Warrant Officer Scott Coulter - Service, Leadership, Humanitarianism, and Perspective

In this episode of Benchmarked we welcome Warrant Officer Scott Coulter. With a long military career and degree in Psychology Scott shares with us how to create situations where people can be successful and how to expect more from ourselves. Scott walks us through an incredible physical transformation as a teenager that came from a place of strength and self honesty. He teaches us how to overcome personal victimhood. He also shares with us stories of his military service in Afghanistan, Nepal and other hot spots that make Coach Mess and Coach Larocque reshape their global perspectives on patriotism, war and the people it affects.

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Transcript

00:00:00:03 - 00:00:24:05
Speaker 1
Hey team. Welcome to benchmarked the Leadership, Coaching and Mental Performance podcast with Coach Mess and Coach Larocque. Thanks for joining us. We're excited to have with us today a member of our armed forces, Warrant Officer Scott Coulter. Not only has Scott served in the military for almost 20 years now, he's also pursuing his degree in psychology from Queen's University.

00:00:24:18 - 00:00:44:08
Speaker 1
I was fortunate enough to teach and Coach Scott back in high school and see him go through some amazing evolutions. We always seem to connect every few years and catch up on your travels and where your education is and your military service. And it always fascinates me. And you got some amazing stories. This time we're just going to do it on a podcast with everybody else.

00:00:44:12 - 00:01:09:01
Speaker 1
So, Scott, one, thanks for your service and welcome to the show. But before we get started in Scott's honor, I'd like to dedicate this show to all the students and the athletes that Gigi and I have ever had who have gone through our programs and our classes and have gone on to great military careers. And I know for myself, couple of names come to mind, or Mike Spence, Paul Jones and Sheldon Urquhart.

00:01:09:17 - 00:01:12:00
Speaker 1
Gigi, you got any kids you want to mention on this?

00:01:12:16 - 00:01:19:03
Speaker 2
I do. But again, like you mentioned, the names are kind of like I'm having a few faces. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly.

00:01:19:13 - 00:01:40:08
Speaker 1
So, Scott, anyways, again, appreciate you taking some time. I know you're busy. You just moved. You got lots of stuff going on, but can we start off because you've gone through, in my mind, one of the greatest. My daughter called her glam up like you were in my class in grade nine. And then all of a sudden you disappeared.

00:01:40:08 - 00:01:47:12
Speaker 1
You came back. I didn't even recognize you, man. Talk to us about where your high school journey started were in kind of how you got through that?

00:01:48:13 - 00:02:13:11
Speaker 3
Sure. Yeah. I had high school as a big kid. Wasn't too happy with myself, getting teased quite a bit, actually. Not bullied? I wouldn't say bullied, but teased for being a kind of an obese kid. And also at the time I was coaching like as the juniors there and Nelson, I wasn't overly happy with being on the line, just being a lineman.

00:02:13:11 - 00:02:40:08
Speaker 3
The leadership backbone in me just wanted to take over a little bit more and I wanted to do do something for me. So I was initially about £385 when I hit Grade ten there, and I wanted to make some some changes. So. So I took off, actually. I know. I know you were actually one of the most encouraging people that I experienced in high school, because you kept telling me I was doing too much.

00:02:40:08 - 00:02:59:14
Speaker 3
And that to me is just a challenge. It means I can do more. And so I remember I spent a lot of time in in the weight room doing some cardio. Probably the worst way to lose weight is, is, you know, like cut, cut food out and do cardio. But at that age, it's a little bit easier to recover from.

00:03:00:02 - 00:03:13:22
Speaker 3
So I lost about £200 in a year and and came back at 158. And and then I remember the first comment you said is, I don't know where to put, you know, you're too small.

00:03:14:03 - 00:03:15:21
Speaker 2
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:03:16:03 - 00:03:35:08
Speaker 1
And to me away because I remember we are taking attendance in I think it was a gym class and you actually had to pull out your student cards. I remember this vividly, Scott, where you pulled out your student card to prove to us you were actually you because, like, £200 in high school, man. Like, let's think about that.

00:03:35:09 - 00:03:42:21
Speaker 1
I weigh £200. You lost the equivalent of me in the span of. How many months was that, Scott?

00:03:43:06 - 00:03:45:20
Speaker 3
It was is probably about ten or 11 months.

00:03:46:11 - 00:03:47:03
Speaker 1
That is it.

00:03:47:03 - 00:03:50:03
Speaker 3
Was not a long time. And it was it was a drastic shift.

00:03:50:12 - 00:04:04:12
Speaker 1
Man, man. But listen, back to high school. I don't want to dwell on high school too much because you did so many cool things after high school. But one of the reasons why I knew I you're in the back of my mind on that. And when I ran into you by chance, I always tend to run into you.

00:04:05:01 - 00:04:23:02
Speaker 1
And I was like, you know, here's a leader. And this is one of my favorite stories. And we've kind of talked about some similar stuff to this along the ways, but we are heading to a ball game. And again, we pulled Scott off the offensive line because, one, he's a leader and he was super fit. So he was doing some linebacker stuff.

00:04:23:10 - 00:04:52:14
Speaker 1
He was all over the place. Some lie in like he was. He was like a Scrabble piece, the blank scrabble piece. Right. You could put them anywhere. And it was great. One of our top offensive linemen broke his leg playing house league hockey the night before. A or like two or three nights before our big bowl game. And Scott volunteered just to drop into that spot and he felt like he when we talk about service over status, this guy, you come to mind when I think about that.

00:04:52:14 - 00:05:12:04
Speaker 1
And I'll never forget that Scott went on to win that game and it was an awesome game. One of my favorite high school games of all time. I think it was 2005. And one of my best memories from that was you, you know, taken away your own opportunity to play defense, which you trained for, and you just like Coach put me in wherever you need me and all the team, which is amazing.

00:05:12:24 - 00:05:22:12
Speaker 1
So from high school, you had that, you had that bug for military service. What? So you kind of didn't finished it. Nelson You went on, you went.

00:05:22:23 - 00:05:47:01
Speaker 2
Mark cutting the coach because I know you guys want to bypass high school and I get it. But yeah, for some of the listeners that maybe have kids, that was kids in high school like I'm just curious, Scott like Z lost the weight and I know he said you didn't feel good about yourself just in case with some listeners and some parents some coaches out there that have some of the athletes who are currently dealing with have dealt with it, you kind of walk us through why and what motivated you or what kind of kept you going, if you don't mind.

00:05:47:01 - 00:05:47:08
Speaker 2
Share.

00:05:48:03 - 00:06:06:20
Speaker 3
Sure. Actually, I've been I was I was talking to Mark earlier there, but but I've been going through a lot in my own life lately. And one of the one of the biggest mentalities I've always had. And honestly, I can't even remember where I got it from. But it was it was you can either dwell on something or you can get over it, right?

00:06:06:20 - 00:06:30:18
Speaker 3
And so for for me, the teasing back in high school that, you know, getting picked on, getting joked about, about my weight and stuff like that, it never affected me personally. I could have let it, but it was like, okay, well that's something I need to improve on. And and so it's ultimately a mentality thing which I know we're going to get into some leadership thing, but some leadership things.

00:06:30:18 - 00:06:47:16
Speaker 3
But that's one of the things that I'm very passionate about is like you make the conscious decision whether to be sad about something and mopey about something, or get over and do get over it and do something about it. And that's that's what I chose. That's the route I chose my moment.

00:06:48:11 - 00:06:55:08
Speaker 2
And like you said, you can't really pinpoint what it was. It was just something that clicked where I can go left or I can go right. Each example to go right.

00:06:55:23 - 00:07:02:11
Speaker 3
Yeah. It's like it's like you have two choices. Be sad or be happy and what's going to make you happy and what do you need to do to get there?

00:07:03:06 - 00:07:21:22
Speaker 2
It's just. I don't know, man. It's refreshing. Might not be the right word, but it seems like lately more people we're hearing you're talking to non-essential, but generally speaking, or taking the left instead of the right, anything man making you dig in there somewhere like well, why? Like why?

00:07:21:22 - 00:07:22:06
Speaker 3
Um.

00:07:22:17 - 00:07:25:11
Speaker 2
Easier as I know. In deep. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:07:26:18 - 00:07:51:03
Speaker 3
I mean, it ultimately comes down to personal choice and the thing is, more and more people are playing the victim with regards to certain things. And it's it's almost become the flavor of the week. So so that victim mentality is really become cool if you will. And it's it's just kind of venturing off the course of what everybody else is doing and and choosing your own path and just being happy.

00:07:51:03 - 00:08:14:15
Speaker 3
I mean, whatever that that means to you, just make it happen. You got to break it down into conscious steps that you need to take and to get there. And sometimes it's the, you know, the path of most resistance, but people just choose the easy route and complain. And that's the mentality that I, I don't want to say is a strong word, but I just like that.

00:08:15:19 - 00:08:35:05
Speaker 2
When you said you heard some of those comments back in high school. Yeah, but it seems like you never used it for like you said, I just I could have listened to it or I could've went this way. Coulda went that way. But. But it sounds like you made the decision for you to do something, and not because others thought of you a certain way.

00:08:35:05 - 00:08:46:13
Speaker 2
I don't know if I'm explaining myself correctly. I'll try and recap that a little bit. You did decide to go this way because it was a choice you made for yourself. You didn't go that way because people pushed you in that direction. Am I correct in saying that?

00:08:47:01 - 00:09:11:09
Speaker 3
Absolutely. I could have just I could have gotten bigger. I coulda kept going down the path I was going and smoked about it and been the probably the biggest lineman Nelson's ever seen. But but I just I wanted to do more for the team. I wanted to, like, become somebody I wasn't at the time. And where I was wasn't making me happy and where that was going wasn't making me happy.

00:09:11:09 - 00:09:12:23
Speaker 3
So I made that decision to change.

00:09:13:15 - 00:09:14:08
Speaker 2
In ten months.

00:09:15:12 - 00:09:22:18
Speaker 3
And I don't. So I'm either all in or not at all. And so I just I went in all in on that one.

00:09:23:01 - 00:09:44:08
Speaker 1
One of our lines is self-pity and helplessness. I'm sorry how self-pity and helplessness produces more victimhood. Victimhood just produces more victimhood. And it's a cycle that you can't break. So got to get out. So I'm proud of you for doing that. And I think it's this is what I love. Like, to me, it's not all roses. And listen, Gigi, JJ, about you and all.

00:09:44:08 - 00:10:02:13
Speaker 1
Gee, if I've ever as I didn't love my high school experience, I didn't I can't go back. Like it's hard that I'm a high school teacher. Your high school teacher. I wasn't one of the cool kids. I loved sports. I loved, you know, I had good grades. I was kind of nerdy. I was athletic. I kind of I didn't fit into one particular group.

00:10:02:13 - 00:10:23:08
Speaker 1
And it was it wasn't particularly a pleasant experience. Right. You know, the popular girls never paid attention to me, none of that stuff. So I just went along my way in my own path. And I really didn't become who I feel like I was until University High School is hard. It is so hard. And I talk to kids all the time.

00:10:23:14 - 00:10:40:20
Speaker 1
It's 40 months of high school is how long you're there. And some people think they either peak in high school. And Scott, you didn't peak in high school. You kept peaking after that were I feel sorry for the kids that peak in high school like you're the bad ass and you're the cool shit in high school. And then a lot of times that doesn't lie.

00:10:40:20 - 00:10:51:03
Speaker 1
So good for you for thinking beyond and making that change, which I think is cool. So Gigi, were you were you the cat's knees and the bee's knees in high school or what?

00:10:51:07 - 00:11:11:10
Speaker 2
No. And it's funny you say that is pretty funny. When you reflect as much as one on this one, you're into whatever group you're in, you're never satisfied with that. You're always trying to get into something else or another group or another door like it's you never said, I don't know. I can't speak everybody. We are never satisfied in the situation you're in.

00:11:11:16 - 00:11:31:08
Speaker 2
You're always looking to your left, your right. Is there something better here? Is there something better there until whenever that is in your life? And it could be for high school. Some people could be elementary, honestly, because people go through so many things in their lives. But if you can keep track of my opinion, if you can keep finding your path and keep digging to find your path, and I guess Scott was able to find his at the time that was right for him.

00:11:31:20 - 00:11:52:23
Speaker 2
But man, Scott, like you might not feel that way. But just hearing that and the for other listeners that I have kids or listeners that are of that age going through that right now, it's powerful because you're one of the people that just kept going, you know, kind of victims and, you know, some of the people to look forward to and everything you're doing for our country and people around the world.

00:11:52:23 - 00:11:57:00
Speaker 2
So thanks for being a guest on her show, Mark. Thanks for finding a.

00:11:57:21 - 00:12:20:21
Speaker 3
Well, I will say I haven't peaked yet. I don't know when I'm going to peak, but I think you I haven't noticed that yet. So and one of the things is too like high school is where, like Mark said there, you're trying to find yourself and you're not really satisfied with any group. Like you said. But ultimately, like those 40 months from a social standpoint, those don't matter after high school.

00:12:20:24 - 00:12:42:14
Speaker 3
And you don't realize that when you're in the time. Right. And so that's the big thing is like there's so many different, you know, different groups that I was I was actually similar to Mark. I, I was a jack of all trades but master of none. And I was in so many different groups, I never really fit in with any of them, but I knew everybody.

00:12:42:14 - 00:12:49:05
Speaker 3
And, and so it was now I'm, I'm quite content with my friend base I have and all that stuff.

00:12:49:05 - 00:12:52:17
Speaker 1
So yeah. And you're still in contact with some of those guys, which is really cool.

00:12:53:07 - 00:13:18:12
Speaker 3
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I still talk to actually quite a few. I've never really had. I was, I was lucky in the sense that I never really had any enemies. Yeah. Back in high school I kind of got along with everybody but wasn't really close friends with anybody. And so now I find that certain people are in the same situation or in certain situations that I find myself in, and it makes it easier to reach out and actually touch base with them again.

00:13:19:03 - 00:13:38:16
Speaker 1
So Gigi, Gigi loves this line like and I say this and actually this is a good time of year to say this because it just happened. And I say this to all my grade 12 kids before prom. I say, you are going to say you're going to freak out about prom. You're going to spend a boatload of money on something like a dress and a suit and all that stuff in the event.

00:13:39:00 - 00:14:00:15
Speaker 1
And you're going to look back and say, that was a waste of money. I would have rather just had a barbecue and a party and they're like, No way, mess, no way. Like prom is it? And then they they come back the week after they come to class and I'm like, Yeah, you're right. You know, I mean, I actually start betting people on that, like and actually one of the guys I mentioned, Mike Spence, was the guy that we went to the Hill instead of going to the prom.

00:14:00:15 - 00:14:01:11
Speaker 1
Yeah, I love that story.

00:14:01:11 - 00:14:02:01
Speaker 2
Yeah. Yeah.

00:14:02:01 - 00:14:12:18
Speaker 1
So and so, guys, we used to run the hill a lot, so I remember that we did those ones that, you know, you like. I even say one you did like your cardio, but you were one of the strongest kids I've ever seen in high school.

00:14:12:22 - 00:14:16:22
Speaker 3
I hated the Hill, but looking back, it was one of the best things I could have done.

00:14:17:01 - 00:14:36:00
Speaker 1
Yeah, yeah. There's a lot of memories there. And it's funny because we had a guest on our show a couple of weeks ago and we talk about how important it is, how you really get to know your players and your athletes and yourself when you're in fitness and conditioning and you're in the weight room, you're doing those. You're you're and I imagine it's the same in the military in these high stress situations.

00:14:36:12 - 00:14:56:18
Speaker 1
When we're doing what you do, we do sprints. Every Wednesday was head over to the hill and we have this hill they actually call Murder Mountain. And that every Wednesday was that was our conditioning. And we'd do like just reps running up and down the hill. And guys hated it and but loved it at the same time. But it was a difference maker when it came to playoffs.

00:14:56:18 - 00:15:15:19
Speaker 1
We were the fittest team out there. So and then the thing is, is you could see because some guys would fake it and some people were really trying to push. So you really get to know the end up thing and scale it back to our saying it's got to be the same thing. You're into high stress situations when you're in military service, right?

00:15:15:19 - 00:15:20:08
Speaker 1
So you see people rise to the occasion or some people not, right?

00:15:21:11 - 00:15:44:13
Speaker 3
Absolutely. Absolutely. And we I mean, we have a large focus on cardio and soldier. First is is our big mantra is everybody's a soldier first. So whether you're you're at the highest level, the headquarters or your general duties, you know, individual making coffee every day in a headquarters, whatever, or on the front line, it doesn't matter. You're a soldier first and you got to focus on cardio.

00:15:45:04 - 00:15:54:15
Speaker 1
So as can we go down that road and tell us how what drew you to military service in the beginning? Like from the get go?

00:15:54:15 - 00:16:16:09
Speaker 3
This this is a fun topic because honestly, I was persuaded by a few friends. I was kind of going down the wrong path and it seemed like a like a a better path. And it was it was very it was a very admirable job. And I didn't think I'd stick around as long as I did. But I, I figured I'd join.

00:16:16:09 - 00:16:42:12
Speaker 3
I tried to join just at 16 in there and I was too big, couldn't, couldn't possibly teach. Just that's also what sparked a lot of the transition. And and so my my friends actually ended up getting about eight months ahead of me when it came to where they are progressing in their careers now. But yeah, I, I joined simply because of peer pressure and I hate to say that, but that's the truth.

00:16:42:12 - 00:16:48:20
Speaker 3
And I stuck around because I just felt like I was good at it and kept going because I really, really enjoyed it.

00:16:50:01 - 00:17:12:12
Speaker 1
So I guess and now you've pursued one leadership roles and so you're climbing the ranks. Have you always been drawn to leadership like and when you said earlier about the leader in you, you had it you have strong where did that come from where does that where does that kind of originate for you?

00:17:12:12 - 00:17:40:01
Speaker 3
That I mean, that's just like I'm I'm very empathetic to people's needs. I'm very, very much willing to, like, drive people to be their best, even if I'm not at my best. And so that's always kind of been what's drawn me to leadership is, is just wanting to watch my subordinates get better at whatever they're doing. And helping them through the struggles.

00:17:40:01 - 00:18:00:04
Speaker 3
Because, I mean, I haven't had the easiest life, but a lot of people are having some hard times that I can relate to and being able to to mentor and coach them through that is, is honestly the best thing that that lets me sleep at night. So that's that's probably why I do it even in high school I was a counselor in a youth group.

00:18:01:05 - 00:18:14:21
Speaker 3
Since then, I volunteer with a fire department and volunteer as a paramedic, kind of a kind of a jack of all trades when it comes to just just helping society. And and truly, it comes back to like a love for Canada.

00:18:15:22 - 00:18:17:02
Speaker 1
We need more people like you.

00:18:17:22 - 00:18:33:22
Speaker 2
Scott. Why? Why help people that do want to help? I'm just going. I'm taking punches now. Yeah. Why help people that don't want to help themselves like you're talking about? You want to help here. You want to help there. And people do want to help themselves. Why do you want to help them? And and just for our listeners, I'm not that type of person.

00:18:33:22 - 00:18:36:00
Speaker 2
I'm just I'm I want to dig deep here with Scott.

00:18:36:20 - 00:19:11:13
Speaker 3
So, so I'm also a problem solver. I like I like fixing things. And I try to pinpoint the ones that don't want to help themselves. And I want to focus on them and give them the most up or effort because I, I feel more gratified when, when they change, you know, like it's almost like a challenge for me as well because I've had several subordinates over the over the nearly two decades in the military where it's where they've just seemed hopeless.

00:19:12:03 - 00:19:27:06
Speaker 3
And and when they do change and when they do develop as an individual, not only just as a soldier, but as an individual, that's probably the most rewarding thing for me because it's like I had a part in that and they're happy now.

00:19:27:06 - 00:19:46:08
Speaker 2
But how do you once you get them, I'm speaking for you and in spirit and speaking for the people you've worked with. Once you get there, how do you stay there or how do you get them to stay there? So getting there is great, but you know, the work is also staying there. So how do you do that for yourself and how have you done that for others?

00:19:46:08 - 00:20:15:17
Speaker 3
I think I think once they get there, it's easier to stay there, to be honest, because once they see how far they've come, once they see how far they've grown as a person, yeah, yeah, it is work. But it's, it's easy work. It's like brushing your teeth in the morning, staying happy and staying successful and staying, you know, ethically sound and morally sound are some of the easiest things that people can do when it comes to benefiting themselves.

00:20:15:17 - 00:20:47:03
Speaker 3
You know, like when somebody gets healthy, let's say let's say my situation, for example, I was I was very unhealthy. Definitely showed on Murder Mountain there, but very unhealthy in the start. And then and then when I did lose a lot of the weight, I felt a million times better. So it was easier to maintain that lifestyle than it was to like basically take a step back and go back into that lifestyle and then over the years, it's like finding that balance.

00:20:47:03 - 00:21:06:21
Speaker 3
Okay, well, I have my cheat meals, I have my weekends off, I have my stuff like that, and I still have that social aspect, but that conditioning and that that drive is obviously still there. And, and it's been easy to maintain because I know where I was and I felt where I was and I feel where I am now.

00:21:06:21 - 00:21:09:21
Speaker 3
And that's that's like I said, a million times better than where I was.

00:21:10:13 - 00:21:27:06
Speaker 2
I had two punches in the face, I guess, this week. So you kind of threw that one on me. I didn't think that was going on that way. And earlier this week, I was working with a collegiate athlete and I wasn't getting much playing time. And I'm like, How are you able to become such a good teammate? Because you're just such a great teammate.

00:21:27:06 - 00:21:41:20
Speaker 2
So how do you become such a great teammate? Because it's easy to me. It's easy because it's easy. You sit in the dugout, you cheer for your team, you pick them up when they need something. You know what's hard is playing, making that play in the hole, getting a hit in front of a bunch of people, those that's hard.

00:21:41:23 - 00:21:55:09
Speaker 2
Being a good teammate, that's easy. I'm like, What the heck is going on here? This is like, I get their normal answers, but they're not. But, you know, we're kind of been pushed in our faces forever. It's all thanks for some more refreshing talks going on now.

00:21:55:09 - 00:22:19:17
Speaker 1
And Scott's a ballplayer, too. Just so you know, that's the other reason I like him. He's a ballplayer, not just a football guys baseball guy, too, but so, Scott, do you think that you are now as effective and I use the word effective because successful can be skewed because that could be wins and losses and so on. Effective meaning you're eliciting changes in your subordinates without your own personal struggles.

00:22:19:23 - 00:22:42:15
Speaker 1
As a younger person, do you think Now I know you're working on a degree in psychology too, so that helps. But without your own personal struggles, do you think you would be where you are without wanting to help others? Because you learn to help yourself. So do you think that had an impact on where you are today and how you look at seeing others grow and develop?

00:22:42:15 - 00:23:06:20
Speaker 3
I definitely think it had an impact. It was definitely a factor. Like, like I said, not the easiest life. So so I've had my struggles and I like to share my struggles and help people through theirs. But also I came from a very large family and like see, like feeling the nurturing from from both my sisters, my brothers, my mom and my dad and stuff like that.

00:23:08:13 - 00:23:37:17
Speaker 3
That also was very encouraging and very much gave me that sense of help. Others, you know, others before self and then the military. I mean, that's like that's our our number two behind respect dignity of all person is is, you know serve serve the country before yourself. So I've been drawn to that since a very young age. And and I think those two factors have really played into that, the struggles I've faced and the family values.

00:23:38:21 - 00:24:00:16
Speaker 1
So let's dig into this now. We've opened you open the door for me. I'm going to push you. I've seen you post. I think me you're just about to deploy the first time I saw you. Now you've been deployed four times and you've been in humanitarian assistance role. So can you talk to us a little bit about your role in that and talk to us about Nepal after the earthquake?

00:24:00:16 - 00:24:07:10
Speaker 1
Because to me, this is stuff that people need to hear what actually goes on there.

00:24:07:23 - 00:24:31:17
Speaker 3
Nepal. Nepal was great, actually. We were it was great. It was a terrible situation, but it was a great experience. I'll say that. And even like the Nepalese people were so kind, so hospitable, we got over there and it was like we already had a sense of family. It was it was absolutely unreal. It was, no, I won't trip back to Kenya.

00:24:32:10 - 00:24:53:15
Speaker 3
But it was one of those things where where I was actually on a flight out to an exercise in Alberta, and our flight basically got turned around and we got sent back to Trenton to head out the door. And we saw a lot of infighting. So we were we were invited over the government to Canada, was invited over on behalf of the government of Nepal.

00:24:53:15 - 00:25:12:06
Speaker 3
But there's also two other branches. So there's the the armed military or the armed police, and then there's the the armed forces. And we had a we had about a week's struggle, which was the most frustrating thing for everybody on the ground, because all 200 of us that went, we just wanted to help. We wanted to get out and do our job.

00:25:12:14 - 00:25:39:02
Speaker 3
But there was almost like different districts or territories that we could and couldn't go to because everybody wanted to be responsible for that. And it almost became a political game once we got over there for the first week, week and a half, where we were having to negotiate our way in to help people based on on certain political writings and politics between the military, the police and the government.

00:25:40:10 - 00:25:43:14
Speaker 3
And so that was that was definitely, definitely frustrating.

00:25:44:16 - 00:26:04:14
Speaker 1
And you spent some time in Afghanistan, too. And I know that was you were there in the heat of things. And that was another time I think I had run into, which is like impressive. So how do you see like your your role? And I don't remember what rank you were when you were going over there, but like, how does your evolution how do you do that?

00:26:04:14 - 00:26:13:24
Speaker 1
How do you just say, I'm going to Afghanistan and just can you do you have to compartmentalize things? And because I'm sure you had some interesting situations over there that you had to deal with as well.

00:26:14:23 - 00:26:48:03
Speaker 3
Yeah, it was it was definitely heated at times. We definitely have to compartmentalize. That's that's one thing that I mean, we should be good at as individual soldiers especially it, you know, the latter parts of life. But it's one of those things where what we face there was always done for the good of the people and Afghanistan was honestly like everybody asked me what my favorite because I've with the military I've tried to do about 110 different countries at this point.

00:26:49:10 - 00:27:13:15
Speaker 3
I don't remember what the number is, but it's it's over. It's in triple digits. Afghanistan is still one of my favorite countries because of how amazing the people were and how amazing the the average Joe walking down the street was again, how hospitable they were. And even some of the ones that that we knew were were coerced by the Taliban.

00:27:13:17 - 00:27:43:05
Speaker 3
They were very kind individuals. So they were worth the attention. They were worth helping and assistance. And that's that's one of the biggest things that that really affected a lot of us who had deployed last year when we saw the downturn after the US pulled out there. That was one of the things that really affected us while we were in Lafayette, because we had a lot of individuals that were deployed to Afghanistan that were that were that saw it get taken over again in 36 hours.

00:27:43:05 - 00:27:47:11
Speaker 3
And so we knew it was going back to page one.

00:27:47:11 - 00:27:50:24
Speaker 1
So it undid all the good work that you guys had started doing over there.

00:27:51:19 - 00:28:21:21
Speaker 3
But it also showed how much good we did. Right. And that's that's what I tried to encourage people with, is, is that the power void that was left was not our fault, right? We created that space for them to create their own security force, and it just was not met. So at no point should we feel bad for efforts there, and at no point should we people feel bad for what happened.

00:28:21:21 - 00:28:39:16
Speaker 3
But it sucks. At the end of the day, it does suck and it takes a little bit of an emotional kick to get over. But we we did our job very well to create that safe space for the people for for over a decade. And and I would never regret that.

00:28:40:13 - 00:28:57:06
Speaker 2
I did like, how do you do go do that. Come home and tell your dress. How do you how do you how do you what's the what's the switch is just you're trained that way. You have to have that type of mentality. Like, I know certain professions have to be that way, but I know luckily I couldn't cut my grass.

00:28:57:06 - 00:29:01:20
Speaker 2
I have to get back. I don't know. I'd be stuck in a room and I don't know what do I think?

00:29:02:01 - 00:29:21:12
Speaker 3
Honestly, I think it creates more value in the simple things in life like that. Like one of my favorite Sunday chores. Now I got a three acre property and I'm this my biggest thing I'm going to miss from this place is I've got a three acre property in the country and my Sunday routine is getting up to cut the grass and taking care of the yard and just turning my brain off, listening to the music.

00:29:22:02 - 00:29:40:05
Speaker 3
And and so it actually creates more value in that because this is the simple thing that we have in Canada and that we've created over the years for when it comes to like freedom and individual, I'll say safety, that I value that more.

00:29:40:05 - 00:30:01:10
Speaker 1
And you played a part in that, right? Building that and maintaining that for us. And I just want to dial it back to like you're saying you're going into a war zones, you're going into the earthquake in Nepal. This is a masterclass in perspective is what you're getting, because you said you know, Afghanistan was that people were beautiful.

00:30:01:10 - 00:30:26:22
Speaker 1
It was great. Nepal was awesome. You know, we're thinking here, we're watching the news and we're and we're seeing, you know, soldiers going over there. We're seeing what's going on in Iraq. Oh, my God, that's hell. It's awful. It's blah, blah, blah. And you're coming back and say you the experience was good and it's positive. And I know there's stuff that some bad stuff, but I love the perspective of finding the good in the bad, which is which is really, really important.

00:30:26:22 - 00:30:42:15
Speaker 1
And I think it's it's something that we don't do enough. It's easy for us to get in, dig in, like, well, this is bad. And you're saying kind of that victimhood thing, everybody's a victim, everything's bad. You're finding beauty and you're finding greatness in some really challenging stuff.

00:30:42:15 - 00:31:12:12
Speaker 3
Well, I mean, it's it's actually I and honestly, the the term slips my mind right now. But it is it is a psychological effect where where suffrage creates bonding. Right. So we we kind of experience that right from the get go. And basically, it's hard, it's tough, it's not a fun experience. But a lot of the people that I did basic with, I'm still really good friends with because we went through it together.

00:31:12:12 - 00:31:40:08
Speaker 3
A lot of the guys from Afghanistan, we have our WhatsApp and our Facebook groups and stuff like that. We still communicate on the regular and and it's one of those things where, where the harder something is, the more like likely you are to stick with it and, and create those, those eternal friendships with people. So, so that's that's the I've always been an optimist, so I try to keep people cheery, but that's when it comes to like interpersonal relationships.

00:31:40:08 - 00:32:00:05
Speaker 3
That's, that's the experience that I've had is that some of my best friends have come from the worst places and even some of my best friends from high school. I've been not that I want to admit it, but but we started fighting each other and stuff like that. You know, we met up behind the parking lot and and and squared up with each other.

00:32:00:05 - 00:32:10:21
Speaker 3
And now they're, they're really good friends of mine because we've overcome it and we've got it out on the table and and we get past it really quickly.

00:32:10:21 - 00:32:14:02
Speaker 2
Refreshing. It is, man.

00:32:14:10 - 00:32:38:10
Speaker 1
It is like you can't throw me for a curveball here. I'm not even sure where to take this because I mean, I think I had it wrapped in my mind while, like, working through some challenge, like, you're working through challenges, but you're. You're making it so cool. I had the idea of finding these. If you said, like, get into a fight, make a friend, you know, like that type of stuff is and.

00:32:38:21 - 00:32:40:12
Speaker 2
That's a t shirt. We're making a t shirt.

00:32:42:06 - 00:33:01:05
Speaker 1
And I need to rough it up a little bit more, which is. But I know, like, here's the other thing, too, is the you are a positive person and I've known this in you since high school. You're always happy to do what was right and you put others ahead of yourself, which is really something admirable. And now I know you're pursuing your education.

00:33:01:05 - 00:33:05:09
Speaker 1
Let's talk about this because you're pursuing a degree in psychology, which is no joke.

00:33:05:09 - 00:33:06:06
Speaker 2
Jealous. Jealous.

00:33:06:12 - 00:33:19:01
Speaker 1
Yes. And to me, the psychology and the leadership roles that you play, just they plug into each other. Can you talk to us a little bit about that?

00:33:19:01 - 00:33:47:07
Speaker 3
Yeah, absolutely. So actually, it's it's I'll I'll go the opposite route. So so when I dissect it from my my education, a lot of what the military does and a lot of what the the Ken performances, I'll say from the staff as a leader, I'll bring in, of course, for example, any kind of course, most courses are designed by experts in psychology.

00:33:47:11 - 00:34:12:20
Speaker 3
And so for me it's more so like I see why now I understand the why behind certain things and where they're put into the schedule and whatnot to elicit certain responses, psychological responses. I don't necessarily use my education when it comes to the course where I just understand and can enhance the learning of my students or my troops, rather my candidates.

00:34:14:09 - 00:34:38:14
Speaker 3
So so I wouldn't say like I use my degree for anything direct in terms of my military leadership except for when it comes to a troop having a struggle. Or maybe that just the way I convey myself in front of them, but it's not like I have to actively try to use it or it enhances me as an individual.

00:34:38:22 - 00:35:06:09
Speaker 3
It's just I understand why and to how much the military is designed around certain key indicators and stuff like that. Why psychology of to be honest, I've always been interested in psychology. And then 2012 I got into psychological operations with the military and and I just wanted to pursue something.

00:35:07:04 - 00:35:08:24
Speaker 2
What's that? That sounds fun. What?

00:35:09:01 - 00:35:50:04
Speaker 3
That's so. And Mark and I were talking about this earlier. I'd rather not get into details, but essentially it's, it's it's change in the will behavior and attitudes of a target audience. So so in a operational setting, it could be civilians on the battlefield that we don't want throwing rocks at our vehicles. How we dissect that, we have a whole bunch of analysis that goes into, well, how we reach out and how can we affect this community to get them to stop throwing rocks at these vehicles, at military vehicles, or how could we get them to stay away from convoys?

00:35:50:04 - 00:36:13:08
Speaker 3
And there's there's an immediate response we elicit, which is, well, shoot a warning route, but there's other things that we could do that are maybe less lethal that can that could potentially save lives. And at the end of the day, even even when we were in Afghanistan, hindsight's always 2020. I was in an infantry role in Afghanistan. But but I've since moved to PSYOPS.

00:36:13:08 - 00:36:39:16
Speaker 3
It's it's at the end of the day a lot of these people are coerced into the positions are in they're there they may not agree with or believe in the values that they're they're having to it's stolen others at this point. And they're they're perfect candidates to be the future of that country. So why do we need to kill them when we can just change their behavior?

00:36:40:08 - 00:36:47:17
Speaker 3
Right. And it's ultimately about saving lives. So so I don't want to go down that rabbit hole too much.

00:36:48:13 - 00:36:51:05
Speaker 1
You know what that sounds like? It sounds like when we say.

00:36:51:10 - 00:36:55:24
Speaker 2
Like we're talking off air, that's what it sounds like. Yeah.

00:36:56:11 - 00:37:15:18
Speaker 1
But it's it's I would say it's kind of like we say the problem is the problem. The person's not the problem. The problem is the problem. Right, Scott that's kind of what you're leading to. And this is like there are some good people there. Like we can't just plug say, oh, you're from Afghanistan, you're, you're not a good person, you're smart, you're functional, you're intelligent, you have qualities, you should lead your own country.

00:37:16:04 - 00:37:42:10
Speaker 1
And we just have to change the mindset. And it's kind of like what we do with sports dog encouraging kids to be better. Do you watch your 1% better? What is it like? It's there. You got all the tools. And to me this is the psychology. Part of it is because I had a minor in sports psychology, which is really what I found I love because it's like, how do you kind of like how you help your your subordinates and your troops guide is how do I help?

00:37:42:10 - 00:38:04:11
Speaker 1
This person doesn't want to help themselves. It's part of our podcast is like we're giving everybody tools to up their, you know, level up their life game, whether it's the military. And to me, when you look at like like sports and military leadership to me are always sought after by big business to sort things out. Right. Scott, why do you think that is?

00:38:04:11 - 00:38:17:06
Speaker 1
Why is it that like big business loves military leaders coming in as consultants or whatever to kind of right the ship and they do the same thing with sports leaders? What's your opinion on that?

00:38:18:12 - 00:38:52:14
Speaker 3
So I would say that like military leaders come with a certain set of values and ethics, especially like when it comes to discipline and integrity. And I think that's that's like very fundamental for most non-governmental business and and whatnot. But also when it comes to marketing, we're very good at problem solving as a whole. So when it comes to okay, well, I hate I hate to use the term, but somebody who doesn't want to help themselves.

00:38:52:14 - 00:39:38:17
Speaker 3
Yes, I agree. But it just means that they haven't found the right passion to help themselves. Right. So so that's a challenge for most military individuals where it's like, okay, well, how can I craft my discussion to make them want to help themselves? How can I market to them to to do this behavior? And that's where I think that we come well-equipped with with the tools, because we deal with I should say, deal with we get to experience troops with multiple different walks of lives and multiple different behaviors and attitudes towards even the army itself.

00:39:39:03 - 00:40:05:14
Speaker 3
And it's a an individual challenge on us to craft our discussion and craft our way of of leadership to them that appeals to that. And to me, I don't want to speak for any of my peers or anything, but to me, that's that's exciting. That's fun. That marketing aspect of everything is, is a great time and trying to figure out, you know, what works for, for Jonny may not work for Susan over here.

00:40:05:17 - 00:40:14:06
Speaker 3
So I will approach the same problem in two different ways to appeal to those two individuals to to bring them on to target.

00:40:15:13 - 00:40:29:20
Speaker 2
What I was going to go with next. You kind of answer that formula because I was just like, how do you know that's even right for us to be implementing how we think is the right way? I always look at like Canada is 91% of the world population, so why the hell do we think we have it right?

00:40:30:06 - 00:40:43:05
Speaker 2
So, you know, but in other parts of the world, like they've been around way longer that I don't know. I just I kind of, you know, I'm getting deeper in this right now, but I'm just starting to think like, why do we think we have it figured out? Maybe they have it figured out. We have it all wrong.

00:40:43:05 - 00:41:01:00
Speaker 2
So I'm always trying to play that that game my head with that too, with the book I want to. That's why I shut my camera off for a second. The book I really got into books. You're into psych. We can see that. Okay so the daily stoic and it's, you know, to me every day. So you have a day like May 17th.

00:41:01:01 - 00:41:17:03
Speaker 2
The Stoic is a work in progress. So kind of tells you like the Stoics what they said. And then people, normal people kind of break down with the stoic said and every day has something different. And it's funny when you read those books for psychology, you're like, Yeah, during my head. How do they know? I'm thinking like, That's it?

00:41:17:03 - 00:41:23:22
Speaker 2
Or I'm feeling like this morning, like it's just so yeah, I'm kind of jealous you're doing the same thing, so I'm good for you now.

00:41:23:22 - 00:41:43:08
Speaker 1
Scott, do you think from what you're describing, it sounds to me that you're you're building a team, so I get to see, like, Suzy over here and Johnny over here, they come from different backgrounds and might have different perspectives on things, but you need them to perform a certain way and to complete a certain task. It sounds like you're a coach.

00:41:43:14 - 00:41:59:02
Speaker 1
It sounds like you're bringing it together now, but just in a higher stakes game, way more important than sports. Do you think your background in sports has helped formulate those abilities within you?

00:42:00:05 - 00:42:25:11
Speaker 3
Absolutely. I wouldn't say it's like a way higher level or way more important anything because in sports, the most important thing is winning the game right at the end of the day. Well, build a team working within the game. Right? So it's one of those things where we're just in a different job is all it is really, because there's a lot of our our military members will never deploy and we'll never be in a position of heart or anything like that.

00:42:25:11 - 00:42:29:19
Speaker 2
So, so, yeah.

00:42:30:06 - 00:42:33:21
Speaker 3
I've had COVID about three weeks ago and I still got this lingering cough.

00:42:34:24 - 00:42:35:15
Speaker 2
Let's call it.

00:42:36:09 - 00:43:03:03
Speaker 3
All right. I thought it was just being down to Virginia. It's like you. You speak of COVID, and they'll shun you for a bit just down there either. But it's one of those things where yeah, we my, my time with the with the football team, that championship was the most important thing for me. And now my most important thing is, is bringing everybody else's so and achieving the mission.

00:43:03:16 - 00:43:31:11
Speaker 3
So. So it's one of those things where it's just the same skill sets applied in a different direction. So absolutely like, like football was, was one of the greatest experiences for me in terms of developing me as a large leader. And, and it definitely helped get me through some of the struggles of like the early times, the military and boot camp because like I said, Murder Mountain, it was tough, sucks.

00:43:31:11 - 00:43:55:23
Speaker 1
So I hear let's like I want to know you are probably one of the people that I've won. I mean, I only started teaching in 1997. So you were you were early on in my career, but I still see you as one of the people that has undergone so many different ever continuous evolutions. And I love that you said you're still not done.

00:43:55:23 - 00:44:13:19
Speaker 1
You still haven't peaked. I love that because G.G. and I, I'm pushing 50 guys. We're younger than I am, and we're hoping we haven't peaked and we just say, like, you know, mess 2.0, 3.0, 4.0. What's next for Scotty? Colter like, what are you. What's next? What are you?

00:44:14:07 - 00:44:17:19
Speaker 2
Sorry. I love how you previewed that Mark. Good for you. Sorry. Scott Guys?

00:44:18:06 - 00:44:20:19
Speaker 1
Swanson Why? What? The fact that we're having peak yet.

00:44:21:03 - 00:44:26:01
Speaker 2
I hope. No, like, you kind of previewed that right in there for Scotty. Like, you put the ball in a key for him.

00:44:26:24 - 00:44:30:15
Speaker 1
Hammer I like to help our guests.

00:44:30:15 - 00:45:00:13
Speaker 3
So. So I'm at a kind of a crossroads in my career. I'm a few years away from a pension and retirement and potentially a second career. So I have I have the the choice of sticking with the military and enhancing my pension and ultimately doing what I love and being a mentor or I have the option of starting over somewhere else, which would also be fun and exciting.

00:45:00:13 - 00:45:20:13
Speaker 3
And I could just take my leadership application and shift it somewhere else. So so I'm at a crossroads where I don't know at this point what the next step is for me. I just know that every day I wake up, I just want to do better than plastic. And that's one thing that it's like it doesn't matter what it is.

00:45:21:03 - 00:45:48:06
Speaker 3
I try to apply that same mindset to everything, whether it's football, whether it's, you know, firefighting, whether it's paramedics. It doesn't matter whether it's the military, it doesn't matter just, you know, be better than yesterday. And I think especially especially since over the last two years with with COVID, the isolations, everybody getting down and everybody getting really, really upset about literally anything.

00:45:48:06 - 00:45:52:16
Speaker 3
I think I think the world just needs a little bit more compassion.

00:45:52:22 - 00:46:14:13
Speaker 1
Amen, brother. Amen, man. There's there's so many places I want to go, but I know some of this is probably classified, too, but in I think the idea is kind of cool because, you know, JJ and I are in the same boat because people say, well, you're a teacher and you coach. That's it. Like now we're podcasters, we're working on a book, we're doing other things.

00:46:14:21 - 00:46:39:16
Speaker 1
People are like, Why write why? You know, like you say, like you can you can go down and hole an entire and reinvent yourself that that's what's, you know, life is life is short, man. Like, there's so many cool things to do out there. Why wouldn't you want to pursue something different? Which is which is amazing. As long as you stay fit and healthy like you are, which is, you know, you've been pretty banged up or tumble fit and healthy.

00:46:39:23 - 00:46:45:10
Speaker 1
You've had some some pretty serious injuries that you've had to work through. You want to talk to us about some of those.

00:46:46:14 - 00:47:11:09
Speaker 3
Sir. Most recently, 2020, I had my ankle fully replaced. I could basically look at like uneven ground or cobblestone Romo ankle. And I had no ligaments left. And finally the middle, it was about a seven year struggle, but the military agreed to replace it because it's a it's kind of a unique surgery. But honestly, it brought me back to 16 years old.

00:47:12:15 - 00:47:33:22
Speaker 3
I have never been happier with it, with the surgery in my life. And so it was one of those things where, well, we should wait until you're a little bit older because you may need a gun. It's like, no, I'm going to take care of this one now. Yeah. But also it's, it's taken me from struggling on a5k to half marathons again now, which is amazing.

00:47:35:07 - 00:47:59:10
Speaker 3
And the mental recovery from that one was a little bit of a struggle because I got to just before. So I was I was performing on March 13th and then the lockdown came into play March 17th. So physios, doctor, doctors, everything was closed. I had to take everything I knew from, I think grade nine kinesiology. What do we have?

00:47:59:13 - 00:48:00:06
Speaker 3
Sports, fitness.

00:48:00:07 - 00:48:04:04
Speaker 1
We had health. Health class, yeah. Ingredients. Yeah.

00:48:04:05 - 00:48:27:06
Speaker 3
And I pulled out some of my old textbooks and I was like, how what can I do on my own to to run my own physio and get healthy and? I had a coworker who had a knee surgery at the same time, and he did not you know, he went down the other route and and did not do, I'll say, due diligence and take anything in account.

00:48:27:06 - 00:48:37:02
Speaker 3
And he's now on his third surgery to take care of some of the scar tissue that he developed from from inactivity. So it's once again, it just comes down to the mindset.

00:48:37:13 - 00:48:46:17
Speaker 2
Wow, I'd like to get lost in the bush with you. We just figure it out. Just figure it out. Okay. Well, you got shoelaces. Let's figure it out from the street.

00:48:46:20 - 00:48:51:19
Speaker 1
We're getting shot at. Scott's like, No problem. It's all good, isn't it beautiful? The force is beautiful, boy. Say, hey.

00:48:52:07 - 00:48:53:17
Speaker 3
Easy day. Look at the butterflies.

00:48:54:11 - 00:48:58:00
Speaker 1
Oh, my God. You know, panic when the umpire's not doing right.

00:48:58:02 - 00:48:58:10
Speaker 2
What.

00:48:59:09 - 00:49:06:13
Speaker 1
We need. You know what we need, Scott? On our coaching staff. Doug With less tension. With less tension.

00:49:07:11 - 00:49:07:19
Speaker 2
Oh.

00:49:08:01 - 00:49:25:05
Speaker 1
That's amazing. So. Well, good for you. I'm glad you. I'm glad that's a that's a huge so many people are like, well, are you got to wait. You're too young. You're too young. But like, I want to live life to the fullest now and be active. I got a friend of mine who's the they're trying to put offer her knee surgery and she's like, no, like I want to run.

00:49:25:05 - 00:49:41:13
Speaker 1
I want to do all these things and fix it. And maybe the technology would be better 20 years down the road. And I won't have to get like we'll figure it out as we go along. So good for you and good for you four. And again, are we surprised that you figured out your own physiotherapy? No, no, no, no, not at all.

00:49:41:17 - 00:49:57:00
Speaker 2
Not at all. I got I got a question. I know we're at the tail end here. I don't I'm like one of those former life people. And I was in the military something like, I don't know what it is, but at school, I'm a huge, huge advocate of the national anthem. You know, I think we you take it for granted.

00:49:57:03 - 00:50:15:20
Speaker 2
I don't know where this is going to go. Talking about it's got once again to get this off my chest and get your perspective. So I just I think we take it for granted. We get students grade nine integrated, just elementary school. Sometimes just you go through the motions, motion motions. So I have a really courageous conversation. First couple days of school and crack the whip a little bit.

00:50:16:08 - 00:50:34:08
Speaker 2
And I got to the point, I started putting up military service people that passed away right by it where they put the national anthem just like that's the people that, you know, sacrificed their lives for you to sit and shut up basically for 2 minutes. But can you tell me from the military, like of these in the trenches, literally, about the national anthem?

00:50:34:08 - 00:50:42:06
Speaker 2
I've never I've always wanted to ask somebody and this is perfect, perfect for me. What's the national anthem mean to you? Oh.

00:50:43:12 - 00:51:12:07
Speaker 3
Well, I was initially I was upset with the change from all this was coming until I think it's all our all our canon or something like that. I honestly I don't even know. But what it means to me is like it's your your your nationalism and and how much, how patriot. Patriot, you know.

00:51:12:07 - 00:51:12:15
Speaker 2
Why we.

00:51:12:15 - 00:51:13:04
Speaker 1
At it, how.

00:51:13:04 - 00:51:39:06
Speaker 3
Patriotic you are towards Canada. So for for me, it's one of those things where it doesn't have to mean anything to you. And at the end of the day, it's, it's just a song. And I truly believe that because it's one of those things, like, I put a lot of value on it, but that that's also me. And so somebody else may not think that, but they may still be patriotic towards Canada in a different way.

00:51:39:06 - 00:52:01:00
Speaker 3
And I respect that. And we have to also take into account, like everybody's coming from different places, you know, like we talk about diversity being our strength and everybody's got a different walk of life. Like, like I mentioned, everybody's got a different mindset. I don't think it's something that needs to ties together as a nation. I think that's our flag.

00:52:01:00 - 00:52:32:00
Speaker 3
And I think whatever whatever national anthem it is, is, is great if you do feel that way towards it. But it's not a deal breaker if you don't and it shouldn't be the the and all be all of of what makes you a patriot. And I respect everybody's opinion. I respect everybody's beliefs. So it's it's it's just trying to it's the empathy of trying to put yourself in their shoes and trying to see through their eyes.

00:52:32:00 - 00:52:54:12
Speaker 3
I do believe there's a lot of lip service played to it. And I don't mind, you know, it's just the biggest thing we fight for overseas is that we keep our freedom of speech and freedom of freedom of belief. So the fact that somebody doesn't like it or maybe not as into it as I am, that's great, because that means that they can be.

00:52:54:12 - 00:52:57:09
Speaker 3
And that makes us a lot better than some other countries.

00:52:58:03 - 00:53:15:14
Speaker 2
One, thanks for the perspective, too. You're killing me, man. Like, in a good way. That's good way. Yeah. So once again, thanks for the perspective. That's all I needed to hear a different perspective. And I got one good, good dose of it today, by the way. Yeah, man. Opened my eyes. Thank you.

00:53:16:01 - 00:53:18:07
Speaker 1
Opening my in mind.

00:53:18:07 - 00:53:42:17
Speaker 3
So it was good to see you. You can look at places like North Korea where they are forced into it and and the fact that we can, you know, stand up, sit down, kneel if you have to, whatever it may be. I'm not going to draw personal emotion towards that based on what somebody else is doing, because that's the freedom that we want in in Canada.

00:53:43:04 - 00:53:52:04
Speaker 2
Then that's the thing that's been in my head. People like you have fought for that freedom, but I guess like it. But that's what it is. It's a freedom to do.

00:53:52:04 - 00:53:59:18
Speaker 1
What you want with it. Wow. I he's thrown me for a few. I've had a lot of tough, tough back door curveballs.

00:54:00:05 - 00:54:02:16
Speaker 2
I just follow them off. Yeah.

00:54:03:02 - 00:54:13:20
Speaker 1
That's all I could do. But, you know, Scott, like, it's really I appreciate it because, you know, it's having seen you grow, you know, literally since grade nine.

00:54:14:05 - 00:54:16:07
Speaker 2
Which and then shrink and then.

00:54:16:20 - 00:54:17:16
Speaker 3
And then grow again.

00:54:17:24 - 00:54:20:17
Speaker 2
And grow again.

00:54:20:17 - 00:54:41:24
Speaker 1
You know, it's just and to have these perspectives now and I love that you are teaching me things about this and I'm grateful for that like this is why we have this show is to have these conversations with people and it's it's refreshing. And your perspective is refreshing and admirable. And some people would be like, No, this is the way it's going to be done.

00:54:41:24 - 00:54:47:15
Speaker 1
And this but you're you're you're really it's like an awakening here. And I appreciate it. It's really cool. Yeah.

00:54:47:16 - 00:54:48:10
Speaker 2
Thank you so much.

00:54:49:01 - 00:55:10:17
Speaker 1
Now we'd love to see what would you leave our listeners with for something to think about on their own, for themselves of, you know, what's the best piece of leadership advice you'd like to leave with us? Or, you know, what's your message? What is it that you're why? What do you want people to remember our conversation by?

00:55:10:17 - 00:55:38:13
Speaker 3
I would say for any any leader out there or any future leader, the the biggest thing is, is trust yourself, trust your judgment and push to be better. But it doesn't matter what it is. Push to be better every day. And and really think about the legacy that you're going to leave and what people are going to think about you when you're gone and and build that and what you want it to be.

00:55:39:21 - 00:55:56:22
Speaker 3
Right? Because we're not going to be around forever. Nobody's going to be around forever. We've got a very finite time to make a difference. Do the best you can and and believe in yourself and do it. So set your action plan and just go for it.

00:55:56:22 - 00:55:59:18
Speaker 1
Thank you. JJ, any final thoughts?

00:56:00:04 - 00:56:16:17
Speaker 2
Yeah, one last thing. Now I know on my wife we have a decent sized line also, but when she goes to cut the grass for like 3 hours now and it's got to be put in my head, she's just want to get the hell away from me for 3 hours. Nothing. So thanks for refresh my memory.

00:56:16:17 - 00:56:26:13
Speaker 3
Sometimes it's just a cathartic experience to get out and do something meaningless, you know, like, it's obviously not meaningless, but, like, do something, you know, low energy or simple.

00:56:26:13 - 00:56:28:03
Speaker 2
I love it. I wish it that.

00:56:28:08 - 00:56:31:08
Speaker 1
Yeah. JJ she's got her e got a riding lawnmower don't you.

00:56:31:18 - 00:56:37:16
Speaker 2
Yeah. Yeah, I know, I know why she wants to just take. I think I'll cut the grass four days a week and we can't we just cut yesterday. Just get away.

00:56:37:16 - 00:56:49:17
Speaker 1
She's getting away from you. I love it. I love it. Well, again, I hate this. I could go on and I think this is another one. We got to we got to find out another way to get Scotty back on this.

00:56:50:01 - 00:57:05:05
Speaker 2
I'd like, you know, obviously sooner than later, but I'd also like that when, Scott, you decide to make the decision, what direction are going into that? We can act on that. I know that could be years from now, but I still want to talk before that. I'm kind of curious what it's going to take and it's going to be great for wherever you're going to, wherever direction take.

00:57:05:11 - 00:57:07:03
Speaker 2
Those people benefit big time.

00:57:08:01 - 00:57:27:03
Speaker 3
Thank you. Thank you. I like I said, I got I got a few decisions to make, but I'm just not in a mental headspace to make them at this point. And I'm not in a position to make them right now. Yeah, I went through a move and everything, so you got to let things settle down. It'll be a little bit before that and I'd be happy to be back on this being great.

00:57:27:17 - 00:57:28:15
Speaker 3
Thank you guys for having me on.

00:57:28:20 - 00:57:47:05
Speaker 1
While it's fun to talk to Ray, like that's all we say. Like you're saying, like just having a chance to converse and I say as men, we don't do this enough, you know, like we, like we go golfing, we go do different things and we play sports or, you know, go have a coffee or beer. But we don't actually sit down and talk about what's going on in our lives, some of the cool things that we've done.

00:57:47:05 - 00:58:06:04
Speaker 1
It's a cathartic in a way, right? So that's why as our Gigi and I started this because we enjoyed talking through COVID and say, hey, let's, let's get publishing some of this stuff because it's fun, but it feels good for us to share and learn and grow because we have guests like you on. So it's really cool and appreciate it.

00:58:07:11 - 00:58:14:06
Speaker 1
Well, that does it for this episode of Benchmarked. Thanks for listening. Until next time.

00:58:14:21 - 00:58:15:15
Speaker 3
Keep crushing it.