Secrets of Success From a Prisoner of War With Major General John Borling

Socrates once said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” Major General John Borling has taken this to heart as he continues to carve his path of success and strength to this day.

A retired US Air Force pilot with a career spanning 37 years, a Vietnam War prisoner, a business chairman of a biotech company, and a weekly column writer, he joins us today to share his advice on dealing with trauma, being an effective and vulnerable leader, and avoiding arrogance and burnout.

Want to learn more? 🎬 Watch the full episode of Thought Leaders Amplified — Secrets of Success From a Prisoner of War With Major General John Borling. 

What You Will Discover: 

✔️Just keep marching. Thoreau said, “The mass of man leads lives of quiet desperation. Confirmed desperation is resignation.” John Borling advises to never resign and continue progressing.

✔️ Lean on others. How did John Borling survive 6 ½  years in a Hanoi prison? Talking with others – even between walls. He opened himself up to his fellow inmates’ skills and personalities and learned French in the process.

✔️Know when to fight. Leaders must accept that they’re also imperfect. That means rest is crucial to avoid burnout. “When the struggle times come, that’s when you do it. You have to get all the altitude you can,” John Borling says.

✔️ Serve beyond yourself. Self-improvement can be for the greater good. But the true meaning of life comes from committing to helping others.

✔️ Look back, but don’t stare. It’s perfectly okay to remember your past traumas and failures. As you wrestle with the sadness, regret, anger, and loneliness, fight as much as you can to move forward.

✔️ Shine a light on your mistakes right away. It’s all part of being human. Pushing it aside will only make it worse. Showing that level of vulnerability propels your credibility as a thought leader.

Major General John L. Borling was born in Chicago. He studied at the University of Illinois and Augustana College prior to graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1963. He received his pilot wings in August 1964, then completed F-4 fighter training. In 1966, after 97 combat missions in Southeast Asia, he was shot down by ground fire northeast of Hanoi, North Vietnam. Seriously injured, he was captured and spent 6 1/2 years as a prisoner of war. He returned to the United States and resumed his military career to include command of fighter, bomber, tanker, missile, and support units at squadron, group, and division levels. He is a command pilot and has flown many different aircraft. High-level staff experience includes the White House, the Pentagon, Strategic Air Command as director of operations for the conflicts in Panama and Iraq, and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE).

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Book recommendation: 

Taps on the Walls: Poems from the Hanoi Hilton - written by Major General USAF Ret. John Borling

On Leadership by John W. Gardner https://www.amazon.com/Leadership-John-W-Gardner/dp/0029113121 

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