John talks to TR Matson — former US Navy fighter pilot with over two decades of experience in both military and civilian aviation. Beyond his aviation expertise, TR is also the author of two books: "Treason Flight" and "Vengeance Flight." 

His remarkable journey includes serving as a naval aviator aboard the USS Nimitz, excelling as an E-2 Hawkeye pilot and piloting the FAA T-45 Goshawk. TR also held the esteemed role of Landing Signals Officer (LSO) during his military tenure. Currently, he serves as a pilot for a major US airline, all while cherishing his roles as a devoted husband and caring father.

Listen to this episode to learn more:

[00:00] - Intro

[03:45] - What caused Matson to join the Navy

[09:54] - Matson’s transition from military career to civilian life

[14:40] - A river that doesn’t move

[17:25] - About Matson’s books 

[22:32] - The characters and plot of the books

[24:04] - Plans for future books and potential adaptations into screenplays

[26:20] - Balancing a busy life as a pilot, author, and family man

[30:15] - What TR does to improve his significant relationships

[34:48] - Matson’s definition of success

[36:35] - The makeup of a great leader

[40:21] - TR’s #1 daily habit

[41:53] - Earn your sleep

[50:57] - Book recommendations

NOTABLE QUOTES:

"Nothing grows in a comfort zone."

"I enjoy being uncomfortable. That's where I thrive. You know, put my back up against the wall, and I'm in my comfort zone."

"The average guy can accomplish things. You don't have to be a specially gifted athlete or academically to accomplish great things. If you work hard enough at anything you want to do, you can achieve anything you want to do."

"Self-reflection is huge. I don't think we do this as a society. I think we get caught up in things."

"A truly great leader is someone that you don't question. You just 100% accept, 'Yes, this person is somebody that I am going to fall in and ask.' And that is not an easy thing to become."

"People often talk about things like work-life balance. It's a misnomer. It's never in full balance, it's not possible. But you can have work-life harmony. That is possible."

"A truly great leader, at least in my experience, is someone that no matter what, you would follow anywhere."

"Relationships are all about being accountable to other people. But you can't be accountable to other people if you're not accountable to yourself first."

BOOKS MENTIONED:

How To Write: A Screenplay by Mark Evan Schwartz (https://tinyurl.com/HowToWriteAScreenPlayBook)

Books by Jack Reacher 

Books by C.W. Lemoine

Learn How to Lead to Win by Mike Manazir (https://tinyurl.com/HowToLearnToLeadToWinBook)

USEFUL RESOURCES:

https://trmatson.com

https://www.instagram.com/trmatsonauthor/

https://twitter.com/TRMatsonAuthor

https://www.facebook.com/trmat79

https://tinyurl.com/TreasonFlightBook

https://tinyurl.com/VengeanceFlightBook

CONNECT WITH JOHN

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LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnhulen    

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLX_NchE8lisC4NL2GciIWA    

EPISODE CREDITS

Intro and Outro music provided by Jeff Scheetz - https://jeffscheetz.com/

Twitter Mentions