Yeah. I got the airplane in through my aggressiveness and my my rug dance behavior. I got outside the envelope of the airplane. I was dogfighting with another guy. We both got our nose pitched straight up, and I watched him fall off. And I and that's when you in the normal dogfighting world, you'd be able to roll in behind. And when you get behind somebody, you have a tentative you have a Sure. Weapon solution. Right? So you win that fight. So, I got up there. We got really high in this a these a fours, and I watched him roll off. I said, I got him now. And I tried to I tried to move the controls. The airplane wouldn't do anything. I thought, oh, no. In the in the in the flight manual, it said, don't ever get the nose of the airplane straight up or or even beyond straight up a hundred degrees nose up, and you're at zero air speed because you'll get into an inverted spin. So with the tail flying back and you you're on your back and you're going around in in circles, out circles, but on a rotation. And it said in the flight manual, there is no known recovery. So in most most, places where you get into an environment in the in an airplane that is unfamiliar or is, not where you wanna be, there is a recovery process. Right? And it Mhmm. Put the controls into the spin or wave the spin, the router do all these things, you know, no known recovery for an inverted spin. So we start to slide, and I had a two seater in the kinda my back seat, which starts tail sliding back and then then got into that emergency. You know, we watched the altitude decrease further and further. Now when you're in a spin, you don't have airflow across the flight control, so you don't have airflow across the canopy. And there's a different sound, right, when you just quietly turn and like that, And, watch the air the altitude drop and drop and drop. We got to the altitude where we should have rejected and didn't. That was my call. My with concurrence with the fell on the back seat. And then we got to the altitude where it would have been futile to eject. We're too low. Mhmm. Finally, at less than five thousand feet, way less than that off the water. Finally, I could hear the wind coming by the canopy. So that meant there's probably wind over the flight control. So I started try and I was able to roll the airplane right right side up and fly it away, scooped out, I think, around maybe five hundred feet off the water. And then, and started heading back to land. And one of the one of the funny things, now that's funny, was that as I added power to fly so fly back toward the coast of California, I looked up at the instruments, and there was zero oil pressure, which means the engine's gonna rub itself to death, you know, without oil.

Mhmm.

And then it'll wear itself in. And, I told the guy, hey. Good news, bad news. We are heading back. Bad news is there's no oil in the engine. And and what had happened was because of that upside down flight, the oil had gone back into the tank. It would cavitate it away from the engine. It was still there

Mhmm.

While for it to get pumped back into the system, and it finally came back. I know. I'm like, well, we did it, but we're we're still gonna have to go through my mind maybe.

Yeah. So did you? Did you have to go swimming?

We made it back.

You made it. Wow. Oh my goodness.

Things like that. Second chances have been on on my on my, life.

Radar Yeah. On your life. Yeah. Well, did it inform faith at all?

It did. Absolutely.

What did it do with your faith?

Well, see, that's another thing, Lisa. I I had a belief, but I didn't have a, what we call a relationship with the Lord. Right? And so I thought, well, I lucked out there. I lucked out here. I lucked out with the hard thing. But after the cardiac arrest is when I really started wondering, you know, about what happens and what what happens when you pass, and where does all this energy go? You know? Our energy, you almost can't see it in our thoughts. You know? Our thoughts are out there. Where does it go? What happens? Where do we where do we wind? You know? Where do we wind up?

Right. Right. So you started asking the questions. I

started asking the question. It took me a long time to find out. Too long. But once I found out, that's when I realized those things that I called luck were were really blessings. And,

Were God's hand on you?

Yes. Absolutely.

He was he was sparing you. But wow. Well, let me ask you a question. Since that realization, how do you think you've been transformed? What what kind of transformations happened?

One thing that's happened I don't know. There's been tons of things. But one of the things that I noticed every day, and it's being judgmental. You know? I I fight that all the time, you know, because I know we're all created in the image of god. Right? And you can't judge people because you don't know what their life is like.

Right.

The, the things that they they're facing. Right? And Mhmm. You make a judgment and all of a sudden, most of the time, you realize, well, that was not right.

Completely wrong. Right.

And and the and our our lord teaches us that, you know, judge not, lest ye be judged, right? I'm not worried about it. And then just loving everybody, you know, and, filing it. Our society, our culture is so so downtrodden now that it's, more of us could say, you know, approach life and people with love and let that play out, right? And it and it brings out the best in others. A lot of times you see somebody that's really downtrodden and frowning and and unhappy, even people you meet in a store that are clerks or whatever, and you just say, hey. How's it going? You know? You look you look kinda beat up. Are you doing okay? You know? And smile. You don't have to be quite that personal unless you feel like it's the time, right?

Right. Right. But that smile, that just that kind gesture, that kind, reach out. I mean, Greg, it can change the trajectory of someone's life. You know? It can change their day for sure. Right?

One of the things I do, Lisa, when I talk about, what builds a team, a lot of it has to do with respect. So you you approach people with respect. You know, like, tell the little story of walking through an airport and seeing, you know, we're just passing face to face with people and, you know, I gotta get to the gate, you know, and I'm I'm not real happy about flying and blah blah blah blah blah. And you and you and but you I take a look around and I notice how clean and beautiful the place is. Right? And I I'll look look to see who's involved with that. I may see some somebody cleaning the walls or sweeping the floor or pushing the carts. You know? And if if it's a clean and wonderful environment, which we don't take notice of often enough, Excuse me. I'll I'll say to him, hey. This place is beautiful. Great job. Thank you.

Yes.

And that that little bit of interaction, that little bit of respect, boy, it took it takes you three or four seconds to do it. But what do you think? How do you think they this call it a menial job, call the people invisible because they are invisible to most of us. And and what that does, oh my goodness. Can you imagine? Well, maybe I maybe my job is doesn't stink as better than I think it does. Right? Right. I'm appreciated. I there's an appreciation and respect. So that's another thing that,

I love that. Very practical thing that we can do, but it's opening our eyes to see those. Right? It's opening our eyes, getting outside of ourself.

If more people could do that too. The whole world would change.

Oh, no doubt. No doubt about it. Well, I wanna talk about this real fast because I really want our listeners to go and do this. So you were part of you were co producer for the Blue Angels documentary that came out in twenty twenty four. I told you that our family sat down and watched it, and it is so so good, Greg. But why, you know, why do you think telling that story is so important? You know? Because, I mean, it's special.

Yeah. About five years well, twenty nineteen, before the pandemic, I had the idea to make another documentary about something that was good and true and all American, right, and showed American exceptionalism. And and I thought there's nothing finer than the Blue Angels in what we do and what we demonstrate. So I called Rob Stone, a good friend of mine, who had made a award winning documentary on the blues before on about my team that went to Russia. And I said, Rob, it's time time to do it again. And we and we we got through it. We got through the pandemic where we lost support, but then gained it through, Glenn Powell and JJ Abrams and some of those folks. And and we got the movie out, May of last year. But it was so important for me to me to to get that done because it really it shows how you can go beyond your even your own self imposed limitations to to do extraordinary things. And once you get to be doing once you have the chance to do them, you don't even look at them look at them as extraordinary anymore. You look as though at those things as a way of life, and you're able to share with others. And and I think it was important to to see that on screen. You know, I I wanted to make sure it was G rated so kids could grow from it and learn from it. But adults love it too. So, yeah, I it was just important to me. And and the beautiful thing was, Brian Kesselring was the boss on that team that you saw in the movie. He was in his third year because of the hold holdover from the non basically, non airshow year of the pandemic, and he was terrific. So between a wonderful production team and a wonderful Blue Angel team, I kinda kinda built those bonds and that trust back to the the good t word, the trust. Mhmm. We got it done. It was just important to do it.

So good. I encourage our listeners to go watch it. It's in IMAXs. But you can also see it on Prime. Amazon Prime, right?

The only place you can see it in IMAX now is is in museums because in January this year, IMAX made a forty minute version instead of a feature length like it's on Prime, but it's in IMAX the way it was filmed. And I've been promoting it. I went to Kennedy Space Center and the the Air and Space Museum with showings of the movie. So it's a great way. But that's just just to tell you that IMAX is is a wonderful way, but a prime on a big screen with a lot of good sound is is pretty cool.

So good. Alright. One other thing I wanna talk about. I've got so many other things, but I know we're running short on time here. You actually ran for governor. You ran for the governor of Oregon.

Yeah. I did.

2018. Yeah. You ran in the primary for governor. You didn't win. But, Greg, what did you learn?

Oh, I learned that, there are so many people that need to be represented in an area, in a state, in a country that don't get a voice. And even as a candidate, I was able to bring their ability to voice their concerns and and weave the way they felt into what I would do going forward where I elected and and being able to share that in the competition, in the election process, to share those thoughts and and the needs and wants of people other than the the the vast majority here in Oregon and represent folks the right way. So I learned that, you know, and you learn the the mechanics of of a race. And, of course, we all know what kinda know what those are, but they're tough. Yeah. It's a tough world running for office. It really is. But I enjoyed it. Yeah. I wanted to change the dialogue, and I wanted to go back to something I learned on the blues that, just quickly about policy. People come in and say let's drain the swamp. Well, my my idea was it's not a swamp. It's that that area in government is filled with really good people. They just need to be led. You know? No clear expectations. Clearly know what was expected of them, and they will do great. And and then, again, like we talked about leadership, earning trust and, being humble with them, being vulnerable. And that's what I that's what I learned and tried to carry forward. Unfortunately, I didn't win.

Yes. Oh, but you know what? I bet you you changed some minds. And even, like like you said, like, getting voices that were not typically heard. Yes. I think that's so yeah. Don't discount what you were able to do, Greg, in that. Well, this is called something extra. What do you believe is the something extra that every leader needs?

Well, I I'll go back to, trust, first of all. But you need to be confident and at the same time, be humble. Allow yourself to be vulnerable. There there you know, there's so many words that go on to leadership, but you have to weave them together and, and know what intensity each of those things, how it appears and how it's brought to the surface in your leadership style. And and as a leader, don't try to be somebody you're not. You know, I always love love leaders that could tell a good joke. Well, I can't tell a joke worth beans, you know. So that wasn't gonna go in my leadership toolbox, right?

So I just Be your authentic self.

Beautiful. That's it. Yeah. And then and then earn the trust.

Yeah. That's so good. Well, when are you coming to Saint Louis? You need to come to Saint Louis.

I come I come every summer to work with the Red Tail Cadets, which is a great program. An an offspring of the, Tuskegee Airmen because they were the red tails. Right? They they had their own Yes. That was the first African American black squadron in World War two, and they did great. And they gave underprivileged youngsters a chance to do some pretty spectacular things. And now that's what they they do that in Saint Louis. Brent Brent and Mann, you know him. He he brought me into that. And so I come back every summer to talk to those high school kids that are learning how to fly. That's great program. Great. Yeah. So I'll be back.

I mean, it'll You gotta let us know. You gotta let us know, Greg. Yeah. Well, this has been such a pleasure for me. Thank you so much for making the time. I'm so excited, truly about just continuing our relationship because I think we're gonna do some other things together.

Thank you, Lisa. And congratulations on your book.

Thank you.

It's a lot of work. So I'm anxious to read it.

somethingextrabook.com.

Oh, and then it's gonna be great. I haven't read I haven't gotten it yet, so I well, I'm looking forward to it. Congrats. Yes. Thank you.

Well, have a great rest of the day.

Thank you. You too. Take care. Glad to be here.

Thank you for listening to today's show. Something extra with Lisa Nichols is a Technology Partners production. Copyright Technology Partners Inc two thousand and nineteen. For show notes or to reach Lisa, visit tpi dot co slash podcast. Don't forget to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or wherever you listen.