What it does is, let's take it as a personal situation. Jeff:Well, they are. Foley eventually got swept up in the dot-com boom, which had spread to Los Angeles from San Francisco. He retired from active duty after 27 years of distinguished service and joined Check-6, a global leader in optimized performance and safety solutions serving the most demanding industries, where he directed business development and corporate strategy for the North American Division. Our first conversation of this new year is with a former Navy jet pilot, an 18 year journey that began after a visit to an air show as a young boy, piqued when he was selected to join the Elite Blue Angels Squadron. He retired from active duty after 27 years of distinguished service and joined Check-6, a global leader in optimized performance and safety solutions serving the most demanding industries, where he directed business development and corporate strategy for the North American Division. It's at an angle. It didn't mean I didn't get sidetracked into, hey, I want to play professional football or something like that. I'm so glad that we could share, and that you guys, your community, your audience is so powerful, and they've got stories that are way more powerful than ours when it comes to overcoming adversity and making a difference, and that's what I want to acknowledge, is that everybody has a great story. Like, oh man, you got to get your act together. 14K views, 488 likes, 72 loves, 29 comments, 149 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Blue Angels Association: John Foley, #5, USN (Ret.) You're just to land the jet, and then, it's a definitely step by step approach and lots of hours go into it. John Foley:In the Blue Angels, we did things a little bit differently. It causes stuckness. I want to go into the entrepreneurial world. He has been a venture capitalist and technology investor for nearly 40 years, co-founding Technology Crossover Ventures and serving as General Partner since June 1995. 301, taxi you over to the six pack, shut it down. Here's the big difference. John Foley:Absolutely. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. It's the mental side and the emotional side, probably is, you'll have to tell me, but in flying and with the blues, I like to say you needed to connect the heart and the head because it wasn't enough to be just in your head. John Foley:To be, in my opinion, is the future state. I land the jet after that and now you-. Okay. I wasn't even thinking about this, but I was kind of flirting with this idea of, being in the military, being a blue angel, I could imagine that your heart gets left behind because you have to be perfect. Did that answer your question? I think that Georgia has the advantage. It starts with giving. I'm okay with being scared. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. John Foley:A couple of things. 109K views 5 months ago Blue Angels Podcast In what was once thought to be an impossibility, the Blue Angels made history in 1992 by becoming the first United States flight team to fly over. John Foley:No, actually, Erik, it's just the opposite. The fifth and sixth jet fly in solo formation. Reaching that level of excellence required commitment, discipline and trust. What is your preparation? Then here's the last thing, and I'll do this for any leader is go, or anybody really, go forward in your day, and I use my calendar, but think about others, not just yourself, and think about, how can I show up in a way that helps somebody else. Now everybody and their dead grandma can. You're not having debriefs where you say like, "Okay, let's talk about our feelings and sing kumbaya.". It's something that defines who you are and your impact in the world. Erik and I are like old aged salty mountain guys. Let's bring it out. You didn't get it for all you know. I think that's it in a nutshell, right there. I think that's a rare combination. Plus, he admitted the origin of his call sign "Gucci," helping out on the original "Top Gun," and some of the . The Blue Angels have the unique ability to highlight the importance of naval aviation while honoring its historical significance. Climbing, flying jets, that's not hard. As I think about though, with the jets, and maybe this is a good metaphor with your climbing, is we don't start as a Blue Angel. It made my dad's year, not his day. No, here's the challenge I have. $3.00 shipping. John Foley:No, no. They have more to win. Oh, it would be kind of cool to do that. Erik Weihenmayer:I could sense my breath. The Blue Angels travel at speeds between 120 mph and 700 mph. I was supposed to deploy on the midway, which was a four deployed carrier. And can I share that knowledge now? As a thought leader on high performance, John created the "Glad To Be Here" Mindset Methodology and the Diamond Performance Framework. It wasn't the physical side. What does John Foley suck at? That's a good question, because I was thinking about that in a similar way, but a little bit differently. For nearly 20 years, I was a commander in the US Navy and became Lead Solo Pilot for the Blue Angels. So Nick Saban and Alabama brought me in a few years ago. I'm not doing it as a career. Play Audio. We're constantly in a state of mentoring each other and we're in a constant state of basically up and out. So, we come from the instructor ranks usually. Erik Weihenmayer:John, you guys were talking about these parameters, but how big of a can you make? Jeff:You're welcome for all that work I've done with you. The Teams trip to the former Soviet Union was highlighted by two air shows and a ride exchange between the Blue Angels and pilots from the Russian Knights Aerobatic Flight Team. That was always my dream as a little boy. There's fundamentals that work like breathwork, like my morning routine, what do I do when I wake up in the morning? To survive in those circumstances he relied on a culture of high trust, leadership and teamwork. You're a pocket flow guy. There's also a link to shoot me an email with any suggestions for the show, or any ideas you've got at all. Join Erik and Jeff for this high energy chat with John Foley. I think the challenge tonight is that Georgia got their asses handed to them by Alabama, right? Now you can go straight precision, straight clinical once you're in that moment. But the point is that I used the canopy coming down. He received his commission as an Officer in 1997. I got this meeting after this. Now, do I get it perfect? Scared to me means I'm aware, I'm present. For me, it's this purpose larger than self. John Foley:Now, having said that, I still get out and do it. But we're only moving, hopefully between three and six inches, not feet. You don't start flying 36 inches, 18 inches from another jet. Or am I just present with you right now going, hey, this is the best, this is the best thing I can do is to be present. Fortunately, I have a lot of video of me in the briefing rooms and the debriefing rooms and actual flying. You are not going in the midway." You're a student pilot, man. John Foley:Oh, I like what you're saying, Jeff. He was saying two and a half years of pilot training, all the stuff I've been through, if you can't land a jet on an aircraft carrier at night, you're no good to the Navy. They probably visualize dreams way better than we did, at least I remember as a little kid doing that. John Foley:Yeah. Jeff:That's sweet of you to talk about me like that, bro. I mean, it's just not meant to be. Learning, and I was helping him in any way, shape I could, but that exposure, I probably got 10 years of knowledge in six months based on having that. I feel, like my kid's 16, and he's a pretty high level athlete now. So, you must have those clear mentors, direct mentors, but also maybe some accidental mentors. It can mean so many different things depending on who you ask and what day of the week it is. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will transition to the Super Hornet platform for the 2021 season. You've really tapped into it, and I think this is good news for everybody, right? Every organization depends upon the performance of their people and their teams. It's what Shakespeare was talking about when he says, to be or not to be. John Foley:You'll be flying jets off aircraft carriers, but it is your time to go. And you're welcome. You get to hear the boss going through the cadence of the maneuvers, where he'll say, up we go and, and you can hear why is that G, go? Here's what's interesting. Having developed a strong bond with his opposing solo, Ken Switzer, for the 1992 season, the two explored implementing new maneuvers including the Section High Alpha Pass and the Solo Section Take-Off. They believe in process. Erik Weihenmayer:I've been thinking a lot about integration lately as well in that way. Jeff:Let's back up just again. You're not doing this. As a Blue Angel, Foley consistently performed in an extreme, high-stakes environment, flying at speeds of more than 500 miles per hour in formations as close as 18 inches apart. Are you there in Denver right now, by the way? I'm appreciative to have this opportunity in my life, to do things that most people don't get a chance to do, but more importantly, to benefit others. So, landing jets on aircraft carrier is truly, probably the most challenging thing a pilot can do. That's what I was feeling. That person asked me if I would mind saying some words on stage. James kent/Old Foley rare vase blue and guildid all over Chinese scene 9.00 1 bid 6.45 postage 1d 13h James Kent old foley jug 6.99 Click & Collect 2.75 postage or Best Offer Vintage James Kent 'Pompadour' china Set 4.00 1 bid 5.20 postage 2d 11h Vintage James Kent Dubarry Chintz Fluted Floral Bowl 15.00 Free postage or Best Offer Then the other thing that occurs to me is, as I've taken the deeper dive on the Gucci platform, is this other little side note that I wouldn't have guessed. The Blue Angel: Directed by Edward Dmytryk. I know you do and facilitate, you do personally, but also facilitate a lot of breathwork and meditation with clients, and you do it yourself. Is that Jeff:That's maybe what the difference is. In 1997 he started working at Citysearch, an online city guide later bought by Ticketmaster. I'm starting to get what you and Erik are talking about. I don't know. Motivational Speaker, Business Speakers, Keynote Speakers. A third of my support crew is new every year. I have to come up on the radio, and I got to say six is clear. Jeff:I'm just, I'm trying to get my head around that though, because in a way, I think maybe we frame things up to see its either clinical precision or its emotion love, and sort of heart. And what discoveries does he continue to make today? Because that's where I'm going to make a mistake, right? I'm constantly having fun. So, I got to go straight Georgia. There's a bigger show. Free shipping on many items | Browse your favorite brands . Let's make it real. The idea is you got to work way up to it. Go join the Air Force. . But since then, yeah, I had a lot of inadvertent mentors. I think the hack now is that we're realizing you can get to that flow state through finding that practice and being centered. But the point is, is there's a lot more that is intangible, that sits within us, and that's exactly what you captured right there. I never met him, but he was a huge mentor. Heck, there's a ton of fear out there in our lives all the time. Either you step up to that challenge, okay? Your brain and your hands aren't that dialed in yet. Is that part of the process of being focused? They believe you become part of this team. I think you just hit on it. Am I waking up this morning? For me, I do it with video. You finally get to the air show, and you can feel it. Sometimes I'm a little bit ahead, sometimes a little bit behind, but I'm talking inches instead of feet. Jeff:Because by the time this airs, everybody's going to know, so let's see what the forecaster is. That's the way you find that flow. Add to Playlist. I know I need to execute on this command. I think that's when you know you're in the zone, but here's the other thing, the minute you start realizing that, you're now losing focus, right? Then I realized I had the wrong order. John Foley:Oh, well, tons of them. It's not a long diatribe, right? I fortunately went to Stanford business school and I learned some of the What does it need to grow and build a big business? they have even more significance to me today. Then he looked at me very clearly and he said, "I'm going to give you one more chance. This exhilarating film showcased the almost unbelievably intense reality of being an elite pilot in the military. Antique James Kent "Old Foley" Blue/White Staffordshire Pitcher, England. I take a break. It's not even in your control. Erik Weihenmayer:I got my accelerated free fall license as a civilian to skydive. No one has to teach you how to visualize. In this brand new interview, Gucci candidly dives into his navy experience and opens the discussion with his upbringing as a German born army brat and the influence his father had on him to pursue a military career. Let's say something challenges you, and it's a challenge. Can you actually call your own mind on demand to be in that state, and for how long can you hold it? The very first thing we did was we said, and I was off here, or I was out of parameters on the loop, break cross. I've been doing this for about six months now, learn, grow, give. Yes, there's process, there's procedures. They can't do it forever. When you're riding your motorcycle or when you're dropping in on a steep cliff, that's the pocket. I do that through meditation in the mornings. I've heard about you, I've seen some of your stuff, and you surprise me the entire time because of so many different facets of you and who you are. And we have a framework that we teach about that. Actually, the glad to be here is a proactive way to not only snap you out of that downward spiral. Now I'm getting more scared, and the brain's talking to you, right? And then I execute on that, Gucci's clear, Thumper's clear, and then guess what happens? That's even worse. What I think the key is, is can you call that up on demand? So, let's do it. And then what happens? Some people, I think, climb mountains, let's say this is something I know, like to almost escape, but for me, I think, okay, how do you come down from the mountain and move forward in your life and take certain things with you that help you with your happiness, with your growth, with your evolution as a human being? I've been told, I've heard this lots of times that the human brain cannot multitask. Erik Weihenmayer:Does the glad to be here, the gratitude somehow abate or change the game on the pressure of high performing people? Jeff:The difference though is 10,000 hours. Foley has served as an adviser to Fortune 500 corporations, professional athletic teams, venture capital companies, professional associations and educational organizations and successfully connects the high intensity of the Blue Angles with your organization. We actually can only focus on one thing at one time, but because it's like a movie, you have different frames, we're seeing things in frames. They knew it. Now, to answer that gut feeling JB that you asked about. He shows how to create buy-in and commitment for a teams vision and goals, leading to clarity that drives execution decisions. Our first conversation of the new year is with a former navy jet pilot. So, here's the Gucci feel. His message and personal stories, delivered with his trademark enthusiasm and charisma, emphasizes principles of trust, alignment, clarity and commitment, positioning individuals and teams to achieve and sustain higher levels of excellence than they ever dreamed possible. Copyright 2023. Keep going. And thanks to all of you for listening. Because my mind is starting to take over my body. And behind many of those awe-inspiring stunts and scenes was John Foley, Blue Angels pilot, entrepreneur, real estate investor, public speaker, and all-around inspiring human being. John Foley:Because you got some off Georgia defensive lineman who got their butt handed to them. But the point is that-. Learn from people who have done it, and there's a combination of process and mindset. Erik Weihenmayer:Yeah. Now I feel a lot closer to you. I think you've had to have lived something at the nuance level to really be able to teach it at the highest levels. At first, you're like, I wouldn't say you black out, but everything goes by so fast. Jeff:Yeah. See, that's why this is what's Great. With a desire to fly with an F/A-18 Hornet squadron, Foley was selected for jet training at NAS Chase Field in Beeville, Texas. Visit our updated, This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. As lead solo pilot of the heralded Blue Angels, keynote speaker John Foley had to consistently perform as part of team in an intense, high-stakes environment. He demonstrates how learning to focus prepares individuals for action and increases successful outcomes. First thing I want to acknowledge is, if I have a fear-based belief, what's that causing me, it's usually stuckness. You're not good enough.". When you call them out, because you did all that front load work of, I really care about you, you're my colleague and I love you, how do you do that effectively when you call someone you out and say, "You screwed up," but without doing it in a threatening way? Then we go into a very scripted, watch the tape, talk about little things. It took me 18 years, and I did. I don't need that anymore. To answer your question, is I definitely believe we can't multitask. (Navy) The Navy's Blue Angels will conduct their final flight in the legacy F/A-18 Hornet . Right. And now my mind, I'm out of that heightened state of awareness, and I actually drop down a state, check out the three dimensional world, and then I can pull myself back in. If I'm complacent, that's what I got to worry about. John Foley:But yeah, so that's for sure. Well, then I want to ask you a little bit more about that debrief because that's something that I'm You guys have a persona and it's tough. Special thanks to The Dan Ryan Band for our intro song, Guidance. Erik Weihenmayer:Yeah, for sure. I'm just so excited because you and I got to meet up and Vail at a retreat, and we had some coffee, and you were so nice to talk to my dad who was a Marine. By a trigger, I mean a positive trigger that told myself, okay, that's done. Then you start landing jets on aircraft carriers. Vintage James Kent LTD | Old Foley . You get better and you move on and you share that information with somebody else. For me, the glad to be here has really been the essence of what I've been learning about and trying to teach for the rest of my life here. Instead of talking about the psychological stuff behind it, I said, here's what I was thinking, here's how we used it, and here's how we can turn it into success for you. I'm from the south, so I'm torn, but all my buddies are all Auburn, so I can't stand Alabama as a result. Happy 2022 listeners. But then it gets very specific. I'm going to learn this. We get a choice of how we want to perceive a situation. They shut me down. To me, limiting beliefs are fear based. For my life, very quickly, is on the teams, on the Blue Angels, you go into that assignment knowing exactly how long you're going to be there. Jeff:Wait, are you rolling & talking tonight? If we back up to your adolescence and you started your training, and someone would've told you you're going to be a Blue Angel when you were like 20-years-old, you would've been obviously happy, but would that have been believable or were you just, in your mind, fast tracking and you knew exactly where you were going and how you were going to get there? I mean, clearly, you know what I want to do, I want to sit around a campfire with you and sip on just a little snifter of some good bourbon sometime. With what you just said, what I generate the most fulfillment and happiness in my life is not that I physically climb the mountains anymore or fly the jets, it's that I can share that in a way that benefits others. We go around the table and everybody first gets a chance to say that, the general safe. Is that what I think the states that we got into, no one taught me how to visualize. You have to move on in some way at some point. This is what it was, everybody, we ran around the table, and it started with the boss. Foley demonstrates a simple, systematic, yet exciting approach for how to develop the clarity, focus, commitment, and trust that are necessary to achieve ever-higher levels of performance. The eye can't see that, but as you're learning, you're moving a lot. It exists. There's, could be hundreds of thousands of people, you're waving to the kids. I remember, Mark, 12-years-old, my dad took me to an air show. Then the debrief, what you're specifically asking about, which I think is really critical, is we go through stages, right? If you acknowledge that empathy, that compassion, and then actually take the action to reach out to them, amen. So, you have to do well in your landing grades. Erik Weihenmayer:Sure. $19.50. Erik Weihenmayer:You thunk yourself out of it. I think that's so critical. Then I went out and I tried it. Maybe when you're learning, it's afoot. Then the referee crew, I had spoken to the referee crew beforehand, and they got selected as the best individual. They're not going to be the Blue Angel necessarily, right? I mean, just take the complexity of what some people would think would be hard, which is landing an airplane, which I don't think so. There's a lot of emotion in there. BLUe aNGeLS John Foley "G lad to Be Here." those four words meant something very special to me when I was a Blue angel. Then we give it away. You surprised me in so many different ways, but I wouldn't imagine that glad to be here, other than just the realization like, holy, man, I lived through some things. That's what it meant while I was a Blue Angel. Whoever's the leader got to speak first. What I love about this was you were so real, you were so honest and clear, and you gave people a lot of thoughts and process and mindsets to really bring them to new places of growth. John Foley:I'm going to do that. So, I like to put a nuance in there, Erik, and that's about being scared. It was during this same time period that Foley attended a Blue Angels air show and proclaimed to his father that one day he too would be a military aviator. John Foley:And it was scary. Be sure to subscribe so you dont miss a single episode of this free, educational and uplifting podcast. But again, that was just academics. Jeff:You can say I'm grateful for coffee, and then you immediately go like start the coffee maker. Ranges are presented as a guideline only. At some point, you've got to snap out of that and snap into pure focus. The Blue Angels must be closely aligned in thought and action in order to accomplish their mission. Guess what? And then, I guess maybe reflect on that flow focus that you had then and how now that perhaps has given you the ability to be able to get in that meditative pocket now. You are an amazing human being with more importantly, a servant based heart. I still remember this to this day as we're talking, I can visualize it. I had a better snap the first time, whatever. That's one of the rare professions that, that's true. John Foley Keynote Speaker to over 1500 Organizations Worldwide, Blue Angel Lead Solo Pilot, Stanford Fellow, Bestselling Author and 'Gratitude Guru' Request Speaker Marketing Toolkit Fee Range $30,001 - $50,000 * * This specific fee falls within this range. Every nine seconds, so you know when it's fast, when telephone poles go by so quick, it's like you're in a car going a hundred miles an hour looking down at the white dotted line, you've ever done that? As a Blue Angel, John consistently performed in an extreme, high-stakes environment, flying at speeds of more than 500 miles per hour in formations as close as 18 inches apart. But I spent six months working for three for that individual learning the business. Yeah. I've gotten the chance to ascend Mount Everest, to climb the tallest mountain in every continent, to kayak the Grand Canyon, and I happen to be blind. You're flying six inches apart from each other. Then the environment, I think what's critical about flow states is the higher you challenge yourself, you increase the environment, and you guys have to tell me if this is true in climbing, but it isn't flying, is one of two things are going to happen. So, yes, I think that's the glad to be here. Then, what can I find that I can appreciate at that moment? All that's inside your brain. Because you can't do the middle part without the pre and the post, right? I'm constantly riding motorcycles. I want a learning loop. John Foley:All of a sudden, telephone poles are going by quickly. They just run by so quickly that I'm seeing a continuum. I'm not a pilot anymore. John Foley:Oh, music, just what we're talking about. They're going to be off. As long as I'm staying within those parameters, and then I'm in parameters, I'm moving around, but you just can't tell. Even the, if you've ever seen a briefing of the Blue Angels, the boss's tone of his voice is exactly what we're going to experience together. In this insightful program, he emphasizes the development of trust and respect among team members as essential to execution, and demonstrates proven ways for teams to achieve deep levels of trust. What's the pluses? That stuff completely leaves your mind and you're right into the task. John Foley:I just said, holy cow, I can do this because it's a value to others. I don't know the business side. Erik Weihenmayer:I lose my sort of my micro coordination. That means you're not in position. We've become good friends. Our first conversation of the new year is with a former navy jet pilot. If you enjoy this podcast, we encourage you to subscribe to it, share it, and give us a review. There's limiting beliefs and there's liberating beliefs. Otherwise, it's over.". And they've got a great program too. Foley has served as an adviser to Fortune 500 corporations, professional athletic teams, venture capital companies, professional associations and educational organizations and successfully connects the high intensity of the Blue Angles with your organization. You know it, every kid does it better than us. But you're exactly right, that's exactly the zone I'm in when I'm in a maneuver. In his dynamic presentations, Foley addresses the essential elements of exceptional team performance and makes them relevant, simple, and immediately actionable. That is what's happening to me in the jet. So, you get to see us closing our eyes. Guess what? So, coming around, and I go down again a third time, bolter again. John Foley:Once you learn how to do it, it's easy. It's hard to even remember exactly what happened, but in kayaking over 10 or 12 years, now and then, I would feel time slow down, and I could actually focus on my heartbeat. A total of 16 officers voluntarily serve with the Blue Angels. It's not happening. Then what I do in the morning, Erik, is I do what I call my glad to be here wake up. There's the transcendence of that. There are few examples where this is more dramatically demonstrated than with the Blue Angels. That's the first part of the question. Foley would enjoy a three year tenure with the Blue Angels that would see him progress from the teams narrator to a position in the demonstration as a solo pilot.