Forging Resilience

Aaron Hill
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There are people in this world with extraordinary stories, people who've been forged by challenge, transition, and adversity, and most of us will never get the chance to hear them speak honestly about it. Forging Resilience closes that gap.Host Aaron Hill draws on a deep network of military leaders, elite athletes, entrepreneurs, and coaches to have the conversations that don't happen in boardrooms or on stages. Driven by curiosity and presence, Aaron doesn't follow a script or stick to a format, he follows the story. What comes out is something rare: real, unfiltered insight from people who've been through the fire and come out the other side.Built for high performers, leaders, founders, and anyone facing a moment that demands more of them,  this is the show for people who don't fit the mould, hosted by someone who doesn't either. www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-hill-synergy-coachinghttps://www.instagram.com/aaronhill_79/

  1. S3 Ep106 James Malone: Honour the Impulse

    2D AGO

    S3 Ep106 James Malone: Honour the Impulse

    War doesn’t stay in the past. And neither does the identity you built to survive it. Parts of this conversation go to some heavy places, including suicide and mental health.  Today I sit down with James Malone, former Royal Marines commando and now founder of Palpa Films to explore what really happens when you leave one life behind and try to build another. James walks us through that shift. From Afghanistan to maritime security. From remote mines in Australia and New Zealand to picking up a camera and starting again. It’s not a straight line. It’s messy. At times, destructive. And honest. We talk about what combat leaves behind. The pressure. The responsibility. The moments you can’t control. And what it’s like when others see something in you before you’re ready to admit it yourself. This isn’t just about transition. It’s about what comes after.  The drinking. The avoidance. The turning point.  James shares the “burn the ships” moment that forced a different path and how small, consistent actions became a way out. We also get into the work he does now. Creativity. Storytelling. Learning to trust instinct. “Be ready. Honour your impulse.”  And what it means to make something about something not just of it. There’s a thread through all of this:  You don’t escape it. You learn to work with it. If you’re navigating change, carrying something heavy, or trying to figure out who you are after the role you once held this one will land. To reach out to James, find him on LinkedIn or via his website. If this conversation brings something up for you, don’t sit with it on your own. You can reach out to Save A Warrior UK for support.  Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    49 min
  2. S3 Ep105 Jack McMillan: Slow Is the Skill

    APR 27

    S3 Ep105 Jack McMillan: Slow Is the Skill

    Most high performers are running on a nervous system that hasn't been given permission to recover. You feel fine. You're productive. And underneath it, you're running hotter than you know. Jack McMillan was an elite footballer who kept choking under pressure not from lack of talent, but from a nervous system he'd never learned to regulate. What he found, reluctantly, through yoga and breathwork, changed everything. Not just how he performed. How he lived. Now co-founder of Optima Performance, Jack works at the intersection of breath, physiology, and human performance  with elite athletes, football managers, and corporate teams of 400 people who all share the same problem: they know how to push, but not how to recover. In this conversation we get into the mechanics and the meaning. Why dysfunctional breathing quietly drives overthinking, poor sleep, and tunnel vision under pressure. How a single shift from mouth to nasal breathing can lower your heart rate before you've said a word. And why the pause the one most high performers skip might be the most underrated performance tool available. Jack also walks us through his breathing gears model for difficult conversations, the Reset Breath practice you can do in two minutes before sleep, and why the best athletes he's worked with are the ones who leave their ego at the door. This one is practical. And if you run on stress, it might also be uncomfortable in the best possible way. Reachout to Jack vias his website or LinkedIn  Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    57 min
  3. S3 Ep104 Helen Lunnon-Wood: Transition Series #2

    APR 20

    S3 Ep104 Helen Lunnon-Wood: Transition Series #2

    Your service ends, but your decision load explodes. One day you are inside a system that tells you where to be, what to wear, and what matters. The next, you are choosing everything,for some, the smallest choices can hit the hardest. Helen Lunnon-Wood joins me again for part two of our transition series. As a former RAF fast jet pilot and the founder of High Flight Coaching, she brings a grounded view of what happens beneath the surface when you leave the military. We talk about the messy middle: the loss of structure, the shock of self-presentation after uniform, and the way work boundaries can collide with a lifetime of service-before-self. We also open up the deeper layer around values, ethos, moral compass, and how disillusionment can shape your next move in civilian life. From there we get into purpose, belonging, and the loneliness that can show up even when you are surrounded by people. We tease apart loneliness versus isolation, why so many of us seek “familiar” organisations after leaving, and how mentoring, coaching, journalling, and honest reflection can turn the boulders on your path into stepping stones. We finish by defining thriving not as glory, but as small moments, gratitude, and choices your 80-year-old self will thank you for. If this resonates, listen now, share it with someone navigating a veteran career change, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations on military transition and resilience. Find Helen on LinkedIn or via her website. Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    46 min
  4. S3 Ep103 Dr. Alice Loving: Connection Changes Everything

    APR 13

    S3 Ep103 Dr. Alice Loving: Connection Changes Everything

    This is a conversation about what’s really going on beneath behaviour. We get into the gap between reacting and responding, and why most of us—especially under pressure—default to the behaviour we see rather than the feeling driving it. Alice breaks down mentalisation in a way that’s simple and practical. Not theory. Real-life application. We talk about what happens when we’re dysregulated as parents, how that shapes the moment, and why connection has to come before correction if we want to be heard. There’s a strong thread around repair—how families that are “working” aren’t perfect, but they come back together well after things go wrong. We also widen the lens. The cost of getting this wrong isn’t just in the home. It shows up in mental health, in systems, in society. And equally, the opportunity is upstream—small, consistent moments of presence, attention, and understanding. There’s a lot in here for parents. But also for anyone leading, influencing, or in relationship with others. Get in touch with Alice via LinkedIn or her website.  Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    45 min
  5. S3 Ep102 Helen Lunnon-Wood: Transition Series #1

    APR 6

    S3 Ep102 Helen Lunnon-Wood: Transition Series #1

    You can plan the exit date, but you cannot schedule who you become afterwards. Aaron Hill sits down with Helen London Wood, former RAF fast jet pilot and founder of High Flight Coaching, to talk honestly about transition as a living process that keeps evolving long after the uniform is handed back. We get into what it feels like when structure vanishes, when identity suddenly becomes a question again, and when you realise you have been “fitting in” rather than truly belonging.  Helen shares the jolt of the first month without a military pay cheque and the deeper identity story underneath it: independence, self-worth, and the weight of feeling “dependent”.  Aaron brings a different perspective from leaving earlier in a career and living far from people who share the same background, including the loneliness that can sit beneath achievement. Together, we explore why operational cultures are brilliant at performance feedback yet can leave little room for deeper reflection, and why that gap often shows up during military to civilian transition, career change, or any major life pivot.  We unpack the triathlon model of transition: pause, remove what no longer serves, take what you truly need, then move into the next leg with intention. We talk about micro-decompression rituals between meetings, the power of commute time as a psychological reset, and how to find community when you feel isolated. If you are navigating leadership under pressure, veteran reintegration, or a big role change, this conversation offers language, reassurance, and tools you can use immediately.  Subscribe for the next part of the series, share this with someone mid-transition, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of transition are you in right now? Find Helen on LinkedIn or via her website. Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    48 min
  6. S3 Ep101 Sam Smith: The Door Was Never Locked

    MAR 30

    S3 Ep101 Sam Smith: The Door Was Never Locked

    You can spend years trying to fix a problem that was never locked in the first place. That’s the provocative premise behind our chat with Sam Smith, coach and author of The Door Is Never Locked, and it immediately changes how we think about resilience, mindset, and high performance under pressure.  We talk about what it looks like when a single insight shifts your trajectory faster than another plan, another programme, or another round of self-improvement noise. Sam shares a turning point from a dark season in his life, why “deserving” can be the hidden barrier to getting support, and how the simplest prompts can help you trust what you already know. If you’re navigating a career transition, leadership stress, or that vague sense that something needs to change, you’ll hear practical ways to create space and move without forcing.  We also dig into why language matters more than we realise, how reframing a story can open real options, and what flow and acceptance look like beyond the motivational posters. Sam introduces two sticky concepts for personal development and coaching: competing commitments that quietly override your goals, and the “kitchen sink test” that often hits right before a breakthrough.  What’s one “door” you’re ready to stop treating as locked? To get in touch with Sam, find him on LinkedIn and here you can find his book. Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    33 min
  7. S3 Ep100 Susan Charlesworth: Preparation Beats Panic

    MAR 23

    S3 Ep100 Susan Charlesworth: Preparation Beats Panic

    Astronaut training sounds like a world away from everyday leadership, until you hear what Susan Charlesworth learned at the European Space Agency: the best crews succeed because they master the human skills, not because they are fearless. Susan is a psychologist and human performance specialist who has trained astronauts, mission control teams, and Antarctic expedition crews in leadership, communication, decision making under pressure, and the human factors that keep complex systems safe. We dig into what “soft skills” really look like in extreme environments, including how training uses case studies from aviation and space incidents to create urgency, then turns that insight into practice through simulations, clear roles, and disciplined communication loops. Susan also explains how astronauts are supported with tightly planned schedules, nutrition, sleep routines, debriefs, and psychological care, and why that structure can actually reduce stress compared with many workplaces on Earth. One of the most gripping moments is the story of Luca Parmitano’s spacewalk near miss, when water began filling his helmet and communication became harder. It’s a powerful reminder that resilience is not a slogan: it’s preparation, procedures you can execute when your brain is flooded with adrenaline, and simple tools like box breathing to steady yourself in the moment. We also explore problem solving and creativity, why “shower moments” happen, how play can unlock better ideas for technical teams, and what humans may still do best in an age of AI. If you lead people, work in high-stakes roles, or simply want to stay calm when pressure spikes, you’ll take away practical, grounded techniques you can use immediately. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share the episode with someone who thrives under pressure, and leave a review to help others find the show. Get in touch with Susan on LinkedIn or via her website.  Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    50 min
  8. S3 Ep99 Paul Blair: When Structure Disappears

    MAR 16

    S3 Ep99 Paul Blair: When Structure Disappears

    What happens when the rank slides off and the real test begins? We sit down with Paul Blair, a former Parachute Regiment officer turned founder, to unpack the gritty reality of moving from elite military units to building and scaling products like SafeSticks and ArcX. This isn’t about war stories or pitch decks; it’s the unvarnished blueprint for leading without a uniform, navigating bad deals, and finding focus when the world won’t slow down. Paul takes us inside the SafeSticks journey, from a visceral moment in the park to a vet’s dressing-down, through painful supply chain lessons and public ridicule, to a gutsy trip to a Florida trade show where a chance encounter with Kong’s president led to a global licensing deal. He explains why credibility in startups is earned by competence, not titles, and how the military’s after action reviews, calm under fire, and obsession with clarity translate into a robust operating system for founders. Along the way, we dig into leadership shifts from command to coaching setting clear goals, giving ownership, and building high trust with younger teams. If you care about founder focus, startup strategy, and leadership without theatrics, you’ll find rich, hard-won takeaways here: how to spot bad partners, how to blag opportunity with integrity, how to licence and let go, and when to push or pull the plug. We close on meaning financial security, legacy, and finding reward today rather than betting everything on a distant exit. If this conversation resonates, follow the show, share it with a teammate who needs a “Condor moment,” and leave us a review with one insight you’re taking into your week. Your notes help others discover the pod and keep these candid conversations flowing. To get in touch with Paul find him on LinkedIn or via his website. Help us improve! I'd love to get your feedback... Forging Resilience supports Save A Warrior Save A Warrior works with veterans and first responders facing complex PTSD and the reality of suicide. Through this podcast, we’re supporting their work. If you want to get behind it, you can do that by buying a bag of  Major Stoke Blend coffee. All profits go directly to Save A Warrior. Good coffee. Real conversations. Work that matters. Support the show Follow my social media accounts | LinkedIn | Instagram |

    41 min
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About

There are people in this world with extraordinary stories, people who've been forged by challenge, transition, and adversity, and most of us will never get the chance to hear them speak honestly about it. Forging Resilience closes that gap.Host Aaron Hill draws on a deep network of military leaders, elite athletes, entrepreneurs, and coaches to have the conversations that don't happen in boardrooms or on stages. Driven by curiosity and presence, Aaron doesn't follow a script or stick to a format, he follows the story. What comes out is something rare: real, unfiltered insight from people who've been through the fire and come out the other side.Built for high performers, leaders, founders, and anyone facing a moment that demands more of them,  this is the show for people who don't fit the mould, hosted by someone who doesn't either. www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-hill-synergy-coachinghttps://www.instagram.com/aaronhill_79/

Information

  • Creator
    Aaron Hill
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    104
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Forging Resilience
  • Show Website
    Forging Resilience

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