How do you overcome your fears?

This summer has been a whirlwind of activity for Team No Fail Trust and my family. I have been full swing in travel and supporting clients on their journey to creating cultures of commitment, accountability and trust. I’ve had to also remind myself that this message is not only applicable to organizations and associations that I work with but also very applicable in my personal life. As I continue to make my family my number one priority, it’s important that I be intentional about creating and maintaining those connections with my wife and my?daughter. It’s imperative that I never forget what commitments I’ve made and to always strive for accountability in my home and in the relationship with my wife and my daughter. Without being intentional in each of these areas, we easily have break downs in trust.

So what has had me so busy over this summer? Well, I have been busy creating new content for clients and my social media channels. In addition, I have been traveling quite a bit to film a TV show for the History Channel network. The show is titled Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters. We had a successful season one and now we’re back filming 12 episodes for season two. I am so excited for this season as we have some great stories to share.

Most recently, I along with several cast members and our production team traveled to Bermuda. OMG, it was amazingly beautiful. The water was so blue and clear. The food was amazing and the people were great. I had the opportunity to apply some of those same pillars I teach about, trusted training, trusted processes, trusting people, and trusting myself through empowerment.

I was given extensive training via an online program and then given several hours of training in a deep pool to prepare me for my underwater adventures. The team of expert divers had to go back to basics to ensure I knew the basics of scuba diving. I would be getting in the water, roughly 10 miles off the coast of Bermuda, diving with these expert divers on an aircraft wreck. I had to know what to do should any number of emergency or challenging situations occurred while under water and filming this wreck. It occurred to me that all of this training about what could go wrong was very similar to my aviation training. The more comfortable I was with the training and the procedures would allow me to be empowered to handle the situations and allow me to be empowered with my safety under water.

I successfully dove four different times that day. It was quite scary when I suited up for the first dive. I thought about all of the things that could go wrong. I thought about my lack of experience. I thought that maybe I wasn’t quite ready for all of this. Perhaps you’ve experienced similar feelings in your life where you were doing something new and challenging. I was quite nervous. And then, I remembered what one of expert diver instructors told me, “relax and breathe, you know and have proven to us that you know exactly what to do should anything go wrong!” I settled into my feelings, mustered up the courage and stepped off the boat into the deep blue ocean. It was scary, magical, beautiful, and exhilarating all at the same time.

Farewell?United States Air Force

I would be remise if I didn't take a moment to reflect on an incredible journey that has been a huge part of my life.

It all began on July 24,1996, when I entered the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School, marking the first step in a path filled with dedication and service. Fast forward to May 30, 2001, a day of achievement as I graduated and was commissioned into the Air Force, ready to embrace the challenges that lay ahead.?

In August of 2003, a significant milestone was reached as I encountered my first taste of combat, an experience that would shape my perspective and deepen my understanding of service. As retirement draws near, there's a bittersweet feeling in the air. The bonds formed and the incredible people I've had the privilege to work with will be deeply missed.

This journey has taken me to corners of the world I once only dreamed of, with a remarkable highlight being the circumnavigation of the globe at the controls of a C-130, a journey that spanned months and included a deployment that punctuated its start and finish.?

As this chapter concludes, I have unwavering faith in the capable hands of the outstanding leaders shaping the future of the US military. Their commitment, resilience, and unwavering dedication to their teams define leadership every single day. It's been an honor to serve alongside them and a privilege to be a part of this incredible journey.

When is the last time you’ve had to muster the courage to overcome your fears? I’d love to hear your stories of overcoming fear through the use of training and empowerment.

Enjoy these last few weeks of summer and long days.

Thank you for being part of this journey, and I look forward to connecting with you again soon.

Blue Skies, Fair Winds & All The Best.

Best / Jason