Capt. Kelly Federal: Soar to New Heights | Lessons from the Cockpit - Embrace Fighter Pilot Strategies for Peak Performance and Unwavering Focus

There’s a lot that the civilian world can learn from the military. Our guest on the show today, ex-fighter pilot and current real estate investor Kelly Federal, is here to share what some of those lessons are. One of the main themes we discuss is the value of open communication; Kelly is a firm believer that honesty and transparency are the key elements that result in achieving peak performance, and that too many people, in their personal and professional lives, have lost these vital skills. Kelly also shares how being in the military gave him perspective on what is important in life, and how to deal with stressful situations. As well as some stories from Kelly’s time as a fighter pilot, you will also hear about the spiritual path that Kelly is on, as well as his recently found interest in health. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why Kelly feels he is the antithesis of other guests we’ve had on the podcast.
• A description of the crash which brought Kelly and I together. 
• Kelly explains how he has trained his brain to deal with stressful situations.
• Similarities between athletes and fighter pilots. 
• One of the elements of the military that Kelly thinks the civilian world needs to adopt. 
• The creativity of aviation.
• Perspective that Kelly has gained from being in high pressure situations. 
• Differences in the physical characteristics of the pilots that Kelly has flown with.
• Physiological tests that fighter pilots are put through. 
• An explanation of what heart rate variability is, and some examples of how it influences performance.
• Realizations that Kelly is now having about the importance of rest, which were not taught to him when he was training as a pilot.
• Kelly shares how he used to feel when he flew, and the different stages of G-force. 
• What Kelly loves about cloud surfing.
• Compartmentalization techniques that Kelly was taught as part of his training.
• Characteristics that Kelly believes are key in peak performance. 
• Kelly’s take on spirituality.
• How Kelly’s military experience has positively impacted his life to this day.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Andrés Preschel

Know Your Physio Podcast

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