Fight-or-Fl1ght

"The sum is greater than the parts."We held this episode for a week. Some conversations need to breathe before they hit the air. This is one of them.Dropping on International Women's Day, S2E11 features Suzanne Xena Lesko. This isn't your standard influencer self-help chatter. This is an exploration of a presence that defies conventional stereotypes.Suzanne represents a striking contradiction: A combat veteran trained in SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape) and primal survival, who is simultaneously a deep practitioner of Buckminster Fuller's systems thinking and Biomimicry.It is physicality meets mental resolve, packaged in a breathtaking aura of wholesomeness and operational rigor.IN THIS EPISODE:Self-Reliance vs. Team Play: How the individual "parts" evolve to create a superior "sum."The SERE Mindset: Navigating hostile environments without losing your humanity.Biomimicry in Leadership: Applying nature's frameworks to human systems and resiliency.Service In and Out of Uniform: A celebration of a career spent in the 1% of the 1%.This is a free-flowing conversation for those optimizing today for a BTR™ tomorrow. No vanity metrics. No noise. Just signal.Listen. Experience the presence. Understand the framework."Git Sum."CONNECT WITH SUZANNE LESKO:Website: https://www.suzannelesko.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzanneleskoLinktree: https://linktr.ee/suzanneleskoFIGHT OR FL1GHT — FIND US EVERYWHERE:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FightorFl1ght/videosApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fight-or-fl1ght/id1840181942Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZeDZf8ofdJ0g6tgTOX4CgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightorfl1ght/CONNECT WITH YOUR HOST — MYLES JEFFREY:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mylesjeffreylevin/Stella I Am: https://www.stellaiam.com/

What does it mean to tell the truth when your camera is the only witness?Jim Fabio has spent 30 years answering that question—through war zones in Haiti, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan as a U.S. Air Force Combat Camera Officer, behind the lens at the NFL Network, and as an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker who refuses to let forgotten stories die quietly.In this episode, Jim breaks down what it really takes to craft a story that moves people—why truth in documentary filmmaking is rarely as simple as pointing a camera and pressing record, what combat taught him about narrative under pressure, and why the Orangeburg Massacre is a chapter of American history that can no longer be ignored."Every story is about people." — Jim FabioVoices from the edge. Lessons from the fire.Fight-or-Fl1ght

Nine years. U.S. Army Special Forces. 7th Group. Multiple global deployments in environments designed to kill the signal. Ryan Garay kept the team connected anyway.Then he took the beret off. Walked into rooms he wasn't supposed to be in yet. And figured it out.Since transitioning, he's driven over a billion dollars in defense technology impact and spent years quietly building something for the operators who come after him; Operator to Executive LLC.In this episode we go past the surface. What holds when the pressure is real and nothing in your toolkit is cutting it. What it costs to rebuild an identity in a world that doesn't speak your language. What you do when the wolves show up in your network dressed right. What carries you when the plan meets contact and everything goes sideways.Ryan answered all of it.Hosted by Myles Levin | Fight-or-Fl1ght drops new episodes regularly — follow the show so you never miss one.

What if every decision you've ever made... was already made for you?In S2E8, Myles sits down with Dr. Valerie Starratt — biobehavioral scientist, statistician, and recovering academic turned real-world operator — and the conversation will mess with your head in the best possible way.Dr. Starratt spent nearly two decades as an experimental scientist, writer, and professor at Florida Atlantic University before taking her expertise off the page and into the field. Now she works where the stakes are real — military, sports, organizations — and what she's learned will fundamentally change how you see yourself.Your biology is running the show. Your "choices" are largely afterthoughts. And your phone? It's hijacking your dopamine system by design.In this episode:— Why free will is more myth than reality— How your blood sugar might be making your decisions— What genetics and environment are actually fighting over— Why elite performance can't be reduced to a test score— How variable reinforcement has you addicted and you don't even know it— What psilocybin might mean for trauma and PTSD— How to actually use behavioral science to perform at your ceilingThis isn't motivation. This isn't a hack. This is the raw science of human behavior — and once you hear it, you can't unhear it.Your brain was already going to make you press play.

Sammy Chapman was 16. Curious. Industrious. Business-minded.Then he connected with a dealer on Snapchat. One pill. Fentanyl. Gone.What his father Samuel discovered afterward changed everything: Snapchat knew. They knew drugs were being sold. They knew kids were dying. They knew their design facilitated it. They chose not to warn anyone—because warning would hurt their bottom line.This isn't a "them" problem. This is us. We were all children once. We all live in communities where the young and vulnerable need our protection.Samuel Chapman calls himself an "accidental activist." He shouldn't have to be one at all.This conversation covers Sammy's life, the fentanyl epidemic, Snapchat's willful negligence, and the legislative fight for Sammy's Law.Connect with Samuel:The Parent CollectiveConnect with the Podcast:instagram.com/fightorfl1ghtyoutube.com/@FightorFl1ght

What separates those who perform under pressure from those who collapse? The answer lives inside your brain — and Dr. Allison Brager has spent her career proving it.Dr. Brager is a neuroscientist working at the intersection of military operations, sleep science, and elite human performance. She's studied soldiers in combat, humans pushed to the edge in Antarctic isolation, and the genetic code that determines who thrives when nothing is guaranteed. Next stop: space.In this episode she breaks down the science most people never hear — why your chronotype may be quietly costing you, how the brain rewires itself under sustained stress, what isolation research reveals about human adaptability, and why psychedelics are no longer fringe science in PTSD treatment.She also makes the case for the most underrated performance variable of all: humility.This is not a highlight reel. This is a transmission from someone doing the actual work.If this episode hits — share it. Rate us 5 stars. And subscribe so you never miss a voice from the edge.The Fight-or-Fl1ght Podcast | Voices from the edge. Lessons from the fire.

A Subaru-sized boulder breaks from the glacier. Kaare has 2 seconds to capture it—no safety net, just the shot. This is what separates real storytelling from manufactured content.Dan and Kaare from FIELDBORN Creative don't make "content." They document the moments most brands would never risk—because the story demands it.In this episode:→ Why Patagonia doesn't sell jackets (they sell refusal to compromise)→ How Sitka built a brand on earned wisdom, not algorithms→ What happens when you choose freezing over fabricatingNo frameworks. No funnels. Just the unvarnessed truth about storytelling that doesn't bend.FIELDBORN Creative: fieldborncreative.comMore episodes: Search "Fight-or-Flight Podcast" on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTubeIf this resonates, leave us a 5-star review and tell us what shot YOU took that others wouldn't.

13 million Americans suffer from PTSD. 45% numb the pain with alcohol.Zach Maddox was one of them.A firefighter for seven years, Zach reached a point where he knew how he'd end it—he just hadn't set a date. Then he chose a different path. Now he runs Healing Heroes Guide Company, helping first responders find healing through movement, outdoors, and conversation.This episode covers trauma, vulnerability, and why asking for help is strength—not weakness.Connect with Zach:Healing Heroes Guide CompanyConnect with the Podcast:instagram.com/fightorfl1ghtyoutube.com/@FightorFl1ghtIf you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988.

JJ Parma (BUD/S Class 214) spent 21 years as a Navy SEAL with 11 combat deployments. But the hardest battle wasn't in combat—it was coming home.In this raw conversation, JJ reveals the truth most veterans won't admit: reintegrating into civilian life was harder than anything he faced downrange. Abandoned by his father at four, he built a career protecting others while never fully processing his own trauma—until Ibogaine treatment uncovered wounds deeper than any physical scar.Now, JJ is on a new mission: stopping mass shootings before they happen through AI-powered weapons detection with ZeroEyes.We discuss:How childhood abandonment shaped his leadership as a SEALWhy Ibogaine revealed what 21 years of operating couldn't fixThe moment he realized schools needed the same protection he provided overseasWhy the military is "a pump, not a filter" and leaves warriors unprepared for life after serviceThe ongoing work of healing, connection, and transformationThis isn't about war stories. This is about what happens when the warrior comes home and realizes the fight isn't over—it's just different.Connect with JJ:ZeroEyes: https://zeroeyes.com/How do we better prepare our warriors for the war that comes after the war?

Design saved her life. Then she used it to save others.Tom Ford. MoMA. The Olympics. The White House. Now: Able Made—soccer style with soul.Myles Levin sits down with Suzanne McKenzie—award-winning designer, 2024 AIGA Fellow, and founder of Able Made. They explore tragedy, purpose-driven design, and creativity as a tool for change.#FightOrFl1ght #AbleMade #SuzanneMcKenzie #DesignLeadership #Podcast #Season2

Join us as Miesha Tate, a two-time world champion and former UFC Bantamweight Champion, shares the unexpected grace found in surrender. Her legendary 2016 comeback and pivotal role in elevating women's MMA signal a journey of strength and transformation.Welcome to Season 2, where resilience and rebirth take center stage. Our podcast is a beacon of clarity, illuminating paths of spirituality, healing, and purpose. Each episode offers real insights and guidance to navigate life's challenges. Subscribe to gain practical wisdom and inspiration from these powerful stories.

How do you make the right choice when the stakes are highest? We are joined by Commander William C. Spears (U.S. Navy), author of Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy: Insights on the Morality of Military Service. This is an essential discussion on applied ethics, proving Stoicism is not passive, but an active, disciplined choice. Commander Spears connects the framework of Wisdom, Justice, Courage, and Temperance to high-consequence decision-making—whether you are in uniform, on the front lines of business, or at home. Learn how to train your mind for the fight and embody the podcast's mantra: Navigate. Endure. Succeed. Repeat.

In this profound milestone episode (#30), host Myles Levin sits down with Champion Cyclist and Biochemist Alison Tetrick to explore the meaning of resilience after catastrophe.Alison shares her raw, unscripted journey following a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that forced her to redefine success, identity, and self-worth. This is not a sports story; this conversation goes far beyond the champion cyclist, the bicycle, and endurance athletics, diving into the core of human struggle, purpose, and recovery.Key Takeaways You Will Hear:Life is a fight for signal: How to find clarity when your whole system is in chaos.The profound impact of trauma on personal identity and the beauty of embracing change.Navigating the complexities of success, shame, and why high performance can feel empty without emotional fulfillment.Understanding the brain's "fight, flight, or fawn" response to adversity.Alison Tetrick embodies the FIGHT-or-FL1GHT ethos—a journey of redemption, resurrection, and rebirth. This discussion is essential for leaders, creators, and anyone facing seemingly insurmountable odds.Listen in for a conversation that is warm, provocative, insightful, and perfect for our 30th episode milestone.

FIGHT-OR-FL1GHT talks to Phil Freidhoff, a leader forged in ZERO-ERROR command running a Nuclear Submarine Reactor.Now, he applies that military discipline to Human-Centered Design (HCD), solving the most COMPLEX, cross-matrixed problems for America’s Warfighting Systems.This episode maps out Problem-Solution strategy, HCD application, and military leadership lessons under pressure: how to manage complexity, lead critical teams, and design solutions for imperfect humans when the stakes are highest.Listen for the operational blueprint.#Leadership #SystemsThinking #HCD #Submarine #DecisionMaking #DOD

$22$ of our heroes execute their own escape plan daily. Why? Because the system substitutes talk for surgery. This is the Cost of Inattention—an epidemic of failed humanity.We demand Absolute Honesty. This week, we reject the status quo with Eileen Shanahan of the Warrior Ranch Foundation. She uses a 1,200-pound Thoroughbred as the ultimate lie detector. Your anxiety is high-frequency hyper-vigilance; the horse senses your "energy" instantly, forcing you to self-regulate and return to being human.The $22$ aren't failing; the SYSTEM is. Stop turning the page.We demand truth. We DEMAND better.Listen to Episode 28 now.

The Cost of Comfort: Ex-Navy SEAL Kevin Seiff trades his M4 for a mixer after a corporate exit led to existential collapse. Listen to this powerful story on finding real purpose, the dangers of high salary sedation, and why comfort is the greatest threat to a meaningful life.We dive deep with the SEAL Team Seven veteran on his trajectory to the special operator's community and his difficult transition to co-owning Crafted Coastal Bakery. Specifically, we discuss his return to a new mission that matters: Creation and Service.This is the hard truth for every leader who feels the quiet decay of an easy choice.

You stop running only when the consequence finally outruns you." In Episode #26 of Fight-or-Fl1ght, we sit down with contemporary artist Louis Carreon. His life was a global chase, fueled by licentiousness and false idols. The crash led totwo years of federal time, and the hardest lesson: The Surrender. Louis details the system purge that began in prison. He abandoned addiction and channeled the severelight of Caravaggio and the raw fury of Basquiat to rebuild his mind and art. This is the seminal moment when regret gives birth to something violently BTR™ (Better Than Regret). This conversation is an essential guide for the leader whose past choices haunt the present. Stop fearing the silence. Listen to the purge.

​Episode #25: Ryan Monopolus—Martial Artist, Filmmaker, MysticFifth-degree black belt. World champion. Stunt performer and action choreographer on Spider-Man: No Way Home, Cobra Kai, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead. Director across 10+ countries. Started training at four. Never stopped moving.Ryan Monolopolus turned martial arts discipline into Hollywood currency—designing the violence you see on screen while exploring the philosophy behind every punch. This conversation goes hard: how fighting shaped filmmaking, why optimism is non-negotiable, the intersection of technology and spirituality, and what it takes to build a life that refuses boredom.From Buffalo dojos to blockbuster sets. From yoga mats to motion control rigs. From world championships to metaphysical rabbit holes.This is the space where warrior meets artist. Where discipline meets imagination. Where the work never stops and the adventure never ends.Topics: Martial arts philosophy, stunt choreography, international filmmaking, extended reality, creative leadership, spiritual optimism, and why coming home to train still matters.

Marine Officer. Federal Agent. Waterfowl hunter. Father. Husband. Ty Yount doesn't do surface-level conversations — and this episode proves it.Ty is the Director of Communication for Valor & Honor Outdoors, a 501(c)(3) that provides all-expense-paid outdoor experiences for active-duty military, veterans, first responders, and their families. No cost to participants. No glory hunts. Just real people finding real healing in wild places.In this conversation, we go deep:• What it takes to build a mission-driven organization that actually delivers• Why the outdoors aren't "nice to have" for veterans — they're life-saving• The standard of leaving every person, every place, better than you found it• How warriors transition from protecting in uniform to protecting through purpose14 states covered in 2024. Hundreds of lives touched. 100% volunteer-driven by people who understand what it means to carry weight.This isn't content. This is conviction.________________________________________ABOUT VALOR & HONOR OUTDOORS: Valor & Honor Outdoors honors military service members, veterans, first responders, and their families by providing transformative outdoor experiences that promote healing, camaraderie, and renewal. Learn more: https://valorandhonoroutdoors.com/________________________________________CONNECT WITH US: 🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZeDZf8ofdJ0g6tgTOX4Cg 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fight-or-fl1ght/id1840181942 📱Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fightorfl1ght/________________________________________#Veterans #FirstResponders #Military #Leadership #OutdoorTherapy #Service #ValorAndHonorOutdoors #FightOrFl1ghtPodcast

Fortune 500 sent lawyers, not deals. Bear Handlon—Navy SEAL, Yale football, CrossFit Games athlete—built Born Primitive in a garage on active duty. No investors. No permission. Then erased $2.5M in veteran medical debt. This is operational rigor for purpose over profits. He built BTR™.