"When I was a young, inexperienced fighter pilot, I lived with this constant fear that I didn't belong and wasn't good enough. I'd walk into a briefing room and feel like everyone else had it together. Meanwhile, I was hyperaware of everything I said and did as I tried to live up to my idea of what the perfect fighter pilot was."
"This voice lives in all of us-that inner critic-telling you that you're not ready, not enough, or don't have what it takes. It may sound a whole lot like the truth, but that voice is often just fear in disguise: fear of being seen, fear of failing, or fear of finally succeeding and not knowing what to do with it. I had to learn that my inner critic wasn't a signal to stop. It didn't mean I was in the wrong place. It was a sign that I was pushing into something that mattered-something that was difficult, but worth doing."
A former fighter pilot and Thunderbirds Lead Solo flew combat missions and high-risk aerial demonstrations, accruing intense operational experience and public performances. High-pressure roles produced behind-the-scenes self-doubt, identity struggles, near misses, and mental battles requiring deliberate coping strategies. Fear and an inner critic frequently present as convincing but misleading voices that signal growth rather than failure. Recognizing the inner critic as fear in disguise allows reframing fear into action. Courage does not precede action; acting despite fear cultivates courage. Techniques emphasize pushing into meaningful, difficult tasks rather than stopping at feelings of inadequacy.
Read at Fast Company
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