, what’s it that I need? And I haven’t figured it out but, however I’m actually shut. I’m nonetheless shaving it right down to that one factor. And the nearer I get to it, the nearer I get to form of having the readability on what precisely I have to do.
Okay, Rob. So I’m going to present you a bit of tip right here. Okay? Primary, you’re on it, all proper? You bought to know, “What do I need?” And that’s a tough query for some folks. It was simple for me after I noticed the Blue Angels, I knew what that regarded like. I knew what it felt like. I imply, I may really feel it, so I knew what I wished. That’s exhausting in life. Lots of people don’t know what they need. However right here’s even a extra highly effective query: your why. I wish to know why you need it, okay? I wish to know why that I wished to be a Blue Angel. Was it in order that I may fly the wrong way up 100 toes round San Francisco? Was it so I may set automotive alarms off, as a result of I did? Was it in order that I may go to Moscow and fly towards the Russians, which I did?
Was it as a result of I did all that stuff? No. The explanation I wished to be a Blue Angel, and the aim of the Blue Angels, is we name ourselves ambassadors of goodwill. I wish to encourage greatness in one other human being. If I can try this via flying, nice. That’s not what my job was, to be a pilot, my job was to encourage greatness. And after I’m holding a bit of woman in my arm after an air present, and I’ve misplaced six kilos of sweat in 37 minutes, as a result of that’s what the G-forces do to you, okay? I’m sitting there going, I’m drained, okay? Was it thrilling? Completely. Am I frightened in regards to the debrief? Typically, typically I’m not. However all you must do is look within the eyes of a bit of child and bingo, you notice why you’re doing it. So my solely query to you is what’s the why behind what I need? And when you may align these two issues, now you’ve bought some actual energy.

Rob:
So do you’re feeling like, is it like a… Am I making an attempt to determine what I need, after which why do I need it? Or am I making an attempt to determine why I need all these items that I need? Sorry, that could be a bizarre query, however is it like, am I making an attempt to get to that why as quick as potential?

John:
Effectively, I don’t assume… Everytime you ask a query like this, that’s a dualistic reply, it’s both A or B. Anytime I get that type of factor, I notice that I’ve bought restricted pondering. It’s not dualistic, okay? It’s not both the what first or the why first. You bought to have a 3rd possibility. You bought to have a method to develop it. So the reply to your query is, I believe it’s each, okay. I imply, some folks wish to work out their what first after which their why. Others will say no, I have to know my why after which the what. No matter works for you, okay? I believe that what’s crucial right here, although, is figuring out that the world is coming from us, not at us.

Rob:
Yeah, okay. That is sensible.

John:
I’ll say that once more although, as a result of it’s actually highly effective for the listeners. The world’s coming from you, not at you. So if all I’m doing is responding, and I really feel like this complete world is coming at me, then I’ve bought an issue, as a result of I’m reacting. What I wish to do is, I wish to notice that I can plant the seeds. It’s coming from me, okay? So provide you with an instance that may enable you do that. Knife Edge Go, Thumper and I, aim, come at one another 1000 miles per hour, shut throughout inside a wingspan, all proper? If we miss by one second, it’ll be two soccer fields, and we wish to come inside a wingspan. In order that’s our goal, so I’m very clear on what my goal is, all proper? So how can we do it? You higher have a plan. So my plan was easy. I informed Thumper that day, and I referred to as these, by the way in which, verbal and non-verbal agreements, commitments.
I mentioned, “Thumper, I’ll be on the flight line. I gained’t be 5 foot left or 5 foot proper.” The flight line’s not the runway, it’s the inboard fringe of a left painted stripe on the runway. You possibly can rely on me, you may belief me that that’s the place I’ll be. I’ll set the altitude, I’ll make the timing corrections. I’ll provide the command to execute a full stick deflection roll. You, my teammate, have one job, miss me. It’s the most important sport of rooster you ever performed, nevertheless it wasn’t a sport, and it wasn’t rooster, as a result of we had very clear expectations, after which contracts on what it seems like to do that. So the concept that I introduced that up is belief issues, course of issues, okay? This capability to make this readability issues. And the very last thing I’ll share, as a result of I believe you guys hit on it, is you must have the flexibility to focus down and open up.
It’s referred to as consciousness, okay? So consciousness is 2 items. There’s an inside consciousness and an exterior consciousness is a method you may take a look at it. What I name it’s situational consciousness. In order I’m coming at Thumper at 1000 miles per hour nearer, I’m wanting on the market, I bought to have my visor up, as a result of I imply, cut up seconds matter. The place’s his nostril place? The place is he? What altitude he’s at, okay? So I’m targeted down. On the actual second, I bought to open up and I bought to say, wait a minute, I don’t wish to hit a sailboat mass as I’m coming in. So it’s focus down, open up, focus down, open up. And that’s investing, okay, I bought to know the market. I bought to open up, perceive what’s modifications. Then I bought to focus down on what you mentioned. Do I’ve a selected aim? Do I do know what I’m going to? Bingo, open up once more?
As a result of guess what? In that cut up second, issues have modified. So I’ve skilled my mind to do that actually rapidly. Right here’s the excellent news, you are able to do it too. Each human being can do that. It’s pure. It’s the way in which we understand info. So if you wish to focus in your issues, you wish to focus in your challenges, you’re going to have extra of these. If you wish to give attention to joyful effort, you wish to give attention to giving again first… That’s one in every of my different issues is study, develop, give every single day. However I wish to give first and provides typically. So simply being in your podcast, this can be a present. Thanks for what you guys do, however I wish to give first. After which in the event you present worth, one thing good will occur. In order that’s the way in which I see what you simply mentioned.

Rob:
Yeah, that makes complete sense. Effectively, I wish to return to the phrase right here in your shirt, the glad to be right here. I imply, we’ve talked about it, we now have a normal understanding about it, however may you simply debrief us on the idea, and what it means to the Blue Angels Group, and what it means to you?

John:
So the primary time I heard that was my mother, nevertheless it was mentioned in simply household conditions. After which after I was on the Blue Angels, if you’re making use of for the Blue Angels and also you’re not a Blue Angel but, they’ll allow you to sit in on the briefs when you get to that degree. And also you get to see how they put together, which is what we’ve talked about earlier, David, is at a complete new degree, which is nice, okay? So I’m listening to that, growth. However you by no means get to sit down in on the debriefs. The debriefs are solely reserved for the present staff and ex-Blue Angels. Why? As a result of there’s a sacred house in there. This isn’t about simply ratting on any individual. There’s a sacred house, all proper? So after I was a blue angel, after I truly bought chosen, I’m sitting there for the primary time, I’m watching the chief of the flight staff, who’s been my hero.
And what does she or he do? They begin off with a normal assertion. I’m glad we went flying right now. They usually regarded on the staff and mentioned, “ what? I dropped you off a bit of bit low, Gucci,” and it’s an inward search for an outward consequence. However anyhow, you undergo that, after which each single individual ended their feedback with Glad to be right here. And abruptly it began to essentially sink into me that yeah, initially what glad to be right here meant after I was a Blue Angel was, “Hey, I’m grateful to be on the staff. I’m grateful to be a part of one thing that’s very particular. I’m grateful to be surrounded by others who care. I’m grateful to make an influence on folks’s lives like that little woman.”
However then it takes on such a deeper that means, to the place in my life, glad to be right here is the ethos of excessive efficiency. Glad to be here’s what I wish to dwell my life by. I wish to be in a state of pleasure. I wish to be in a state of giving. I wish to be in a state of consciousness and admire. Like proper now, I’m in my residence studio up in Solar Valley, all proper, I’m looking. We simply bought two and a half toes of snow. I simply had an epic powder day yesterday, and I’m going to exit skate snowboarding proper after this, and I’m going to attempt to admire each second, get exterior, breathe. In order exhausting as we’re working, people who find themselves listening to this, you bought to construct in that appreciation time. After which the opposite factor I do each morning is I do a glad to be right here, get up. I’ve skilled my mind to get up pleased, and I can train you that if you’d like, nevertheless it’s essential to have the fitting mindset.

Rob:
I can use a bit of little bit of happiness within the morning. What’s the recent tip on that one?

John:
Okay, it’s not new, however you bought to do it, okay?

Rob:
All proper.

John:
So it seems that gratitude is among the greatest, how do I say? It’s not a ability. It’s one of many greatest items we now have. And science has actually gotten good at realizing that people who find themselves grateful turn out to be pleased. It’s not the opposite means round. It’s not since you’re pleased that you simply turn out to be grateful. So what I’ve carried out is I simply do what I name my glad to be right here get up, and I’ll provide the first piece, all proper? Every part I do the minute I get up is I’ve skilled my mind to say, what am I grateful for within the current second? So your mind, test, I need all people who’s listening to this podcast, test the primary aware thought that hits your mind tomorrow morning. See if it’s one in every of gratefulness, or see if it’s one in every of what’s my subsequent problem? What’s my subsequent drawback type of factor.
So the purpose is you may prepare your mind to get up pleased. So I’m going and I say, which is three issues, all proper? What am I grateful for within the current second? So right now was simple. I’m residence. I’ve been touring. I do 100 speeches a 12 months. I work with 150 corporations around the globe, all proper? I’m lastly residence for the vacations, proper? I’m like, nice. So I’m grateful. Simply to be residence. I bought my two canine in mattress with me. They’re not little, they’re Rhodesian Ridgebacks, okay? We rescued them. There’s 104 kilos. However I’ve simply mentioned I’m grateful for this. However then do that, and right here’s the important thing. Return 24 hours. Return to yesterday and call to mind one thing that was grateful that you simply had been in a position to expertise yesterday. For me, I had a briefing name with a consumer and we had been speaking about the best way to align excessive efficiency groups.
They’re within the pharmaceutical, they’re serving to folks with bronchial asthma. It’s unbelievable. And I simply remembered the briefing name and mentioned, “I’m grateful to have that have.” Then do that third piece. Go ahead in your day. Go ahead in your day and consider others, not simply your self. So this morning I considered YouTube and I mentioned, “I get the uncommon privilege to be on a cool podcast. How can I make that particular for any individual?” In order that’s it, it’s easy. Simply get up within the morning, what are you grateful for within the current second? Return 24 hours, go ahead in your day. While you first follow on this, you may return nicely past 24 hours. Return to the issues in your life that make a distinction.
And it seems that what that does is it modifications the grooves in your mind. Neuroplasticity, proper? You’ll begin to have extra grateful talks. And by the way in which, if you’d like a duplicate of this, go to the web site. It’s not solely that, however then I’ve discovered how do you reboot your self when one thing knocks you off steadiness? As a result of all of us get punched within the face, after which how do you go to mattress planting seeds in your mind, so that you truly sleep higher and pleased, and get up pleased. So all methods I’ve discovered after the Blue Angels, after I discovered the best way to put it on the road.

Rob:
Effectively, I adore it. Yeah. Okay, nicely you and I’ve one thing in frequent. I get up fascinated with David Greene too, each morning.

David:
He’s questioning how lengthy he has earlier than his hair falls out. When he thinks about me, he’s like, oh God, that’s the place I’m headed. What number of extra months do I’ve before-

Rob:
I take a look at my pillow.

David:
To see if it fell out.

Rob:
I take a look at my pillow and I believe, is right now the day?

John:
You bought some critical hair, David and I, man, that’s what do pulling too many G’s does to you, proper?

David:
That’s precisely proper. The lifetime of excessive stress. I want I may say that man, and mine began falling out after I was 17 and a half. I used to be in highschool and other people had been already mentioning my receding hairline. However there’s all these quotes, prefer it’s an excessive amount of testosterone that makes your hair fall out, or a lifetime of stress. I’m like, yeah, these sound… Positively bald folks made that stuff up. That’s humorous. So one of many issues I used to be fascinated by together with your glad to be right here debrief, John, I wish to cowl these briefly, was the 5 steps. Are you able to undergo the 5 steps which are concerned within the debrief?

John:
Yeah. So I name them the dynamics of a glad to be right here debrief. And that is completely different than Prime Gun. That is completely different than what occurs within the army, as a result of these are fundamental, proper? And what I’ve realized is that, yeah, that’s the method, however right here’s the 5 steps, all proper? And anybody who’s listening, in the event you can undertake these into the way in which you talk together with your staff, and even your self at night time, I assure you issues will occur. So primary, you want a secure surroundings. And what I imply by a secure surroundings, it’s respect, okay? You bought to respect the folks you’re with, who you’re round. I imply, respect is the primary factor. Second factor is you bought to test your ego on the door, okay? That is about humility. So persons are investing, hey, in the event you hit it, nice, however don’t get caught in your ego. We talked about this, David, a very long time in the past.
So I bought to say test your ego on the door and be humble. It’s in regards to the we, not the I, particularly in a staff surroundings, all proper? The third factor is you bought to put it on the desk, okay? And what I imply by that’s that you simply want brutal and open honesty. How many people are usually not utterly trustworthy with our teammates? You bought withholds. And even your spouses, you bought to have honesty, all proper? The fourth piece is the accountability piece. However I name this the personal it and repair it mentality, as a result of I don’t need simply accountability. What I need is private duty, which suggests your possession mentality. The final piece, the fifth one is the glad to be right here. Even with the primary 4, that’s fantastic, however except you add on this gratefulness and gratitude and appreciation, that’s the gasoline that retains you going. That’s what will get you up each morning saying, “I’m going to crush it right now. I’m going to make a distinction in somebody’s life.” In order that’s crucial one, and that’s that mindset of gratitude.

David:
I really like these. You’ve simplified it to restate these. It’s the secure surroundings, which is a type of respect. Respect for different folks, respect for your self, respect for security and the mission. Test your ego, which is humility. We opened up the podcast by speaking about how essential it was to really be sure that your ego shouldn’t be getting out of line. As a result of that actually is the trait that takes your entire greatest traits and nullifies them. Doesn’t matter how wonderful you might be at all the pieces, in case your ego will get out of hand, it screws up all the opposite good issues you will have going for you. Lay it on the desk, which is openness. That’s the, we’re trustworthy with one another. And also you referred to as it a sacred house, which is cool trigger in the event you name it a secure house, nobody is aware of what meaning. As a result of secure house could possibly be a charged phrase.
So a sacred house is a spot the place you may say, “Hey, that is an space I screwed up,” with out being judged by them, since you’re judging your self and you may inform them, “Hey, I believe you screwed up.” Rob and I truly had a second like that once we had been hanging out in Cabo one night time the place we talked in regards to the podcast, and he gave me some perspective on the way in which that I do issues and the way in which that I influence folks. The place he thought, not essentially could possibly be improved, however he wished to concentrate on the way it seems. And since I do know that the aim is to make the podcast higher, I’m like, “Yeah, you’re proper. I’m 100% like that. The truth is, I’m even worse than that.”
And we went forwards and backwards. It was a cool, like what you had been speaking about, the debrief that makes us higher. You bought to have the ability to have these conversations in case your aim is to be higher. In case your aim is to guard your ego, you then shrink back from that. You don’t wish to have these conversations. Subsequent is personal it and repair it, which is accountability. That’s one in every of my favourite issues on the earth. That is one in every of my favourite books on the earth, Excessive Possession. I’m certain you’re a fan of that, John, written by Jocko Wilnick, proper? Superior ebook. Superior philosophy to dwell by. Go forward.

John:
No, you nailed it. Effectively, Jocko and all of the Navy SEALs, I’m good buds with most of them and that’s precisely proper, as a result of they get it, proper? And the identical factor within the blues, and the identical factor in investing. So preserve going. You nailed it. What was the fifth one although? You solely bought the primary 4.

David:
Fifth one is glad to be right here. That was gratitude, which can be the one which takes the opposite 4 and makes them enjoyable. If you happen to don’t have the gratitude you then’re not having fun with life. There’s no level of doing the opposite 4. You bought to be glad about what you’re doing, and it fills you with this vitality. And you realize what I used to be fascinated with, John? One thing I actually am impressed by with you. Your gasoline is your gratitude, proper? I used to be fascinated with my time in legislation enforcement and as you’re speaking, I’m like, my mind’s going again and experiencing all of the freaking trauma. That was self-imposed. I used to be at all times afraid I used to be going to neglect one thing. I used to be going to make a mistake. There’s quite a lot of stress. It could possibly be driving the automotive and making an attempt to determine am I going northbound or southbound proper now, and what road is it that’s in entrance of me?
And when my buddy’s going, he’s coming, the place are we going to intercept out? It’s a lot crap goes via your head, on the identical time you’re making an attempt to have a look at, is somebody going to trip their bike proper in entrance of the automotive, and what are the dispatchers updating me with? After which truly driving the automotive on the pace you’re making an attempt to drive. And that was only one factor. There was, am I going to make a mistake writing a report? Am I going to screw up after I’m making an attempt to check one thing within the proof lab? There was this fixed nervousness that was at all times current that I do know was meant to assist me not make errors. The issue was in the event you’re fueled by the nervousness of not making a mistake and that’s all you will have, your life sucks. You don’t benefit from the job, you’re simply making an attempt to not really feel ache 100% of the time.
However there’s no precise reward. You’re not getting any pleasure. And I personally assume that’s why lots of people get into habit, is that they want one thing to make them really feel good, as a result of they’re simply experiencing negativity on a regular basis. And now they know they’re not purported to eat that donut, they know they’re not purported to take that drug, they know they’re not supposed to do this silly factor. But it surely’s so exhausting to not, if that’s the one place they get pleasure. Whereas gratitude is that this treatment all drugs the place in the event you’ve skilled sufficient of that, you’re not pushed by nervousness, you’re not pushed by worry, you’re not tempted to go do these dangerous issues. And I really like that you simply’re sharing that message, as a result of gratitude is nearly just like the surprise drug, man. If you happen to can have that in your life, it’ll enable you overcome all the opposite vices that are inclined to take us out.

John:
Man, David, you bought it brother. And when you perceive that, and also you consider that, you may change something. You held up Jocko’s ebook Excessive Possession, right here’s one other one, Fearless Success, all proper, so I wrote this about 4 years in the past. You may get on Amazon wherever, go to my web site, however see this framework on the again. So Rob, you went again to, nicely how do you truly do it? Okay, there’s an precise framework to this, proper? And you consider strategic administration idea will let you know imaginative and prescient, plan, execute, suggestions loop. I’ve taken it the entire new degree.
That is about perception ranges. What do I consider? How do you get dedication and purchase into one thing? What’s this temporary? The temporary is that preparation and that focus, middle factors that alignment, the readability on the place I’m going. The belief is the execution via excessive belief contracts. After which we’re speaking largely about this debrief, nevertheless it’s the glad to be right here that resets perception ranges. You get the spiraling up course of man. So there’s a framework to what we’re speaking about, however on the finish of the day, you bought to do what David mentioned, man. You bought to hook up with your gratitude, connect with your coronary heart, begin there after which we will work on these different issues.

David:
That’s superior. So I wish to ask you the final query that I’ve, Rob could have one, however what stage in your life do you’re feeling you… I don’t know, it’s exhausting to explain. There’s at all times this pivot level to change the place one thing turns into actual to us. Perhaps you’ve heard these things from different folks, however typically there’s a second the place it simply units, man. Perhaps was it if you had been in air visitors management, watching different folks fly, pondering, how did I find yourself right here? Was there a relationship you misplaced? Was it one of many 20 occasions that you simply tried for one thing and also you didn’t get that place, and also you needed to do some soul looking? Was there a catalyst that led to you actually grabbing a maintain of those values and saying, “I’m going to dwell this manner.”?

John:
I really like that query. It was truly a number of ones that hit my mind actual fast. And now I’ll go to the one, the turning level. So the primary one we already talked about, a bit of boy wanting up and saying, boy there’s a dream. The second that hit me was after I performed soccer in faculty, and I fumbled the punt towards Georgia Tech and I’m like, crap, I bought to do higher than that. Flying jets off the service and never simply the missile shoot, however some scary night time landings. However the large one was after I transitioned out of the Blue Angels, out of the Navy and I needed to reinvent myself, and I went again to Stanford Enterprise College. I went and bought three grasp’s levels, I went and labored in enterprise capital, and I noticed that that wasn’t my candy spot. I’m not a fantastic VC, as a result of I didn’t know the surroundings as a lot as I knew flying.
I didn’t know that what I actually wanted to do to make actually good investments. Now, actual property, I do know that higher. Like we talked about earlier than, I’ve bought seven properties. I’m an LP in many various investments with residences. We’ve bought multi-family, we’ve bought industrial buildings, we’ve bought over 200 items. However I’ve discovered on the best way to encompass myself with different good folks. However I believe the most important second was after the web blew up, okay, I used to be an entrepreneur. I used to be making an attempt to start out the NASCAR of aviation when 9/11 occurred. I used to be in Manhattan on 9/11. I used to be operating in the direction of the towers, not away from them, proper? Seeing if I may assist. And my enterprise blew up that day. You’re not going to start out an aviation leisure firm, like Crimson Bull lastly did, after 9/11. And I do not forget that I used to be crushed. However what actually crushed me was what you simply talked about, the connection.
The lady that I used to be courting on the time dumped me. So now I bought relationship dumped, enterprise blown up, what are you going to do? And I went to a seminar on private progress, as a result of I’m at all times making an attempt to get myself higher, and that is the sunshine bulb second. I’m within the dumps, and the one who was speaking this man identify was Lou Ty, nice inspirational man. And he talked about visualization, what can we visualize? And he was utilizing a video that I used to be in after I was on the staff. Bear in mind I talked in regards to the temporary the place there’s some visualization and he mentioned, “Hey, we bought a man right here that actually is aware of about this.” He was speaking about from a psychological standpoint and he mentioned, “John, would you say a couple of phrases?”
I bought up there on that stage and I didn’t speak in regards to the science or the psychology. I mentioned that is how you employ it. That is precisely what we had been doing, that is what I used to be pondering, and that is how I take advantage of it in my on a regular basis life. That was the sunshine bulb second. I get off stage, persons are operating as much as me going, “Hey, how do you try this? Do you do that?” And I had a lightweight bulb second. Excessive efficiency groups, excessive efficiency folks, the best way to flip these into enterprise outcomes. I understand how to do this. And that’s been my ardour for the final twenty years. And I had no plan at the moment, however I had the dream, I had the readability, and that’s it. And so now I get to do that a whole lot of occasions a 12 months. It’s a blessing, and I wish to share it with others.

David:
Effectively that’s implausible man. I really like that that’s the case. You and Jocko, there’s a couple of different folks, a number of the Gracies that do Jujitsu. Effectively, earlier than I get into that, I’ll say when Rob talked about how he can get 100% higher in someday, it completely made me consider jujitsu. As a result of I’m a white belt and I don’t know something. So 100% of the courses I’m going to, I’ll study actually great things as a result of I do know nothing. However I take a look at a number of the brown belts and the black belts in there, and it’s clear they’re simply there for us. They not often get a chance to essentially get higher. And there’s a truth or a sample to, the higher you get at one thing, the more durable it’s to get good, so the extra intentional you must be about placing your self in the fitting environments.
However the those who have carried out that, you, Jocko Wilkin, a number of the actually nice martial artists which have dedicated their life to excellence at one thing. They’ve bought this present that they share with the world. They’ve discovered the fitting method to do it, is the easiest way I can describe it. They’ve experimented with all of the improper paths, they know the handful which are the fitting means, and now they’re preaching that message. And it’s so highly effective to listen to it, as a result of we don’t need to make the identical errors. We will hear your story, we will take heed to the ache that you simply talked about, we will hear in regards to the issues that labored, and we will use that in our personal life going ahead if we select to do it.
So thanks for doing that, man. Thanks for not simply letting your ego get big since you are among the best on the earth of what you do, changing into a Blue Angel pilot, and also you’re clearly an incredible communicator, and a rich person who’s discovered enterprise. However you’re truly nonetheless making an attempt to throw down the rope from the highest of the mountain to assist everybody else. So thanks for doing that. The final phase of our present we’re going to skip, since you’ve carried out so good that we don’t have to get into asking you about your favourite books. You’ve talked about your ebook, once more, are you able to present it to us, and may you give us the identify and inform folks the place they’ll discover it?

John:
Yeah, so Fearless Success, Methods to Go Past Excessive Efficiency. Clearly the perfect place, go to my web site, JohnFoleyInc.com, as a result of there’s quite a lot of stuff you may get apart from the ebook. We’ve bought plenty of movies, we’ve bought plenty of help stuff. Or go to Amazon, and truly we simply created the audio model of the ebook and the e-book, so it’s on the market. However what you went again to is, I believe, crucial David, and that’s sooner or later in your life, you bought to start out giving. And what I discovered was that you simply bought to present first, proper? So that you talked about Jocko and myself, I imply, we’re giving. Individuals ask me, do you want to fly anymore? The reply is not any. That’s my previous life.
If I can use that in a means that helps others, that’s what wakes me up within the morning. And we began a basis, my spouse and I, we give 10% of all our charges to charity. And due to that, I’ve been over the Himalayas with my buddy Geoff Tabin, The Himalayan Cataract Undertaking. We’re doing, he’s doing, cornea transplants, he’s bought a 100,000 folks cured of blindness within the international world. We’re going over to Africa to do this. We assist veterans who come again with PTSD. There’s over 300 nonprofits that we’re concerned in proper now, and I believe all people can profit from simply giving first. So hey, begin the 12 months off, have your readability, have your goals, however begin by giving, and that’s the seed that permits these to come back to fruition.

Rob:
So the one different factor we are going to ask you is inform us extra about the place folks can discover out about you. I do know you mentioned JohnFoley.com, do you will have any social media or something like that the place folks can look you up?

John:
So the perfect place is JohnFoleyInc.com, okay. However go to any of social media. I’m beneath John Gucci Foley, LinkedIn’s a great one, Instagram, all that type of stuff. I bought a podcast by the way in which, the place I’m not at your degree. It’s referred to as The Excessive Efficiency Zone. So there’s a number of methods to remain engaged. I might say get on our neighborhood, our excessive efficiency neighborhood listing if you’d like, if these things resonates with you. YouTube, so many movies, TED Discuss, all that type of stuff. Web site’s a great begin. Simply be part of the neighborhood and above all, let’s simply give our data and our knowledge to others. Glad to be right here, buddy.

Rob:
Superior. What about you, Dave? The place can folks study extra about you?

David:
I hope they do. You possibly can find out about me at David Greene 24 on all of the socials, and that features YouTube. Additionally go to DavidGreene24.com to see my web site in a pair weeks. Truly, when this comes out, I may need a brand new one up and operating. How about you, Rob?

Rob:
Oh, you could find me on YouTube at Rob Constructed, however I’ll say my name to motion to the viewers is that if right now was inspiring or life altering or motivating the way in which it was for me, and I’m certain Dave too, contemplate leaving us a 5 star assessment on the Apple Podcast platform, or wherever you obtain your podcast. It does assist us with the podcast algorithm, consider it or not. And it helps us get served, and our podcast can get in entrance of so many different folks and alter their lives too.

David:
All proper, John, thanks for being right here. Actually admire it. We’re going to provide the final phrase, in the event you bought anything you wish to say earlier than we allow you to go.

John:
Effectively, I simply wish to say thanks. You guys are superior. Because of the viewers. Proceed to crush it in actual property, and different points of your life. However above all, glad to be right here. This has been valuable. Thanks guys.

Rob:
Glad to be right here.

David:
That is David Greene for Rob, my Blue Angel Abasolo, signing off.