See, that's more important to me because I want to know if they're aware. 500 mph with former Blue Angels pilot John Foley 00:00 01:06:31 about the episode Happy 2022 everyone. Foley, the former lead solo pilot of the Navy's elite Blue Angels shares their process and mind-set for achieving the highest level of performance. Then you start landing jets on aircraft carriers. What separates the best of the best and makes for elite teams? I was expecting it. Even if it's the transcendent meditative place, but that's the pocket, right? Jeff:You got nervous, you and I have known each other for decades, you got nervous a few months ago playing in front of me. Then we give it away. How do you increase that sense of focus? John Foley:I'm going to do that. We brief every Monday mornings on the week and stuff. 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. Whether it's meditation, whether it's learning to take your game to a whole new level. By closing this banner, scrolling this page, clicking a link, or continuing to browse this site, you agree to this use. John Foley:What I realized with all science that's out there on gratitude and appreciation is just how powerful that mindset is for performance, how you can actually increase performance with this mindset. Then after that, and I would say that's more the touchy feely part. You're not doing this. John Foley:If I'm operating from fear, and there's sometimes, it's important to know, like it's easy to kill yourself. I know it'll happen. Number one, Alabama, Nick Saban, that program is probably one of the strongest programs I've ever seen. Anyhow, the bottom line is, to answer your question, JB, is I've been doing decent. That's one of the rare professions that, that's true. #gladtobehere stickers (50/pk) $ 17.99. I'm thinking about climbing. This goes quick. And they've got a great program too. It was in Newport, Rhode Island place called Kwanzaa Point. I never met him, but he was a huge mentor. 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. Captain Steve Foley, a native of Dolton, Illinois, enlisted in the Navy in 1983 and rose to the enlisted rank of Senior Chief Petty Officer. So, I can visually show people what we're talking about, and they get to see it. 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. And there's three tools. You know it, every kid does it better than us. So, you're trying to keep your airplane within a three inch circle on the other airplane. Whoever's the leader got to speak first. 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. To date, TCV has raised more than $15 billion in capital and emerged as a leading provider of growth capital to technology companies. John Foley:Now, having said that, I still get out and do it. John Foley:I like to put a nuance in there, Erik, and that's about being scared. What it does is, let's take it as a personal situation. Are you there in Denver right now, by the way? Jeff:Let's back up just again. Then you get in the cockpit and you see we're moving like crazy. Not that I'm telling you, you're not good enough. "Blue Angels are Navy fighter pilots. The point is, I want to know just your general feeling. 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. John Foley:It's actually really cool because the ECS, the environmental control system, it almost feels like a vacuum. Erik Weihenmayer:No, I get very excited. You're a pocket flow guy. During a typical performance, there are six jets in the air. As we evolve as athletes and precision professionals doing heady shit, that we get to a point where we realize what is my That's the completion of the hero's journey. During 1992 season, the Blue Angels traveled to Europe for the first time since 1973 to perform 16 air shows in 8 different countries including Russia, Bulgaria, Romania, England, Spain, Italy, Finland and Sweden. 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. 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. 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. Let's see what you got. An 18 year journey that began after a visit to an airshow as a young boy peaked when he was selected to join elite Blue Angels squadron. That's why this podcast is so important. I know there's difficulty and I'm aware of it. I had an entrepreneurial company, and the first one blew up. Erik Weihenmayer:John, backing up, one thing I kind of missed in my thought process talking to you was, you were on that track to be a Blue Angel, and you talked about your dad who was an officer. I started to emotionally well up a little bit. Because you can't do the middle part without the pre and the post, right? I think about the aging process a lot now, because I'm all aging, but you don't think about that when you're in your 20s and 30s. Well, absolutely. So, I was thinking of the bigger picture of the flying. However, after receiving his Wings of Gold in 1984, and in alignment with the needs of the Navy, Foley would initially be assigned to Attack Squadron 22 (VA-22) flying the A-7 Corsair II. Never will because of the nuances in it. block. Maybe he didn't understand he was out of parameter, right? Do you sort of put a flavor of that pocket into your personal practice as well as the way you teach it? That you were appreciative of or that you enjoyed. There are few examples where this is more dramatically demonstrated than with the Blue Angels. Is that what I think the states that we got into, no one taught me how to visualize. 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. Jeff:All right. I flew at 500 miles per hour in formations nearly 18" | 18 comments on LinkedIn The larger clubs are Hells Angels MC, Outlaws MC and Satans Slaves MC.. Like the vast majority of one percenter motorcycle clubs, the Blue Angels Motorcycle Club predominately ride Harley Davidson motorcycles. You don't start flying 36 inches, 18 inches from another jet. But it was a dream that I remember in my heart. 0:00. I've been told, I've heard this lots of times that the human brain cannot multitask. John Foley was a solo pilot for the Blue Angels aerobatic formation, a Sloan Fellow at the Stanford School of Business, a Gratitude Guru, and an expert on "how to" in high performing teams. Jeff:Number one question would be, were you the one who said it's time to step away from the teams, or did they say, we need some new blood in here? You get better and you move on and you share that information with somebody else. It's about sharing it with others so that their dreams can come true. There's, could be hundreds of thousands of people, you're waving to the kids. Block out your own mind. I used a trigger. 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. Let's say something challenges you, and it's a challenge. You have to move on in some way at some point. That's just a one sentence. Okay. Print page JOHN FOLEY - BIOGRAPHY In 2015, John Foley has been recognized as one of the top 10 most in demand speakers. I'm actually seeing things in frames. I'm happy for him that he's got these opportunities to be able to sort of plum, just get in that pocket more than I think we would've had the opportunity to. However, if we were to look at success as improvement upon what ever it is you are, whether that be your life, your career, or your business, then there. This is the highest level of the Blue Angels. John is a former lead solo pilot of the Blue Angels, a Sloan Fellow at Stanford School of Business, a top rated Keynote Speaker to over 1500 organizations worldwide, 'Gratitude Guru', bestselling author and expert in the "how" of high performance teams. John Foley:Well, I was the second one. Can I get back into body? It made my dad's year, not his day. Visit our privacy John Foley:JB, more from, I'd say, a psychiatrist standpoint or psychological standpoint. So, let's do it. Or is it different? And it was a light bulb moment, Erik. During the 1950s in a small German town, high school Professor Immanuel Rath falls in-love with a young cabaret entertainer, with dramatic consequences. Yeah. John Foley:It's exactly that, but it's not just the coffee, right? Get the best deals on Staffordshire Old Foley when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Jeff:The difference though is 10,000 hours. I had done really well in all the other phases, and this is the last phase. $ 21.95. That's where you go, okay, what is it going to take to get to where I want to go? Jeff:Yeah. . We were talking about everyone else on my team is a musician in some way, shape, or form. Honestly, JB. Even like right now, as we're talking, am I thinking about, well, when is this over? Glad To Be Here is a mindset that enables higher performance. We're talking to each other. In Good Condition. You bring the best athletes you can, but it's not about an individual. John Foley:A couple of things. I believe, in all our jobs, we got to paint the picture of what the extreme looks like first. John Foley:When I start to hear the G of the go, I'm starting to push back on my stick. For me, I do it with video. Here are the suggestions we received and where we donated (click through to view) . He's working with us now. Erik Weihenmayer:Yeah. I really do. It's just so hard and so intense. Erik Weihenmayer:Or you get internal with yourself and you start making mistakes or something, like how pitchers in pro baseball get in a slump or something. In fact, by the way, the College Football Championship's tonight. That's a fact. Jeff:Wait, are you rolling & talking tonight? And you're welcome. We call it a brief room, but really, it's mental preparation before we go flying. That's the beautiful part is why we can give back now to so many people. That's a start. Jeff:Yeah. Gone. Then you actually back out, you stabilize and you come back in. They believe in process. That means you're not in position. But since then, yeah, I had a lot of inadvertent mentors. Part of it is because I haven't put the work in. What we're talking about, I don't think you can learn from a book. Learn from people who have done it, and there's a combination of process and mindset. Some days you're just glad to be alive, but rarely, it meant that. John Foley:Oh, music, just what we're talking about. The Blue Angels must be closely aligned in thought and action in order to accomplish their mission. 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. 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. Don't you wish you would've had that back when you were doing all these crazy maneuvers. The team, composed of six Navy and one Marine Corps demonstration pilot, fly Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets . I keep wanting to back up just a little bit, but I've just got to understand this. It's important to know, it's easy to kill yourself. What if I knew this back when I was on the team? Team Oneness We go around the table and everybody first gets a chance to say that, the general safe. Blue Angels' John "Gucci" Foley. And the second question is, once you left the teams, how did you find that, just aargh, that thing that just made you You clinch up, that kind of stuff? It's like, oh, that would be cool, but geez, that's a pipe dream. So, you have to have the ability to slow it down, and I slow it down in my mind. 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. 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. No, here's the challenge I have. I mean, there are people who can teach breathing and meditation effectively, that have been doing it for years and years. Then the referee crew, I had spoken to the referee crew beforehand, and they got selected as the best individual. Jeff:And I guess, just like so many of us, you've evolved into the new Gucci, the different Gucci that I really think the world benefits from having you. John Foley:Yeah. It wasn't the physical side. What is your preparation? Erik Weihenmayer:I just imagine that the heart piece might almost get in the way. I'm thinking about you hanging on to a lift, right? I'll never forget the radio call. Jeff:I know. It's at an angle. A third of my support crew is new every year. There's limiting beliefs and there's liberating beliefs. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. But it's unsustainable because a human being only has so much capacity to do that thing. What's the minuses? We all know the science behind appreciation and gratitude, how it changes the way your brain thinks, the neurons fire and all that. John Foley:Well, now here's the challenge I have. I think the challenge tonight is that Georgia got their asses handed to them by Alabama, right? John Foley:I'm just going to reinforce that in my body. So, they allow you more time, and then you just start, just like you, you just keep upping the game, where now you start flying jets, then you start flying faster jets. No kidding, 300%. John "Gucci" Foley, a U.S. Navy aviator and Blue Angels pilot, John "unpacks" the special mindset and practical framework for achieving High Performance and sustaining a true Culture of Excellence. John Foley:Yeah, you got it. I think that Georgia has the advantage. You can't necessarily hack it from somebody else. There's a lot of opportunity here. There's a lot of emotion in there. Copyright 2023. Tax ID Number: 06-1693441. I think that's a rare combination. To answer your question, from the ground, we've had spectators, they go, "Looks like you guys aren't even moving." His charismatic and enthusiastic presentations stimulate audiences emotionally and intellectually with a whole new perspective on their ability to excel. What I am trying to teach is show you, is how to be a better team member, how to focus better, how to be prepared, how to be more open and honest in your debriefs, how to lay it on the table so that your teammates can grow and you can grow. I don't have those all the time. When you were going through that process, John's like 12 years old and he's committed, I'm going to be a pilot, and all Now you're going to be the best pilot, you're going to be this best pilot. Or, you know what? We proudly represent the heritage, agility, flexibility, and. Jeff:Okay. BLUe aNGeLS John Foley "G lad to Be Here." those four words meant something very special to me when I was a Blue angel. I think, even more important, is in the briefing room, if you have ever been to one of my presentations, you see, I take people into our preparation. While I had known about the Blue Angels, I hadn't ever heard of John Foley. As if it happened yesterday, Foley fondly reflects on a flight he gave to his Russian counterpart that rendered his new comrade unconscious during a demonstration of high performance capabilities of the F/A-18 Hornet. One of them was my commanding officer on the carrier air group commander, called a carrier group commander, a CAG. Mentors come into our lives when we're young, especially for me, it was obviously my dad, and then people I never met, like accidental mentors, like Terry Fox, who was an amputee who lost a leg to cancer and decided he was going to run all the way across Canada, thousands of miles, and he inspired a whole nation. Then I actually went to another challenging field, which was flying jets off aircraft carriers in a leadership role again. 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. Now, to answer that gut feeling JB that you asked about. 605 SOUTH COLLEGE AVENUE, SUITE 101, FORT COLLINS, CO 80524. So, I went heli-skiing yesterday. I think it's a blessing to have parents, and my mom too, in a different way, but they taught me integrity, and just trying stuff, not to be afraid to fail. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. And time actually did slow down. The first four jets fly in a diamond formation. Then what I do in the morning, Erik, is I do what I call my glad to be here wake up. Erik Weihenmayer:My hands sweat, my hand shake. It's really about overcoming the mental side of the equation. What does John Foley suck at? I had a team briefing this morning. Otherwise, it's over.". Erik Weihenmayer:I've had a few perfect runs, but a lot of them are just reacting and responding to chaos. 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. Before we flew, we briefed, and after we flew, we debriefed, and that's a whole different emotional and intellectual episode than the actual physical. So, yes, I think that's the glad to be here. GLAD TO BE HERE T-Shirt Black. 14K views, 488 likes, 72 loves, 29 comments, 149 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Blue Angels Association: John Foley, #5, USN (Ret.) You don't want a whole bunch of safeties. I was doing it before them. So, it's that front end and maybe the backend, the pre and the post is where the heart really truly has to exist. I think the first thing, Erik, that I've learned over time is I like to say there's two beliefs. John Foley:To me, a liberating belief is where that opportunity. Now I get scared. Is that part of the process of being focused? A framework that teaches you step-by-step how to break through your own challenges and live a driven, purposeful life. But again, that was just academics. I didn't do great, but at least I finished. Guess what? Because think about when you're teaching someone to climb. What we can do is focus. You're flying six inches apart from each other. Reaching that level of excellence required commitment, discipline and trust. John Foley:Yeah. I just want to do something that's personal. Jeff:Yeah, but it's also more than just fun. We actually do what we call a general safe. That's not good. I'm going to actually have a voice command and I'll actually move. 10 Frame Work and 10 Dynamics of Debrief Wallet Cards. Like, they take you under their wing and they say And you're expressing gratitude, and because of that, they want to work with you more, right? Because I know that's a big part of your book, talking about how to elevate those belief levels for people doing all kinds of activities and pursuits. They have more to win. The Blue Angels is a flight demonstration squadron of the United States Navy. More like this. I climb out of the jet. First, is just being aware, is am I operating from fear? No Barriers is a registered 501(c)3 Non-Profit Guidestar Platinum Rating You finally get to the air show, and you can feel it. Access to NAS Pensacola is limited to Department of Defense (DoD) ID card holders (active duty service members, retirees, and their families). It's not happening. Your brain and your hands aren't that dialed in yet.