Words from the Wise

Gary L. Wise
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Join Words from the Wise with Gary Wise, a retired Navy Command Master Chief, for authentic leadership insights forged in real-world experience. Through engaging discussions and actionable strategies, Gary empowers you to master emotional intelligence, build resilient teams, and unlock your full potential. Tune in for practical advice on delegation, conflict management, and inspiring others, drawn from his over 28 years of service and ongoing leader mentorship headquartered now in Ocala, Florida.

  1. 11H AGO

    How Service, Faith, And History Shape A Life Of Purpose

    Send a text History isn’t background noise here; it’s the compass. We open by connecting Cold War alliances to today’s fault lines, then ride along as David Kano—retired Navy Chief Hospital Corpsman—shares how “sailor first” shaped every step: enlisting three months before 9/11, stabilizing patients in Iraq’s trauma bays, and learning that prevention is power when you’re safeguarding a ship’s water, food, and heat stress programs. From Okinawa to Al Asad, then outside the wire in Helmand as an IA, David pulls back the curtain on what high‑tempo service really asks of people. He explains why line corpsmen are the beating heart of battlefield care, how a carrier in Japan can be both the toughest and most rewarding tour, and what it takes to recalibrate in Rota, Spain where diplomacy, partnership, and patience share the stage with checklists. Making chief becomes a lesson in active communication, humility, and lifting others—anchors as identity, not ornament. The conversation turns deeply personal with COVID, hospitalization, and the loss of a father in the same week—an inflection point that led to retirement and a new mission. David’s next chapter, Dave’s Transmissions, blends national security, economic opportunity, health affairs, education, history, and science into clear, practical writing guided by a simple credo: be good, fight evil, help people. Along the way, we trade rapid‑fire insights on parenting teenagers, choosing overseas orders, building resilience, and prioritizing in a world engineered for distraction. If stories of service, leadership, faith, and starting over speak to you, press play. Then share this with someone who needs a steady voice, subscribe for more candid conversations, and leave a review to tell us what moment hit home for you. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    2h 7m

  2. FEB 21

    Strength, Faith, And A 12,000-Mile Vision

    Send a text What happens when you hate running, but choose obedience anyway? That’s the spark at the heart of this conversation with faith-first performance coach Chris Avery — a man who ran a marathon with zero training, logged a mile a day until it became years, and is now mapping a 12,000-mile mission to run the perimeter of America. The story isn’t about superhuman talent; it’s about ordinary action empowered by faith, forgiveness, and a stubborn loyalty to purpose. We trace Chris’s path from addiction to sobriety, through marriage and fatherhood, and into a coaching philosophy built on simple, repeatable habits. He breaks down the “loop” that changed everything: fail, return to God, fail less, return faster. That spiritual muscle shows up in practical ways — a one-mile start, a 90-day push-up and pull-up challenge, and a run streak designed to protect family and lifestyle. Along the way we unpack why obedience isn’t control but covenant, how purpose emerges in motion, and why perseverance beats resilience when you want fewer knockdowns and more forward lean. Leaders will love the call for observation over assumptions and “courageous conversations” that replace passive friction with honest dialogue. Parents will find tools to regulate, slow down, and bring grace into the home. Runners and non-runners alike will recognize a blueprint: think in belief, speak in trust, act in faith. If you’ve been waiting for clarity, this episode argues for a different plan — start small, listen hard, and let obedience align your steps with a God-sized mission. If this resonated, tap follow, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people find the show. Your next faithful step could change your map. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    1h 23m

  3. FEB 14

    Recognizing Stress Through Navy Color Codes And Real-Life Leadership Lessons

    Send a text Stress doesn’t start at the crisis point; it starts the moment the phone lights up. We open with the real baseline most of us carry—pings, expectations, and a mind that wakes up in the yellow—and then lay down a clear roadmap to navigate the day without losing yourself. Drawing on years of Navy leadership and today’s classroom realities, we use the Operational Stress Control colors to name what you’re feeling and the simple stress equation—pressure minus perceived capability—to show where to intervene. From there, we unpack four practical buckets of stress: worry, fear, anxiety, and panic. Each one gets its own antidote. Worry dissolves when you seek the truth instead of spiraling in the unknown. Fear loosens when you act—build skill, ask for help, or negotiate time. Anxiety becomes manageable when you map objectives, sequence steps, and match resources to goals. Panic needs physiology first: box breathing, grounding, trusted teammates, and, for many, prayer. When you can name the bucket, you can pick the right tool and move from red toward green without pretending the pressure isn’t real. You’ll also hear straight talk on leadership costs, boundary-setting, and the subtle ways rescheduling can make tomorrow harder. We share personal stories—from damage control drills to teaching cadets—that show how honest status checks, shared load, and clear priorities protect both performance and people. If you’ve been carrying too much for too long, this conversation offers language, steps, and courage to reset. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs it, and tell us: which color are you in today? Your check-in might be the nudge someone else needs to breathe, plan, and move forward. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    1h 10m

  4. FEB 7

    From Cults To Calling: Athena Dean Holtz On Healing, Publishing, And Spiritual Warfare

    Send a text A wound left untended doesn’t just hurt—it starts to steer. That idea threads through a gripping conversation with author, speaker, and publisher Athena Dean Holtz, whose journey spans Scientology, pioneering PTSD advocacy, a booming publishing house, and a long season of spiritual abuse that cost her marriage, company, and community. What emerged on the other side is a hard-won clarity about discernment, forgiveness, and the everyday mechanics of spiritual warfare. We start with the early days of Point Man Ministries, where Athena helped bring PTSD into the light for veterans and their families—years before the term went mainstream. From bootstrapping a book that eventually reached hundreds of thousands to co-founding WinePress and elevating indie Christian publishing, she shares what excellence requires and how success can become a sedative when deeper wounds go unaddressed. That unhealed pain, she says, made her vulnerable to leaders who weaponized scripture, cut her off from loved ones, and manipulated her into handing over a thriving company for ten dollars. The pivot came with radical honesty and intensive counseling. Step by step, Athena learned why “you can’t resist what you don’t recognize” is more than a line—it’s a map. We unpack the parallels between guerrilla tactics and the enemy’s strategies today: isolate, exhaust, distort, and divide. Her latest book, No Longer Hidden, translates those insights into practical tools: read scripture in context, build boundaries without bitterness, and practice forgiveness from the heart. Not approval. Not access. Obedience and freedom. If you’re navigating church hurt, leadership betrayal, or the fog that follows trauma, this story offers sturdy hope and clear next steps. Word and prayer as daily armor. Community that tells you the truth. Craft and integrity in your calling. And the courage to name what’s really at work so you can finally push back. Listen, reflect, and share with someone who needs language for what they’ve been feeling. Then subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: which red flag are you done ignoring? https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    1h 33m

  5. JAN 31

    From SCBAs To Series 7: Yes, That Escalated Quickly

    Send a text A kid from Staten Island walks three miles to a Navy recruiter after a jobsite blowup and ends up a warrant officer, a chief engineer, and finally a financial advisor. That’s not luck—it’s discipline, mentorship, and a lot of deckplate reps. Gary sits down with his shipmate Jody Schilling to trace the full arc: boot camp in Orlando, Treasure Island A School, meeting a destroyer in Bahrain, and learning damage control fast under real pressure. Along the way, Jody owns his missteps, turns NJPs into fuel, teaches DC indoc, and earns ESWS by treating standards like a sport. The conversation digs into the gear and the grit: OBA to SCBA transitions, Halon decisions when the heat won’t quit, and the night a “Bravo fire” turned out to be a frozen fan. You’ll hear why recruiting after 9/11 worked when it focused on follow-up and results, not overtime and waivers. We get gator life with Marines aboard, ballasting math, and a SWO(L) pin earned on watch, not in theory. As a warrant DCA, Jody pushes for recognition systems that surface more talent and moves the crew from compliance to readiness. Then it widens: a small-ship chief engineer tour under COVID, geobaching, and writing evals that actually move sailors—EL letters, real quals, faster promotions. In Bahrain, he fixes broken ranges for $13 instead of $40K, builds qualification boards, and helps sailors stack degrees while the mission rolls. The thread through it all is simple and powerful: take average and make it good; take good and make it great; take great and make it lead. That same mindset powers his post-Navy pivot to Edward Jones, where helping families plan feels like one more watch worth standing. If you value honest sea stories, practical leadership, and the mechanics of reinvention, you’ll find a lot to take with you—whether you’re chasing ESWS, running a shop, or planning your next career. Listen, share it with someone who needs a push, and drop a review so more vets and leaders can find the show. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    2h 9m

  6. JAN 24

    Choose Your Reaction Or It Chooses You

    Send a text When emotions run hot, one choice can change everything. Gary Wise lays out a clear, battle-tested way to slow the moment, tell the truth about what you feel, and make a response you won’t regret tomorrow. Drawing on decades of Navy leadership, teaching, fatherhood, and faith, we unpack why emotional intelligence matters more than ever in a world of constant comparison, instant judgment, and phones that never sleep. We break down a simple playbook you can use under pressure: name the emotion with honesty, create a pause through prayer or reflection, and move through What happened, So what it changes, and Now what you’ll do. Then we add the Navy’s Plan, Brief, Execute, Debrief loop to turn hard moments into learning cycles you can repeat. Along the way, we tackle the difference between grief and pity, how to set a time limit on self-pity, and how to build inner reasons that keep you moving when the cheering stops. Expect practical stories, tough-love encouragement, and tools you can try the same day. We also get real about boundaries and trust, especially around phones and social media. Clear expectations reduce drama; unclear ones multiply it. Support lands better when we listen first, ask better questions, and offer advice by permission. The goal isn’t to feel less—it’s to feel wisely, act with courage, and protect your future from impulsive choices. If you’ve been looking for a grounded, faith-forward approach to emotional intelligence, perseverance, and better conversations at home, school, and work, this one’s for you. If this resonates, follow Words from the Wise, share with a friend who needs it, and leave a review to help others find the show. Got a topic you want us to tackle next? Send it our way. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    44 min

  7. JAN 17

    Do It For You: Leadership, Boundaries, And Finding Your Why

    Send a text The best leaders don’t start with perfect test scores or spotless plans—they start with a clear why. Gary sits down with Chelsea James, a first-generation student at Florida State, to unpack how a COVID-era freshman became a campus leader anchored by discipline, mentoring, and relentless self-advocacy. She shares the real tools that moved the needle: a paper planner, firm boundaries, and the willingness to ask for help early and often. Chelsea takes us inside JROTC’s impact on her leadership voice, from learning to command a field to navigating high school transitions with grit. We follow her into FSU’s CARE Summer Bridge, where community and structure smoothed the leap to college-level workload. From dorm dynamics and scooter thefts to presidents list wins and e-board funding victories, her stories show how persistence beats the initial no—especially when you prepare, document, and communicate. We dig into academics without the fluff: turning an F from a misgrade into an A trajectory, leveraging AP writing for discussion boards, and choosing mastery over busywork. Chelsea’s roadmap includes teaching, certifications, and a long-term aim of superintendent—plus a parallel interest in educational law to advocate for teachers and students. She’s leveling up perspective through study abroad in London and an internship in South Africa, chasing lived context that textbooks can’t offer. If you’re a student, parent, or educator seeking practical advice on planning, setting boundaries, and leading yourself, this conversation delivers a usable playbook. Bring your goals, your questions, and your courage to start now—not later. Do it for you. Enjoyed this story? Follow, subscribe, and share the show with someone who needs the push. And if it resonated, leave a quick review to help others find it. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    1h 31m

  8. JAN 10

    Grit Starts At Home

    Send a text The difference between a fragile follower and a future leader often comes down to one habit: perseverance built on safe, real-world reps. We dig into how parents, mentors, and teens can trade helicopter control for a clear framework that creates strength, not dependence. From setting boundaries around effort and rest to knowing when to step in and when to let natural consequences teach, this conversation is a practical guide to raising resilient people who plan ahead, communicate early, and own the outcome. We start with the pressures today’s teens and adults face—always-on feedback, social scrutiny, and the fear of public failure—and then map out tools that actually help. You’ll hear why perseverance beats simple resilience, how to use a “safe to fail” check before intervening, and what micromanage-then-release looks like when skills are new. We share real stories from the NJROTC classroom and field: tough workouts that build confidence, uniform days that sharpen standards, and debriefs that turn bad grades into better habits. Along the way, we tackle device accountability, the role of faith and purpose, and the courage it takes to ask for help before the deadline hits. By the end, you’ll have a straightforward loop to use at home, school, or work: plan, communicate, execute, debrief, adjust. Validate emotions but refuse to be led by them. Create space for kids to try, stumble, and try again while signaling exactly when leaders must step in for safety, bullying, or irreversible consequences. If you’re a parent ready to step back or a young person ready to step up, this playbook shows how to build the muscle of perseverance—one honest rep at a time. If this resonated, subscribe, share it with someone who needs the nudge, and leave a review with the one habit you’ll put into practice this week. https://www.wordsfromthewise.net/

    1 hr
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About

Join Words from the Wise with Gary Wise, a retired Navy Command Master Chief, for authentic leadership insights forged in real-world experience. Through engaging discussions and actionable strategies, Gary empowers you to master emotional intelligence, build resilient teams, and unlock your full potential. Tune in for practical advice on delegation, conflict management, and inspiring others, drawn from his over 28 years of service and ongoing leader mentorship headquartered now in Ocala, Florida.

Information

  • Creator
    Gary L. Wise
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Words from the Wise
  • Show Website
    Words from the Wise