Ep #150: Flying Towards Fear with Michelle Curran

This episode of Inside the Inspired podcast features an interview with Michelle “Mace” Curran, a former F-16 pilot in the U.S. Air Force and current motivational speaker. The discussion explores Mace’s journey of overcoming self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field. The episode delves into the importance of transparency, accountability, and finding a clear purpose to drive personal growth and success, even in the face of adversity. Mace shares insights on the mental and physical demands of flying high-performance aircraft, as well as the lessons she has applied to her post-military career as a keynote speaker and author. Here are a few key takeaways from this episode: 1. Strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome and self-doubt, even in high-pressure, high-stakes environments. 2. The value of transparency, accountability, and finding a clear purpose to drive personal and professional development. 3. Insights into the mental and physical demands of elite performance, and how those lessons can be applied to achieve success in various endeavors. 00:00 Introduction 00:09 Kern's motivation for joining the U.S. Air Force. 00:23 Michelle’s 13-year Air Force career. 00:42 Michelle’s journey to becoming an F-16 pilot. 01:08 Demands of flying the F-16 and Thunderbirds. 03:55 Overcoming imposter syndrome. 07:13 Navigating responsibilities as a trailblazer. 11:58 Importance of trust and collaboration. 16:05 Influence on decision-making and life approach. 23:34 Transition to public speaking career. 30:08 Preparation, repetition, and balancing action. 40:23 Passion project of writing children's book. 45:32 Michelle’s advice to her younger self. 47:54 Conclusion and connecting with Michelle. Check out my FREE reading list: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://insidetheinspired.com/reading⁠⁠⁠⁠ For all of the courses, podcasts, blogs, contact, and merch, check out our website: https://insidetheinspired.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1FV1VqP⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Jonathan on Instagram: @jonathanzcohen