In this episode, Michael will share his wisdom on self-awareness, leadership, and the strategies he has developed to empower leaders in high-pressure situations. His involvement in Toastmasters and numerous awards, including Distinguished Toastmaster, further highlight his exceptional communication skills.

Understanding that adversity is there very thing that will refine us and allow us to thrive. Often, we run away from pain, but my guest on this episode shares how instead of running from that pain we need to welcome it and push through it. My guess is non other than Ray "Cash" Care. Cash is an expert in teaching people to embrace the pain in their lives wether it is unexpected for sought after in one form or another to ultimately become more resilient. Ray believes that in order to become the best version of ourselves we first need be be broken down and then built back up. Getting rid of the negative self-talk and habits that are counter productive to our personal growth and peak performance as humans is at the core of what Ray Care teaches.

Cash is a Navy Seal Veteran who has completed numerous combat tours before retiring from the Navy and taking a job with the CIA and developing his skill sets in additional high-stress environments. Cash has transitioned from defending our country to now helping people improve their lives by teaching his four pillars, teamwork, problem solving, leadership and communication. Cash is a passionate Husband, Father, and expert in team building. Additionally, Ray is an instructor for Bedros Keuillian's Modern Day Knight Project and the Father son experience, The Squire Program.

Cash has a dynamic and charismatic personality and can often be found making an entertaining video on social media or being challenged to a pushup contest no matter what city he finds himself in. Cash does not hold back in this conversation as we talk about self-improvement, showing up for our families, embracing pain, and how to push through all of life's interruptions.

When the Fall arrives the Interrupted Outdoors kicks into high gear. Many of you know the incredible opportunities the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia have to offer when it comes to hunting and fishing. People come from around the country to experience all the Eastern Shore has to offer. There are many household names like the White Marlin Open but a fishing Tournament that is quickly becoming a mainstay here on the shore and garnering a ton of attention is the Tangier Classic. The Tangier Classic is in its fourth year and is continuing to explode in popularity with Anglers. The multi-species Chesapeake Bay fishing tournament is one of the finest there is and is scheduled for September 23-25, 2022. Whether you are an angler or just someone looking for a great family friendly activity, be sure to make your way to Crisfield, Maryland on this third week of September.

Managing fear is one of the most important skills that will serve you and your loved ones in every area of life. Whether you are starting a new job, raising children, being caught in a violent encounter, the one emotion that universally will be experienced by all is fear. The faster you are able to recognize fear and it’s psychological and physiological effects, you will be better able to reengage your cognitive thinking and apply tactics to overcome whatever stimulated to fear response. Doing this is easier said than done, which is why I am excited to introduce you to my guest.

My guest today is Coach Tony Blauer. Tony is a defensive tactics expert and has been training men and woman around the globe in self-defense. He founded Blauer Tactical Systems (BTS) in 1985 and it has grown into one of the world's leading consulting companies specializing in the research and development of performance psychology, personal safety, and close quarter tactics & scenario-based training for law enforcement, military, and professional self-defense instructors. His research on the neuroscience of fear and the startle-flinch led to the development of the SPEAR System® a modern personal defense system based on physiology, physics, and psychology. It has been used by defensive tactics and combative trainers all over the world for over 30 years. After decades of interviewing victims of violent encounters and studying violence, he created the KNOW FEAR® program which focuses on managing fear through self-awareness, resiliency, and a 'movement' mindset. This program has also been integrated by psychologists helping Vets to deal with PTSD.

Finding hope following a horrific Naval aviation crash is exactly what Kegan “SMurF” Gill did. After years of preparation and training to fly a US Navy F/A -18E Super Hornet, Kegan found himself bracing for impact when his jet was speeding toward the Atlantic Ocean at nearly the speed of sound. In January of 2014 over the icy waters of the Atlantic Kegan sustained devastating injuries from a high-speed ejection into the sound barrier. After over a dozen surgeries, two years of rehabilitation and weening himself off high dosage pain meds he returned to flying Super Hornets. Eventually he started to struggle from delayed onset PTSD and cognitive impairments from his severe traumatic brain injury. Pharmaceutical psych medication worsened his symptoms to the point of being hospitalized in a psychosis. After years of struggling in the VA healthcare system, nearly loosing his family and fighting the urge of suicide he discovered a variety of alternative treatments including psychedelics. He is now off all psych medications and truly healing his mind, body and soul. Kegan is committed to having a positive and lasting impact on others who have experienced significant physical and mental health injuries and desires to show others that there is a different path to healthy living.

Becoming a dad will be one of the most rewarding adventures that a man goes on but it can also be incredibly scary at the same time. Helping men understand their purpose and find meaning in this ever changing world is exactly what Larry Hagner has set out to do. Larry Hagner is the host and founder of The Dad Edge Podcast and he is on a mission to help one million men live legendary lives. Larry is not only the host of The Dad Edge Podcast, but he is the author of two best selling books, "The Dad's Edge" and the children's book "Daddy will Always Love and Protect You." In this episode Larry candidly shares how he is being intentional with his children to guide them and have an impact that will be felt in generations to come. Larry shares a portion of his own story of how he has learned to be resilient in spite of stumbling many times as a new father. He talks about a specific event that helped him realize that he needed to change his parenting and become a better leader for his family. Larry is currently living in St. Louis, Mo with his wife Jessica and their four boys.

Having the opportunity to see new parts of this country is something I never take for granted. In 2019, I had the opportunity to addend a conference near Farmington, Maine and I was fortunate enough to be provided a tour of the Origin Factory. Origin is a cutting-edge American manufacturing giant that continues to grow and innovate. It was on that day in the factory that I was able to meet Jon Milan as he showed us around and talked about how the founder, Pete Roberts had an incredible vision of bring textile manufacturing back to America.

After meeting Jon, we began having conversation over social media and I learned that we had a shared interest in the outdoors. Jon is an avid outdoorsman and shares nearly every trip into the wild with his boys. Jon has a humble, and refreshing personality that is inspiring and motivating. During our conversation we talk the outdoors, Jiu Jitsu, American manufacturing, parenting, and leadership in the work place. Be sure to follow along with the Origin story on all their platforms.

Have you ever considered taking a sabbatical or even retiring early? This may be one of the furthest things from your mind but actually may be exactly what you need. If you think taking a break is not an option because you have followed a traditional path of going to college then starting a career then this is the episode for you. After being married for only 5 years Nik and Allie were inspired and then made the decision to rent their home, quit their jobs, and go on a 6-month sabbatical to see the world and have an adventure. Well, there is a lot more to it than just having an adventure but as you will find out Nik and Allie are passionate about travel and passionate about taking advantage of every moment together. They have started a travel consulting business called away together and even have a YouTube channel where you can follow them around the world. After many months of preparation, Nik and Allie left on their sabbatical in the fall of 2021 and will not return to their home in the United States until the spring of 2022. They joined me on a call from the other side of the globe and I am so glad they took the time to share with the world their story. I trust you will be inspired by this incredible couple.

Decision making during high stress , life and death situation is difficult for most well trained first responders and the military personnel. With that being said, many Americans have found themselves listening to soundbites and watching incomplete clips of tragic events that forever change men and women’s life. At core of each watched or listen to encounter, is a burning question of why did this event occur as it did. Do I have all the information? Was it the police officers fault? Is it the suspects fault? Is it the systems fault? The outcry for answers is often deafening. What so many armchair critics and keyboard warriors fail to understand is that there are decades of research when it comes to Human Performance and Human Dynamics. Empirically, peer reviewed research is constantly informing training commissions across the nation on the best way to approach potentially deadly situations, but we have to listen to the data and implement the findings.

At the center of this research is the Force Science Institute (FSI) FSI is led by executive director Dr. William “Bill” Lewinski. Dr. Bill Lewinski has spent the better part of his life asking critical questions about how the human body works under and incredible amount of stress. Which is faster, Action or Reaction? What is the human experience with time distortion? How do we create experts? What is at the route of human error and how do we mitigate against the bodies tendency toward self preservation verses the best decision when a decision must be made. How does experiential bias impact a man or woman when faced with a decision that needs to be made in under 1 second? During this interview with Dr. Bill, he sheds some light on a few of these questions during our time together. This is a man that has sacrificed so much in the name of science and has provided vetted solutions to help prevent injustices toward the men and women who have sworn to serve and protect the constitution of the United States and the Laws of other nations around the globe.

Today’s guest, Eric Rittmeyer is a former US Marine and an expert in the fields of mental toughness and emotional intelligence. He’s been a professional speaker for the past decade, and is a regular guest on all of the major television outlets including Fox, CNN, NBC and ABC. Eric’s also the author of the book “The Emotional Marine – 68 Mental Toughness and Emotional Intelligence Secrets To Make Anyone Instantly Like You”.

Impact, influence, and legacy are all words that weigh heavily on fathers. Using every moment on this earth to lead, teach, and inspire children while they are under a father or mothers care is a mission that all parents embark on.  We never know where life will take us or the moment we will no longer be on this earth to care for our family.  Preparing NOW is always the right thing to do.Blake is on a mission to help 1 million dads write a least one well written meaningful, lasting Legacy Letter to their children. Black has a wonderful Wife and loves being a father to his three children, all under 5.  As he leads his family, he draws from many mentors, but none more important that his late father Larry Brewer.Blake share a story of resilience as tragedy struck his family while on vacation many years ago. Since that time, Blake has found meaning and purpose because of a power and inspiring action his father took in an effort to lead and provide for his family.  Enjoy this conversation with Blake and be sure to check out the Legacy Letter Challenge.

Honest story telling is at the core of what the Copeland Creative Team believes. Owner, Caleb Copeland has assembled an All-Star Team of field producers, and together they are pushing the envelope with their skills and creativity in the outdoors space.  They are producing some of the largest and most impactful shows in the outdoor industry like the Crush with Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, Hunt Masters with Gregg Ritz, and Nockon TV with John Dudley to name a few .  Caleb Copeland, Ryer Porter and Clay Courington make up the primary team at Copeland Creative and in addition to the powerful stories they tell with a camera, they somehow make the time to give back to others in the production space. These guys are never short on stories and laughs, but have a way of simplifying technical information and delivering it in a concise and helpful way for their audience