Courage is defined as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.”

It’s no wonder then that courage is an integral component of mental health. By calling on the strength inside each and every one of us, we can face challenges that, on the surface, seem insurmountable. Whether its persevering through difficult moments, confronting past demons, or choosing to accept the things we can’t control and focusing on those we can, we will all have to summon courage time and again throughout our lives and our careers. 

But believing in your courage, let alone using it, is not always easy. Like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz, we may spend years of our lives searching for it. But the good news is that if you believe in yourself, the journey on that yellow brick road is shorter than you think. 

My guest today knows a thing or two about courage. In 2003, Retired US Air Force Colonel Kim “KC” Campbell was flying a combat mission over Iraq when her A-10 aircraft was hit by enemy fire. In a matter of seconds, KC had to find the courage to get herself back to safety…or risk losing her life. I spoke to KC about her career as a pilot, why having a wingman at work and at home is a game-changer, and what we can learn from her bestselling book “Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot’s lessons on Leading with Courage. 

Bio:

Kim "KC" Campbell is a retired Air Force Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission in Baghdad.

As a senior military leader, Kim has led hundreds of Airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations and enabled them to succeed in their missions. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim knows what it takes to be a successful leader, to inspire and empower high-performance teams to achieve success. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team.

Resources:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kchawg987?s=20

Website: https://kim-kc-campbell.com

Flying in the Face of Fear: A Fighter Pilot's Lessons on Leading with Courage: https://kim-kc-campbell.com/book/

It Takes Courage to Seek Mental Health Support: https://walkingwiththewounded.org.uk/Home/News/662

How To Be Brave About Your Mental Health: https://www.talkspace.com/blog/talking-about-your-mental-health/