Kind: captions
Language: en
I mean how these people that probably
for Dancing with stars that love me and
when the book hit the shelves I was
terrified I was like all these people
are going to see a side of me that they
have not seen and they're going to hate
me everybody welcome to impact series
you are here my friends because you
believe that human potential is nearly
limitless but you know that having
potential is not the same as actually
doing something with it so our goal with
this show and company is to introduce
you to the people and ideas that will
help you actually execute on your dreams
today's guest is a real American Hero
after watching the Twin Towers collapsed
on 9/11 he immediately enlisted in the
military having no interest in playing
it safe he headed directly for the front
lines joining the infantry and getting
himself assigned to the 101st Airborne
Division he deployed twice to Iraq but
just three months into his second
deployment the Humvee that he was
driving was ripped apart by an ie D
nearly killing him he woke up five days
later in a hospital in Germany his left
arm and left leg both amputated he had
to endure a brutal parade of surgeries
and seemingly endless recovery and
rehabilitation before he could finally
return home to his family but even then
he wasn't out of the woods slowly a deep
depression quietly overtook him turning
him from a friendly vibrant man into an
angry person he hardly recognized his
marriage dissolved in his frequent
drinking landed him in County Jail for
ten days for a DUI he knew at that point
that he had to make a change now look he
is the first to admit that his life has
not been a tidy Hollywood story but
despite the ups and downs the second act
of his life has actually been even more
incredible than the first determined to
be a good role model for his kids he
found his way back to the gym and began
to rebuild himself mind and body his
determination and transformation were so
inspiring
that he began to attract national
attention and his incredible story of
triumph over tragedy has seen him graced
the cover of Men's Health magazine
appear on Ellen in The Today Show and
star in the military inspired
competition series American grit and
despite having only one arm and one leg
he earned
his way to third place on the mega-hit
Dancing with the Stars so please help me
in welcoming the founder of the
no-excuses charitable fund and the
author of the incredible living with no
excuses the remarkable rebirth of an
American soldier retired Army sergeant
and all-around badass Noah Galloway
welcome to the show thanks for having a
good it is very good to have you your
story has obviously been on my radar
since back at Quest and this is an
unbelievable story of somebody who a is
insanely vulnerable and willing to talk
about the truth of what the journey has
been like but really has made an
astonished like the the physical shape
that you're in is amazing for somebody
that has all of their appendages it's
miraculous for somebody that doesn't
walk me through like that mindset like
how you built yourself back up well I
mean fitness was something that I got
into at a young age
and you know always carried me to
whatever job I had you wanted
construction it was manual labor when I
ends up in the infantry that fit in
perfectly into that world because it's
very physical and when I was injured
went through that depression and was
struggling I knew that I was always
happier when I was healthier so that was
one of the things that got me into
changing my eating habits getting back
in India which wasn't easy at all I mean
I tell you all the time with what that
actually showed me was a side of fitness
that I was not used to being that person
walk to the gym that was insecure didn't
want people to see me struggling but I
had to get over that and you started
going late at night right I did yes
because I wasn't you know there's a lot
I meet people all the time we meet them
all the time people that want to get in
shape but they're worried about joining
the gym what they're going to do and I
got to experience that but then as I
started exercising and feeling better
then I didn't care what time of day I
win then I started using that to my
advantage well I tell people you know I
had to convince myself I was doing what
others can not in an arrogant way just
with to myself right because they're you
no matter what gym you go to there's
always somebody bigger stronger
faster but I could stand there and have
a guy next to me that is bigger than me
and think but could you do it miss on
the leg I mean deep down I hope we could
but I have to you have to give yourself
that mentality that you're doing with
other people came when I meet someone
who badged with obesity I say well then
you have struggles ahead of you so you
will earn that and appreciate it more
and so I think that mindset of doing
what other people can't is what really
drives me to want to do the best I love
that I'm a huge believer in and I like
the balance that you're talking about
between you really I want to win right I
want to play at the highest level and I
want to win I want to beat everybody now
that doesn't mean I want them to trip up
and fall down I want them to perform
their best as well but I still want to
win and you've talked about how you were
meant to be a soldier and you talked
about that notion that so few people are
willing to go into the military let
alone be able to thrive once they get
there
how can people cultivate that what all
call a warriors mindset I don't know if
you would agree with that terminology or
not you mean like how I deal with it
because I know for me if I understand
you're asking like what I'm part of my
depression was losing that because I
felt like I had found a home a place in
combat and it was taken away and so now
I had to find something new that piqued
my interest that would keep that
adrenaline going you know after I get
back into shape try to run off some
horse races you know smart and tough
mudders marathons something as simple as
giving speeches you know that you know
is simple I enjoy doing it but wanting
to always talk my last feature I go
somewhere and speak and have other
speakers like I want those speakers do
well with us like Norma do better right
I'm bet to just knock it out of the park
and those things get my adrenaline going
now are those things that you cultivate
which so really my question is about how
people can build that into their own
into their own much well because you you
struggled so much in your journey to get
going again there I'm guessing there was
some process to your self-talk to how
you were framing the world that allowed
you to get moving it well I mean this
isn't on the same mindset of that doing
what others can't my main thing that
happened
was my I am very close to my kids have
three kids or 712 and they are my
motivation when I was going into the gym
in the beginning I tell people the time
you have to have something stronger than
your fear and mine were my children the
day that I walked out in living room and
my three kids were sitting there and I
knew that I was showing my two boys what
a man is and that's what they're going
to grow up to be and I was showing my
little girl how a man's supposed to be
and that's what she's gonna look for one
day I knew I had to make a change and I
admit to people I talk about in my book
I'm very open and honest it did not
happen overnight just because I had that
realization that I had to be better it
had just happened I would make a mistake
pop out of my face but it was the
thought of them that got me up and going
and it was the thought of them that
pushed me through those beginning
workouts getting back into shape doing
whatever it was and pushing myself to be
better I tell you all the time you have
to have something stronger than your
fears and for me it is my kids and I use
that in whether it's fitness running a
race business whatever it is we all get
scared that's what makes things exciting
but you have to have something stronger
that say you know what I may be afraid
to do this but there's something more
important that I have to do this for
well have you ever encountered somebody
that doesn't have kids or they don't
immediately know what that thing is like
they really want it they want to get in
shape so they don't it's not easy but I
mean you have to there's something in
all of our lives that is important to us
you know whatever that is I don't think
there's anything wrong with someone
saying you know what I want to have a
big house in sports car whatever it is
you've got to want it bad and you know I
am big on with my kids and other kids
I've always so people they probably have
nieces or nephews or someone near them
that looks up to them and that's what
you have to go off of there is someone
watching now to be a child there was
someone watching you that you were
motivate I love the fact that I ended up
you know in the spotlight and now my
story reached more and more people but
if you just motivate one person that is
a world of difference for them and
that's what people have to keep that
mindset I was like you know when you do
things you're not just doing it for
yourself you're
doing for someone else I want to talk
about that for a second so you live a
life of service in a way that is in fact
I'm going to tell maybe a slightly more
obscure story from your background
because I think people understand 911
joining like they get that immediately
but the story where I was like this dude
like he you live a life a service like
it wasn't just a military military can
come and go you're still going to be
living a life of service and it was when
you were in County Jail and the the big
guy was trying to eat your bill Nyes
cookies yeah and tell us that story cuz
this this to me was incredible inside to
who you are um you know there I am I'm
in the county jail and I mean the first
meal we had you know I'm sitting there
just crappy food and just to paint a
picture for people this is after your
accident yeah oh yeah I missed normal
out yeah yeah I'm in the county jail and
I'm sitting there and this guy from
another table just kids up big burly guy
and walks over and says the guy across
from me let me get that and then drinks
his watered-down kool-aid which I
realize is very important because that
little bit of flavor is all you get
because throughout the day you're
drinking water out of the out of your
sink you know and it just took like a
biscuit off this tray I remember sitting
there thinking okay don't get the middle
of it let it go let it go well then you
know the guys were there for a long time
people put money on an account that he'd
go and get snacks whatever they wanted
and my cellmate had ordered these
cookies and my cellmate every night I
was trying to have a conversation with
and he just you couldn't he was out
there he was like ever since that day
ever since that sounds like what day you
know and it was he would talk about how
he just he was like in his 40s you just
need to get back to his mom the other
people that were locked in with me said
he shouldn't be there he had I had a
mental condition they would they didn't
like that he was there so I know you
couldn't have a conversation with God he
had his cookies I'm sitting outside
playing cards with some guys and that
big burly guy goes into our cell and I'm
watching him and I'm like what is he
doing in there one of the guys playing
cards is like I don't know I was like I
think he's eating his cookies
he's like think he is I was like now I
went in there I just pour into him I was
like what are you doing
because I'm just in here talking I said
no greeting this cookies I said you need
to get out I mean I said a few choice
way that's that and uh I um went and sat
down and just stared at him and he's
just too difficult Alden he went and he
went to his cell and then the next meal
he didn't come out I was like oh crap
I'm only here for 10 days I'm gonna
shank y'all see a TV you know he's
making out of something out of a
toothbrush like this is going down only
here for ten days and then for dinner he
comes out so he misses lunch he comes
down for dinner and he walks over again
to the guy crossed from me and the guy
covers his tray and says no and he
slides his kool-aid to me and I'm like
and then the guy next to me slides his
kool-aid to me and I just look at the
guy and stare at him and he walked off
and suddenly I'm like top dog in the
county and it's crazy cuz then from then
on like there's a TV this up on a wall
and they're like you know what station
could we put it on but I don't care you
know they wanted my opinion everything
but I was just concerned about that guy
and I didn't mean to I wasn't trying to
be alpha the cellblock you know I was
just worried about that guy guy had I
mean everyone in that cell was worried
about him everyone in that cell block
was worried about that one guy and it's
funny you bring that up because I love
telling that story because it's crazy
that it even out of a movie it literally
doesn't love me when I was reading the
book I was like movie lies especially
cuz yeah yeah especially because in the
in the book we're inside your head right
so I know that the moment before I had
the chills the moment before when he
takes it and you think god I'm only here
for 10 days like don't get involved
involved but then you you mentioned it a
couple more times it's like clearly
still on your mind and so when he
wanders in and I was like this is the
same [ __ ] that got him in trouble in
Iraq like I'm not going to do it I know
you're going to do it
I love that and I love that you were
doing it not because you wanted to be
alpha it was so consistent with your
story that you wanted to do it to
protect somebody else the fact that your
thing that's stronger than your fear is
your kids the camaraderie that you had
over in Iraq I mean it's just like one
story after another after another and
service is the word that just came to
mind every time then and do you think of
yourself like that as living a life of
service well I come from a family full
of military entities I think that it
falls naturally into wanting to take
care of those up now I just think that's
the way life should be we should all be
taking care of each other in one way or
another and that motivation when I was
doing my book I hired a girl that I'd
done for several years Rebecca to help
me write it and she pointed that out to
me she said I don't think you've noticed
but that's what drives you and she
pointed out to me that when I started
getting the fitness that I quit that I
started and I quit it was a cousin of
mine's right Corey yup Corey who was you
know struggling with obesity and then
suddenly I was like let's talk Fitness
now let's go to the gym you know and
that's what got me going is knowing I
was doing it for someone else and that
yeah I mean that drives me I think that
having my kids you know being my
motivation I take pride in the fact that
even with the success I've had I still
turn things down because my kids are
priority I give speeches on leadership
and I say you know I've been in front of
CEOs and presidents and companies and
I'm like do not forget why you're
successful or why you wanted to be
successful
was it take care of your family so I
mean think of your every decision I make
I think what lessons is going to teach
my kids and how's this gonna affect them
and I will turn things down before dance
for the story survivor called me and I
wanted to do it but we had one phone
call X amount of weeks no contact back
home I said thanks but no thanks three
kids here in Alabama more important
another show called turn em down
dance with stars called so they put me
in a house in LA and I said thanks for
no thanks to the kids in Alabama I can
do it and Tina cast executor Disher said
not a problem you your dancer will come
to Birmingham you'll rehearse there and
fly back and forth every week and all I
could say was crap I'm doing it
I'll have to learn how to do that's
incredible man
so now let's go somewhere even more
interesting than aw so here we have a
man who clearly is motivated by service
tell me about your reaction to Osama bin
Laden being killed don't really surprise
me yeah so right before about a week or
two before that we had several tornadoes
ripped through the state of Alabama
became a state of emergency a lot of
people lost their lives and I mean again
I was injured I went out and was doing
you know disaster relief work I was on
tarping roofs I mean it was just out
there working and if that was the first
thing I'd done since my injury that I
felt like I was accomplishing something
so it felt good to be out there and I
would go from sunup to sundown and when
I got home one night now because of
social media like I was just about to go
to bed I was tired not opened up
Facebook and there was all these people
saying Osama bin Laden has been killed
bin Laden killed I'm like what is this
and then what I'm said the president's
about to speak and I turned the TV on
and because of social media I mean
you're sitting there waiting for him to
walk out and he comes out he says it I
remember I remember being in Iraq when a
Saddam Hussein was killed and I remember
when we were told you were like we're
still fighting it doesn't matter to us
so when that happened it was like okay I
didn't know if it affected me yet until
my phone went off a good friend of mine
Mandy texted me I said I want to thank
you for your service and sacrifice and
even now it's like just her saying that
and acknowledging the fact that my
entire life has changed I lost two of my
limbs because of what he costs and I
poked me now like it was that one text
from her I got others just like when I
got that one I settled the couch and I
cried because what that man did I lost
friends I mean everything changed and I
didn't realize how much anger and
sadness there was
sitting inside and I needed that crowd I
needed that that whole moment to happen
and it was it was good we really brought
that home for me and made it clearly
something that was like a part of who
you are so thinking of you as the man of
service and you said I felt I needed to
protect America from her enemies enemies
it's actually a really interesting idea
and I wrote down a note and I said to
ask you like do you still use this
notion of enemies and then when I heard
how profoundly of some of them on being
killed affected you and I thought whoa
because there's like literally the enemy
that that sort of kicked all this off
and to me having an enemy is actually
really powerful now that you're not in a
military context is that's something
that you still find like beating an
obstacle course in the obstacle course
of the enemy and do you think like that
I don't think so my mindset is different
I took all the time like I've never once
you would be the guy that's like all
this amazing soldier of I was fun to be
around I was physically fit yeah as I
got you know I got along with my
leadership um but I also had this
mindset that every time I deployed I was
okay with that yeah tell me about that
like that's that's out I mean I don't
want to I feel like it sounded like
something out of a movie but it is you
have I think you're a better soldier if
you're okay with dying you know your
will is done everything is taken care of
you're not coming back right
and that was the mindset I had I mean
they're going to deploy over and over
and over again and retire an old man or
I will die in combat I was not prepared
for the in-between that threw me off but
I was okay with death now I'm 35 I'm not
in the military anymore I'm very close
to my kids I don't know if I'm on a
plane and we hit some turbulence I'm
like no right now it's look it's my mind
says different I'm not the same I'm glad
I thought that way then but I don't now
to me when it comes to the enemy I think
sometimes it's good to have something
that I'm a pretty positive guy but I
like to have something that drives me to
one out do you know and I've seen I've
had organizations I felt like weren't
right with veterans
that drove me to do certain things or to
fight for things when it comes to
veterans or not just for veterans issues
but for veterans to change the way they
are and I feel like me and there's a lot
of other veterans that are in the
spotlight that it's up to us if we're
going to make a change we have to start
doing that and I take pride in the fact
that I'm one of those people that
veterans reach out to and have pride
that I'm out there and showing that
we're not crazy you know we're
successful we can go on and do other
things I think that yeah there's always
these initiatives to hire veterans but
there's also this there's this these
groups that are like I don't know though
you always the mindset is that these
veterans are messed up but we're not we
just have to get over what we've gone
through and then move on to be able to
be a successful soldier takes a lot of
skill and these men and women that go
over there and deploy over and over
again can be very successful in these
other jobs and we have to get their mind
right and these companies need to see
that and I feel like the more people
more veterans that are out there
publicly saying yes I'm a better and now
I'm doing this now I'm doing that I
think that's going to improve things
let's talk about mental health and it
features pretty prominently in your book
and then certainly and what you've had
to go through and by the way your
honesty and vulnerability in the book
are amazing and I think that they are I
can only imagine and for anybody that
hasn't read the book they really don't
understand what we're talking about you
were really honest like you did not try
to paint yourself as like hey I'm a stud
look at me like it was such a
warts-and-all biography absolutely love
that part of it amazing and I've got to
imagine people reach out to you
routinely to say that thank you for that
and it's yeah I didn't know how people
going to react to it
I mean how these people did probably
four dance with the stars that love me
and with the book hit the shelves I was
terrified I was like all these people
are going to see a side of me that they
have not seen and they're going to hate
me and is it has been a positive
response because I was very open and
honest that's incredible so I can
imagine the kind of audience that you
would build off of Dancing with the
Stars
sort of very much like sort of right
down the middle and some of the like
behaviors that you had when you were
angry were like it's sort of the
aggressive [ __ ] you know what I mean
so for you to like put it out there and
be like let me walk you through what I
was thinking so that you understand like
I'm not justifying this I'm just telling
you it's real yeah and I'm like God like
I'm so defenseless and which made me
feel super connected to you and to walk
through that but then it got me thinking
like what is that rebuilding process so
you've helped us see your journey but I
Jobs like what would he say like if
somebody came up that was in this
situation what would he do if it's a
soldier what would you do if somebody's
depressed but they're not a soldier like
having gone through it and having been
so real open and honest about what that
process looks like how do we and give it
to me in two ways how do we
systematically address the problem and
we'll just say of veterans going through
it and then I'm sort of one-offs on a
one-to-one what does that look like well
I think what needs to happen I think
that we've come a long way with mental
health but we have a long way to go and
what needs to happen where would you say
how far have we come and you say we've
come out we we we acknowledge it okay we
acknowledge and we didn't use to which I
would've know I'm because you look at
veterans in the past it was you not
thinking World War two is called
shell-shocked there's all these
different things but it was not
acknowledged in the way that it is now
but I think it needs to be talked about
more I think the more things are talked
about more comfortable we are and the
more we can understand him when I woke
up one morning and saw that in a tweet
that Prince Harry came out talking about
his depression it made me really happy
because I've been places and someone has
said well you also on the leg so you had
a right to be depressed and I stopped
them I was like depression is real you
don't you don't have to go through
something traumatic some are caused by
you know something traumatic some can be
a chemical imbalance in the brain and I
feel like if you had heart problems and
saw a cardiologist well everyone would
be concerned about you would know you're
doing better and it would be open and
honest with the crew anybody network
there yeah but the most complicated
organ in your body if you have a problem
with it suddenly there's a we don't want
to talk
about that no and you can get over it
and that's what people need to realize
you can be cured you can get past it
that's what we need to need to realize
you know the reason I did is because
when I was a my depression I thought I
was alone I didn't open up to anybody so
I thought someone's going to read this
is going to help them so I just as
nervous as I was about the book I kept
thinking that one person is going to
read it
well now let's open up this dialog and
I'll go and I'll speaking with you QA
and people want to talk about I gave a
speech in Florida and it was it was an
older crowd this is like I don't say it
was they're old and I I speak what's on
my heart and I gave my speech and as I
was closing I kind of mentioned some
depression because I was I was coming
out of the winter months like it hit me
again this past winter and I went and
saw the doctor and so it was on my mind
and it came up and as I was saying I
thought this generation of people Polly
aren't connecting to what I'm saying
when I walked off the stage and they
lined up the amount of people that
thanked me for talking about Noah and
here I was I thought they didn't want to
I thought I was stepping out of line no
it needs to be talked about because it's
not just this generation it's people are
realizing more and more that's an issue
and the more we talk about it the easier
it is for people to be honest with
themselves and get the help they need
yeah I really strongly agree with that
and as somebody who's struggled pretty
profoundly with anxiety it's that same
thing of like man like if if you have
other people that are going through it
if you're able to talk about it if
you're even able to explain like you
said you learn when you teach right so
just even telling other people like what
I've done to try to combat it's like oh
yeah that is what I was doing in that we
can sort of reinforce it and systematize
it do you like when you're dealing
one-on-one do you think differently
about somebody that's been through
combat and has depression from that
versus somebody that no I don't i think
that because i think the depression is
real and can affect anybody and there
were traumatic things that can happen in
your life whether it's combat or not
that people go through but is the path
out different i don't i think there's a
lot of simulators i think that here's an
example i give
combat never gave me issue in fact I was
never the happiest and I was in combat
and and you were the happiest in combat
yes I loved it I mean you get this tribe
mentality you what you're it's exciting
you're you know it's life or death it's
what people go to the moon but life or
death but it is it's exciting um but I
think a quote from your book was I like
adrenaline and excitement and nothing is
more exciting than bullets are flying at
you yes pretty sure that there is a
Batum quote it's just hard to find that
kind of excitement where else
Wow yes probably for the best but when I
get lined over the military like
suddenly after that first deployment I
was like oh this is it this is home and
I put in a power zone we go Special
Forces I'll do all the stuff back my
second deployment they were going to
take me out of combat to go to school to
go special I was like I'm not leaving
combat for a school like I loved combat
so I had this this vision of the future
then I wake up one day and two of my
limbs are gone my career is gone
yeah there's battling with injuries but
if you have a vision of the future and
it's taken away you don't know where
you're going right I mean think about
where you're heading right now if you
woke up tomorrow and suddenly you'd
never speak again you can't even do this
show anymore just math out of that much
yes
well that messes people up and they get
hung up on the past and I don't know if
I mentioned this in the book but I'm
really proud of this little thing I came
up with I called the Bundy effect Al
Bundy Oh marriage with children scored
four touchdowns in a single football
game and if you watch any of those all
those seasons every episode he's
depressed except when he talks about
that he lives in the past he never moved
past it so when I talked to veterans or
anyone else that has gone through
something that their life has shifted
I say look be proud of what you've done
and where you come from but that was
only a chapter in your life now it's
time to conquer something else I'm
several chapters past mine that's how I
got over my depression was to say okay
what's next when I got back in the
fitness well then it was us all idea who
worked out ran races
I was I was I felt like bidness was the
answer I was this close to going door to
door and asking people what they've
accepted fitness know I know my mindset
but then I got after dance with the
Stars like I said I could just see that
good and my speaking gauge was picked up
and then I had all these other things I
was doing business got busier and one
day I got home was on the road all week
and I was like I haven't worked out all
week why is this not driving me crazy
and I sat down to my bed and I thought
about it well just like bidness you have
a goal you know you plan it if you do a
right you need to plan your workouts
where you're going what you want to
achieve were in business you plan where
you want to go how you're going to make
those steps and what your goal is what
was doing that same thing so it wasn't
just fitness
it was setting goals you know and
achieving little goals of the time
building to get to your next one and I
had some other day asked me would I see
myself in five years and I told her I
was like you know I can't answer that I
maybe I'd love you in the public eye
even more I may not be what I have found
is in life you can plan things and
things happen and change and you have to
adjust and that's why I plan to do the
only thing I hope to be doing in five
years is to still be trying to be the
best father I can be and that is the one
thing I keep focused all the time it's
being the best father being the best
father and if something happens I'm not
in the public eye all this my 15 minutes
is over well then hey
shift gears do the next thing don't let
it eat me up be proud that I have this
time and do the next most people say
things like that and I call total BS I
actually believe it with you which
brings me to what was harder for you
dealing with your injury or dealing with
your first son's bowel problems when he
was born that's seen terrifying yes when
you know him being born and losing sandy
five percent of the small intestine it's
been three and a half months at
Children's Hospital I mean even we went
home all this equipment hooked up to him
that was that was terrifying because
we'd know what was going to happen
um but I didn't allow myself to break
down like I did when I was injured
unless just being honest I could but I I
was married to his mother and I felt
like I had to be the one to say it's
gonna be okay it's gonna be okay
and years later you after we were
divorced she said that that's what
helped her to it but then when I got
injured I was like well this is it
and I broke down and then it was
interesting because my father has one on
and so weird when reading that I'm like
what what what yeah like how's that
possible
and for her to grow up with a father
with the one-armed reconstruction my
entire life I remember he didn't he was
it was hard on him in the hospital
to be there with me and I asked him I
said did you ever think one of your kids
would lose a limb and he said no always
was afraid he was afraid he would lose
just another one of his limbs you know
it never crossed his mind that can
happen to one of his own children so it
was this interesting thing that happened
but then to have you know to be injured
and then have my son Colston that went
through all that come to Walter Reed and
me spend a couple days with him lifted
my spirits because then it reminded me
that yeah it's gonna be tough but I have
something else to live for and that
became very emotional the taoism
physical therapy and my sister's walked
in with him and I vaguely remember
karate remember my sister's reminded me
that the room was crowded and I saw him
and was crying just ugly cry and
everyone just piled out you know they
left me alone with him and I I mean it
was very emotional to see him yeah I
mean I can only imagine especially if
that's the thing that you're living for
if that's the thing that's motivating
you that's exactly the form it was
harder because of my first appointment I
had a wife her children in fact I didn't
even when everyone took two weeks leave
I turned
down I'm sorry and she still doesn't
know that I told her that it didn't come
up for me but I want to leave the second
deployment I carried a picture of
Coulson with me everywhere I went and
there were moments that I remember
thinking I hope he never experiences
this I hope that what that us doing this
or whatever is happening that he never
experiences you think having his picture
and thinking about him and having him in
your mind made you a better or worse
soldier that's a good cause you know I
mentioned that death accepting death
could make you a better soldier I mean
that could be argued you know I don't
know that's out but but then having a
son like you
you may hesitate and you don't want to
have that hesitation but then also had
this mindset that was like hope he never
experiences this and I'm just do what I
have to do and that hopefully he's proud
of me one day hmm I've got to imagine
he's getting to the age now where he's
12 yet yeah what you're about he get it
I've been out of town for a couple of
days I'll head back tomorrow and about
three days ago I get a random text he's
12 now so he hasn't has a phone and he
texted me I said I just watched Pearl
Harbor I just want to thank you for your
services ever eyes how many the phone
like like thinking you're my son you
must be thinking that way about me
I mean choked me up and I was like buddy
thank you so much
obviously he's wanted something hahahaha
but it was I mean it was very sweet he
does he is very appreciative of all the
kids you know I have time I have three
amazing kids what do you hope your kids
take away from you like what are some
just to not let anything start to just
always achieve for them always tell them
you don't have to be the best just
always give me your best you know
because I think I don't I'm not that
person that expects my kids to be you
know whatever they do they have to be
the all-star because they're giving me
their best and that's all I can ever ask
of them I would say you have a deep
problem with authority I don't know if
you'd agree with that you never say it
but you dropped out of high school in
ninth grade
definitely there were signs in the book
you didn't always agree with leadership
I think that's pretty clear but you're
really bright so dropping out of high
school was not because you couldn't hack
it it was because something about the
system bothered you yes so hey I guess
do you agree with that assessment they
should have a deep problem of authority
and then do any of your kids push back
like that yes I do I work on it
boom and yeah I think you need to work
on it actually well because I think it's
what I do as well and the woman who was
in charge of taming me as a child is
sitting here and I actually consider it
one of my most effective qualities yeah
you know other God said that just to try
to sound respectable no one's going to
say you're not on it a home yeah no I
you know every time I've bucked the
system it wasn't out of just because
someone told me to do something I don't
mind hearing someone say do this I'm
following them okay if it needs to be
done but if I have a problem with why
it's happening
right I speak up and I take pride in
that you know and now I have I have
people that work for me and because of
that I make sure and take care of them
and hear them and I tell them all the
time
you're here because you do what I can't
do I don't need another Noah I need you
to do what you do because you're amazing
at it
and and I will and I feel like I have
seen failed leadership do things that
I'm like all right I'm going to do it
differently and I have seen I've had
success from that with people I work
with you know I mean I will defend them
I will do whatever it takes to take care
of them because if they take care of me
I'm going to take care of them and that
has worked to my advantage and I think
that when I bucked the system is because
I didn't like the way the system worked
now I have an older sister that has her
PhD in childhood education you know is
everywhere she's ever taught she has to
change the way it works and someone said
why do you always change it she because
not right now hers is a little more
educated in the way she does it mine's a
little more barbaric but we have that
same mindset was like you know what no
if it's not right we're gonna make it
right I'm going to steal when your
stories for a second this one is so good
I don't know if I can get you there
without just telling you the story which
proves your point here so it was the
time you guys were chasing like a white
truck you spot the white truck it takes
off over a bridge you go the guy stops
do you remember what you said yep I do
so well okay so another guy was driving
and already hate yep I like to be in
control uh
and with this Bruce's old shady looking
a little bridge and he's hummed these
9,000 pounds you got a group of guys in
it so I mean he didn't looking back yeah
okay thought okay we probably should go
across this bridge that load trucks him
to cross it but I was mad I don't know
exactly but I was and then I told the
blue team leader lieutenant edge soon
later I said I need to be driving
because I don't care for driving next to
a cliff if you say turn right I'm
turning right you know that needs to
happen there should be no hesitation I
went back and reread the sentence I was
like wait I thought what is that is
exactly that you said if we're driving
on it if we're driving on the road and
there's a cliff to our right and you
tell me to turn right I will turn right
up and I was like wow this man is not
here to play around
I really but you have you it is so
dangerous to take your personality any
one piece but when you take it as a
gestalt and you realize okay this is a
man of service who pushes against the
system when he thinks it's broken
because not serving the other people
he's not a selfish guy he's way more
interested in protecting other people
than he's protecting himself so when you
say to somebody who clearly you had a
history with you trusted this guy
believed in this leadership and was that
the guy that you had made the promise
like no matter what happens I will put
over you yes so that you're making like
that I've got the chills again like it
was just one of those things where I was
like you have a code that you live by
and it is very clear and your every
action one appreciate you saying that
this is who I am this is what
sand poor and I take pride in that I
don't know where I'm going to go but I
must stick to Who I am
and see where that takes me I think
that's a very smart strategy and as
somebody who really believed in that
that we're living through a time now
unlike anything else in human history
where the thing you will be rewarded for
or punished for the most is who you
really are
I think people and now because of the
way we're connected yeah I can you can
open up so you can open up social media
right now and if you stalk someone well
enough on their Facebook or Instagram
you can see their personality sure a
good reputation to follow you a bad
reputation will eat you they're nice
there you go I want to go back to
something that you said earlier about
the disaster recovery relief work that
you did when the tornado hit tell us
about the hammer and why why did you
work that hard so what had happened was
it was late in the day this bet start
storming you know it's going to rain and
I got rushes in and he's like I need
tarps I need tarps now and we're like
hasn't been destroyed by God like well
we're going with you so we rush out
there half of his house is gone I mean
the whole wall is gone laid out just
brick mortar everything roof is gone
he's just trying to top up to save
what's left in that house before the
rain comes we're up there we're
hammering and I'm on the edge and then
this hammer goes flying into the rubble
I'm like wow it was a hammer and I said
okay I need another hammer and the guy
just looks down there and he's like that
was my dad's hammer and I just saw oh I
mean it hit me the look on his face I
was like we'll find it we'll find it and
then he was like no no no let's you know
and then we finished the tarp and then
were down back in the yard and he's just
looking out there I'm like we'll find it
we'll find then it's like you saw that I
was concerned he's like no it's a hammer
right don't worry about it it's just a
hammer and he was like you know it was
my dad's and you know he passed away and
this
and I was like oh I got up on the side
so then I am walking and they didn't
want me out there because I mean you got
all this trouble and I'm trying to get
through and I'm out there and it's
starting to rain and I'm like I'm just
so mad at myself for losing that hammer
and it's like I've looked for as long as
I looked and I turn there's a bush
sitting there and the hammer is hanging
in the bush and I take that hammer and I
give it to the guy and he was so happy I
mean for him to be like don't worry
about it
no he was worried about it so I was
worried about it and I am so glad I
found that hammer it's interesting it's
one of those stories that like it hits
me so hard and like I'm not even sure
like what thing to hold on to of why it
hits me so hard but I just thought one
you're telling this during the book so
I'm like of all the things in your
universe that you could talk about you
that becomes the most poignant moment of
it you're out there like rebuilding
houses for just to help humanity and the
story becomes about making sure that you
find this guy's hammer again and man I
really want to tell you that I have like
a wrap-up to that story but that's like
one of those things it's it's going to
stick with me for a long time it's
really really interesting is that a
story you would tell your kids and if so
what would you tell them is like the the
moral of that story yeah I think I think
the I'm having thought about it that
much I mean it was a powerful part of my
life just experience but I guess when it
comes to a moral - that is something as
insignificant as a hammer to me is so
much more to someone else
that's an amazing moral to that story
what do you think the the next chapter
is going to be and I don't necessarily
mean career but you've done such a great
job of having these major movements in
your life of you know being the warrior
and recognizing that so few people could
do that to then going through the hard
time but coming out of it realizing that
in service to others and a willingness
to be vulnerable you're able to bring
something what what's the next chapter
uh you know I think that I take pride in
the fact that yeah I mean I'm have a
disability I'm an injured veteran and
you know there's been other things I've
done and I will always be seen as that
I'm fine with that but I also want to
show people there's so much more than
that and I want to continue that road of
doing things that will show a side that
you know is beyond was so visible but
also what's a side of me do you think
that people don't yet see I don't know
I'm pretty I'm pretty open and honest
about things so I don't think there's
anything I really hide that people
wouldn't know I mean even something as
simple as my people that follow me on
social media know I love the Golden
Girls I think yeah I'm a huge Golden
Girls
that's amazing I've assured what is it
about the golden girl device an amazing
television show but like you know
everyone I was talking about that one
day on social media and my father's like
I love that you're just like this guy is
like oh yeah I love the golden girl
right you know I mean or the notebook I
talk about that book you know hey I have
a sensitive side I'm wearing a pink
shirt all right I'm okay with it
um but yeah I'm pretty open about things
I don't think there's anything that
people don't know well I chapter I see
happening about in the future not now
I'll be in politics really I think so
that's interest anytime I've gone to DC
I've worked with you know I've worked
with a lot of people in Congress I've
been State of the Union I've met with a
president I've done all these different
things every time I'm there I kind of
get this bug I feel like I could make an
impact
I feel like too many politicians don't
not explain things to people but I think
that if you explain the policies in a
way that's like oh okay you know I mean
and not try to hide so mitt so much just
put it out there and say look this is
why we're doing this yeah it may cause
this but we're going to try to
counteract it with this and try to
actually try to improve our country I
love my country I feel like we are still
improving I've never thought that we've
ever setback with we make mistakes we're
still a young country but we still want
to keep going forward
and I feel like we can do that and even
more accelerated rate if we are working
together I think there need to be more
of that and I would love to be one of
those people that is up on the hill that
is traumatized to make that happen as
incredible if I can start voting for you
now just let me know all right that
would be amazing
all right before I ask my last question
where can these guys find you online
Noah Galloway calm is my website and
from there you can also connect to my
Twitter Facebook and Instagram all right
my last question what is the impact you
want to have on the world I put my
children first everything I do I think
of my children purse and then you expand
that well what are we teaching the next
generation what are we what are we doing
for the next generation what are we
doing to prepare the next generation I
think that's what we have to be thinking
about all the time I think not enough
people think about those following our
footsteps
so just like I do at the house I do with
my children
then you widen that within it's
something as a veteran when I tell
people to come to the VA I'm like we can
argue the VA back and forth but you know
what Vietnam veterans fought hard to get
where it is today it would be a
disservice to them if my generation lets
you go to waste it will be selfish of us
not to think about the generations after
so we have to be enrolled and involved
to make it better so that's thinking of
those after us so I think that an impact
I would like to make in the world is to
not always think about yourself but
think about how we're affecting those
that are following us that is so Noah
Galloway of you because oh no no no I
like the hell much for coming on thank
you absolutely incredible and by the way
in all seriousness thank you for your
service and your sacrifice
I'm absolutely amazing guys first of all
read his book it is absolutely
unbelievable I have seen as you well
know every interview this guy's done I'm
telling you nothing does it the service
of reading it firsthand you've got to go
in just hear it you're inside of his
head and while I've never heard him talk
about politics before I am deadly
serious if I start voting for him now I
would and let me tell you why when you
take his personality in totality and you
realize that you have somebody that's
not afraid to mix it up and whip a
little ass which I'm a huge fan of but
does it in service of other people I
want the guy that stands up when the guy
that can't stick up for himself when a
big guys eating his cookies I want the
guy that stands up for that guy to be
the guy give my kool-aid to quite
frankly so looking at the way that he is
he lives by a code there are things that
he believes about taking care not only
of yourself but more importantly taking
care of those around you taking care of
the people that you love that love you
creating a community and really being of
service to that community no matter how
far you stretch that community out and
that to me is one of the most beautiful
ways to live a human life that there is
and the most incredible part is not when
somebody lives a life that seems too
good to be true it's when they live a
life that you say thank God that's not
me and you look at where they are today
and you envy them and you think they're
incredible and what they've done to
their mind is absolutely extraordinary
and when I look at him I see that I see
somebody to look up to I see somebody
that has done to his mind something that
is far more astonishing than what he's
done to his body and the fact that he's
willing to talk about that even now he
struggles with depression but knows how
to deal with it and actually takes steps
to do so
to me is incredible and is really the
warriors mindset so this is somebody
that I cannot encourage you enough to
dive into the world to watch to learn
from them to read and to support the
things that they do in the future so
Noah thank you so much again for joining
us my friends until next time be
legendary take
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everybody's thanks so much for joining
us for another episode of impact Theory
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[Music]