Your Thoughts Your Reality
Welcome to "Your Thoughts, Your Reality with Michael Cole," the podcast that shines a compassionate light on the journey of veterans battling through life's challenges. Michael Cole, a Certified Elite Neuroencoding Specialist, dedicated to guiding military veterans as they navigate the intricate pathways of post-deployment life. Join him as we delve into the profound realm of Neuroencoding science, empowering these brave individuals to conquer universal battles: procrastination, self-doubt, fear, and more. Together, let's uncover the strength within you to re-engage with families and society, forging a new path forward.
Your Thoughts Your Reality
From Discharge to Discovery: Finding Your True Calling After Service
When Joe Kramer received his medical discharge from the Army due to hearing issues, his decade-long dream of military service came crashing down. As a West Point graduate raised in a military family, the sudden transition left him experiencing what he calls "identity whiplash" - that jarring moment when the future you've envisioned disappears overnight.
What followed was a tumultuous journey through multiple civilian careers and layoffs, all while supporting a growing family including newborn twins. Rather than succumbing to bitterness or despair, Joe maintained a relentless optimism that ultimately guided him toward meaningful work aligned with his values. His story resonates with anyone facing unexpected career pivots or searching for purpose after a major life transition.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn when Joe reveals how he founded "Ruck On," an initiative that began as his personal fitness journey but evolved into a platform helping veterans reconnect with physical activity and personal development. By transforming military rucking into a civilian practice on his own terms, Joe rediscovered a piece of his military identity while reclaiming his personal agency. This became a powerful metaphor for his broader transition - taking familiar elements from military life but adapting them to serve his civilian goals.
Perhaps most valuable are Joe's three transformative practices for veterans in transition: reading ten pages daily, consistent journaling, and intentionally focusing on positives. His practical exercise of listing what you don't want and then flipping each item provides a roadmap for clarity when feeling lost. As Joe wisely notes, "People get hung up focusing on the negatives and what they don't want, and you just get more of that." His journey proves that with resilience and the right mindset, veterans can create fulfilling lives beyond service, choosing meaning over expectations.
Subscribe and follow @RuckOnVentures on Instagram to continue the conversation about finding purpose after military service. What transition challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
When love turns toxic, this podcast helps you make sense of the chaos and start to heal.
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Welcome to your Thoughts, your Reality with Michael Cole, the podcast that shines a compassionate light on the journey of veterans battling through life's challenges. Michael is a dual elite certified neuro encoding specialist in coaching and keynote training presentations dedicated to guiding military veterans as they navigate the intricate pathways of post-deployment life. Join him as we delve into the profound realm of neuroencoding science, empowering these brave individuals to conquer universal battles procrastination, self-doubt, fear and more. Together, let's uncover the strength within you to re-engage with families and society, forging a new path forward.
Speaker 2:Hello, hello, hello everybody. So today we have a great guest. I'm super excited about this. Joe is a great guy. We have Joe Kramer. He is a US Military Academy, west Point graduate, class of 2016,. Dual major in German and Russian. He's a former Army ordnance officer. Raised in a military family overseas in Germany and Croatia. He's weathered multiple post-Army layoffs, then intentionally pivoted toward work aligned with purpose and family needs. This is so important. Everybody, we're going to really dive into this and it's you know, it's really tough for a lot of people, and I actually am working with a veteran right now that doesn't know what to do when they get out. You know they're reintegrating into civilian society has challenges, and not having a plan for something you're going to love when you get out shouldn't be one of them, and we're going to really dive into this today. And, of course, he's an advocate for veterans turning non-traditional career paths, choosing meaning over expectations. So, joe, thank you for being on. I'm super excited to have this conversation. Will you tell us just a little more about yourself?
Speaker 3:Yeah, sure, so my name is Joe Kramer. I know we'll kind of get into my story a little bit early on. So you know, right now I live in Windsor, colorado, about an hour north of Denver, with my wife and four kids, lockheed Martin. And then, you know, kind of on the side, you know even more into that meaning realm. I am the founder of Rock On and so that is all about. You know, there's a lot of fitness but also personal development to that and again kind of why I advocate for veterans to blaze their own trail versus kind of getting stuck into some of the you know narrow career paths that they feel like they have to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you get into those funnels, right, that expectation or or whatever it is, instead of really kind of thinking outside the box. Something you're gonna love, so that's awesome. When you said rock on, I thought you're teaching guitar or something.
Speaker 3:Yeah yeah, it's um, yeah, it's definitely key to, I guess, make sure you pronounce the U instead of the O.
Speaker 2:But I mean I don't know very similar energy you know, Rock on, rock on, got it.
Speaker 2:So, joe, before we get started, I just want everybody to. On the top right-hand corner of I always do this wrong, let's do it that way. Top right-hand corner of your screen, there's a blue QR code. It takes you to empowerperformancestrategiescom for people listening on the podcast forums. Later on it's empowerperformancestrategiescom. It takes you to our website. There's all kinds of links and resources and groups on Facebook, et cetera. Some books I've written. You know really just resources for veterans and their families. Join the mission, come be part of our community, if you will. It's a really great place to be. So, with that said, joe, let's be ready to dive in.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 2:All right, so let's talk about identity whiplash. How did the medical discharge for I believe it was hearing correct? Yes, yeah, how did the medical discharge, for I believe it was hearing correct. Yes, yeah, how did that reshape your identity also to a civilian, if you will overnight.
Speaker 3:And what grief or relief did you have to acknowledge before you could really move forward? Yeah, so it was really difficult for me. The whole process leading up to the discharge was very frustrating, because being an Army officer was a goal and something that I'd been working towards for over a decade of my life. I knew very early on that's what I wanted to do. My dad was an army officer and my earliest memories of him were when he was a special forces A-team leader, and so feeling like I was having the rug pulled out from under me was definitely a challenge to deal with. A challenge to deal with, um, because of how everything unfolded. When I did get the news that, yes, you're being discharged, it was almost a relief. Um, but then, once I was actually out, it all kind of came rushing back.
Speaker 3:That identity just isn't there anymore, and something that I struggle with a lot, too, was because I hadn't been in for very long.
Speaker 3:I felt like I hadn't done anything.
Speaker 3:You know, my unit was in the process of training up to go on a rotation over to Kuwait, and so I was, you know, heavily involved with my guys like gearing up for that in the midst of my medical board proceedings and then ultimately they all left and I stayed behind and was discharged, and so it was actually a conversation that I had with my dad that kind of helped me work through that, in that, you know, less than 1% of people raise their hand to even try or volunteer to serve and he's like that's all that matters.
Speaker 3:It's like you know you, you have some control to a degree over what you do and you know your career path in military, but there are a lot of variables and things outside of your control. So you really it's. It doesn't serve you moving forward to think that way, to have that connotation around your service. So as long as you showed up every day and did your job and did it to the best of your ability and weren't actively trying to be a bad person, you should be proud of what you did.
Speaker 2:I love your dad. I'm just going to say that now because that is that's some of the best advice people can have and I think, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 3:Well, and I think for me, coming from someone who, in my view, has done so much you know he is a green beret, has, you know, done things overseas that you know some people may never know about like cool, you know Hollywood type stuff, I'm sure and for him to be the one that's like you served. Like you put up your hand, you serve, that's all that matters.
Speaker 2:That's fantastic, and, joe, your dad's going to be on tomorrow, just so you know.
Speaker 3:Well he's, I mean true to true to army special force.
Speaker 2:Like he is a quiet professional and we've had seals on and that kind of stuff as well.
Speaker 2:So, um, but I was just just playing with you uh, if he wants to be on absolutely no doubt, but I was just making it, making a making a funny, so, um, so how did, first of all, you know the mindset that that you were in? Uh, you know, as, as humans, you know, we, we, we do that a lot to ourselves and it's it's fantastic that your dad was there to say no, hold on, look at whatever. You looked at it this way and change the trajectory, because you could have went in a very dark way, right, yeah, and if you hear about that more often than not, and so it's a beautiful thing that you know, let me go back one step. When you lose your camaraderie from the military, even when you're, when you're discharged normally or retire or whatever the case may be, that's tough because you lose your brothers, you lose the people that you count on the most around you, and so when you are just removed instantly, it's a whole different game.
Speaker 2:So it could have went in a dark place, and so I want people to really hear this right now. It's a choice, and thank goodness he had that mentor that he respects, loves, all those things to to really help him to change that perspective, because it changed his life and look what he's doing now. You know it's, it's fantastic. So I, I'm really I, I, I very happy and thank god that your dad was there and was the right person at the right time yeah yeah, so.
Speaker 2:So let's talk about if we will. Where did you go from there? What made you go into the different realms? Right, Because again, we're today's really about finding that fulfillment and changing potentially a different career path for that and and kind of the thought process that took you down that path. Sure, I.
Speaker 3:So the first few years after I got out of the army were kind of tumultuous, because I I really didn't know what I wanted to do and I didn't have the benefit. Like you said, you know, people kind of exiting the military and more traditional means. There are all kinds of programs nowadays, um, to help veterans translate their skills into, you know, whether it's a trades job, whether it's um, you know, almost like an internship if you know something in consulting or the tech space is more what you're after. You know these those programs were, were starting to happen right around the time I was getting out, but I wasn't able to take advantage of them. So really, the, the big driver for me was just finding something that would support my family. We had our oldest daughter, mia, the time, um, she's, uh, right, about a year old, um, and then, as I was getting out, um, my wife and I found out that we were having twins.
Speaker 3:So again, that was kind of a, you know, lighting a fire under me, yeah, so, you know, right out of the gate, there really wasn't the searching for purpose in the work that I was doing beyond trying to, you know, put a roof over my head, my family's head and food on the table, and the first job that I ended up accepting, um really didn't even do that Um, and so I, you know it, it took a few um, you know, I I ended up being laid off um from that job after about a year and a half Um job after about a year and a half.
Speaker 3:The next job I had was something that I actually did have kind of an interest and a passion for, and when I first joined, the company seemed to be the kind of company that you show up and you're like, oh, wow, this place is really cool, like this is a place I would like to work, um, and three months later the pandemic hit um and you know, instead of going into the office that has a gym and all these people that I'm like, wow, you know, love working with um, all that went away. Yeah, it's, you completely work from home and, you know, understandably, over the next, you know, year and a half, that company kind of had to change and evolve how it did things and so, you know, ended up being laid off again and the next job after that laid off again and the next job after that?
Speaker 2:um, joe, really quick. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I want to ask you something. So in your life right now uh, I'm sorry, in your story, in your life right now, at that point, were you just going, damn, what the hell, what was going, what was kind of going through your head, because I kind of want people to understand and connect with hey, I get that and I I've been there too, or I am there.
Speaker 3:So what was kind of going through your head at that point, and you were not done yet, yeah, it was, you know, I, I think, especially through the pandemic, you know, because so much had been changing and you know, I guess all the negativity and things that were kind of going around, like it was tough because it was just kind of like a wow One, like one more thing, right, right. And you know, I guess, looking back, I'm, I've always been a pretty optimistic and upbeat person. You can ask my wife, I think, sometimes it gets on her nerves a little bit.
Speaker 2:I promise to your wife, if you're listening, I promise you prefer it this way than the other way.
Speaker 3:It's, good though she's, she's definitely a bit more of a realist, and so it it it does. It helps keep me grounded, Otherwise, you know, I'd be off in in Joe's world, as we call it.
Speaker 2:So you're feeling beat down and just man, what's next? Right, I mean kind of where you're at.
Speaker 3:Yeah, kind of having a short term memory of that happened Like and now I? Now I have a problem. Okay, let's focus on the solution. And I think right about this time I got the daily stoic as a gift and that that's something that I, you, know to this day. The book's starting to look a little ratty now, after four or five years.
Speaker 2:That's a beautiful thing, my friend. That means, it means something.
Speaker 3:Yeah, but just kind of that, like that happened, and there's no sense in really beating myself up or dwelling on you know what could have happened. It's like they made a choice. They, you know. Whatever circumstances happened, I got laid off. I don't have a job. I still have a choice. Whatever circumstances happened, I got laid off. I don't have a job. I still have a wife and children that I need to take care of. So what do I need to do next?
Speaker 2:And that's beautiful. I love that you said exactly that, because it's just about being resourceful. Look, this happened.
Speaker 3:I can be a victim and go downhill, or I can just keep moving forward and that's yeah, and something too that was also sort of helped is um, with each career change move, if you will, um it gave like I ended up getting paid more each time. So, like the first job I had right out of the military, like one of the things like it barely like it really didn't even help me support my family. The next job after that was a little bit better. I had a little bit more purpose. And then the job after that, the purpose kind of went away again, but I was getting paid almost like half again as much as I was making at the job that I had just gotten laid off from. So I kind of saw it as more of like okay, I could land a better opportunity next, right, amen.
Speaker 3:And so you know, about a year and a half ago no um was laid off for the final time, um, and it was uh. During that point I was getting my MBA at CSU um, and kind of leaned into some of their um employment, employment resources and ultimately ended up getting a job with Lockheed where I'm getting paid the most I've ever been paid have, kind of that, you know, the closest thing to purpose and a connection to what I'm doing on a daily basis since I left the army. Um, and yeah, it's, it's awesome I had, you know, great work-life balance and flexibility to you know, not just provide for my family financially but also like be there for kids activities, you know, if you know they get sick and need to be brought home from school, like I can be the dad that goes and picks them up.
Speaker 3:So that's fantastic and then also the freedom to, you know, pour energy into ruck on and and do things like this, like things that I, I'm, I'm really passionate about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's been it fantastic, and you know what the financial freedom, the time freedom, to be able to go and do things that mean something to you, like being able to be the dad to pick your kid up. So many other people don't get that opportunity.
Speaker 2:It's fantastic, man, it's a testament to keep on moving. Things will change. People get very stuck in the winter, you know, and there's four seasons and they, they continue to kind of rotate. And knowing that pattern, and knowing, okay, well, things aren't great right now, but spring's coming, you know, um, so it's not gonna be rainy and gloomy.
Speaker 2:This too will pass you know, and just that, the fortitude that you had to keep moving and keep moving forward is fantastic, and that's why you're where you are now. So so I congratulate you. I celebrate truly, because so many other people don't and they give up and play victim mode. You know so. So, amen, good for you. So let's talk about ruck on a little bit, can we sure? Yeah, so you know. So you're finding your fulfillment, your purpose. I know you're jazzed about it, so talk more about what is Ruck On. Let's start there, if you can.
Speaker 3:Sure, so it's evolved. I started it way back in 2019 when I was first kind of getting back into fitness cause that was. That was something else that I lost. Um, and I I think a lot of veterans can probably say that they've experienced this. As you know, you're, you're in the military and you more or less have to be in shape. Um, you know most units, you have PT every day, unless you're injured, sick or something. And even then, like you're working out every single day, you know you've got height and weight standards that you have to meet on a regular basis. You have a PT test that you have to take, and so you go out in the civilian world and you don't have that structure anymore. You don't have that. You know it might not be the best motivator, but it works.
Speaker 2:Well, here's the thing right Is physical exercise. All of the emotional benefits from it, mindset benefits from it, are off the charts. I mean, if you exercise, even walking, every day, you are going to be in so much, such a better mental state because of it. Just walking for half an hour, so you know what you're doing is is awesome, so it's, it's not. I wouldn't say, um, you know the physical parts of what you did in the military and then the physical parts when you are out that you're choosing to do on your own is even better.
Speaker 3:Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Let's talk about that more.
Speaker 3:And I would say too, if there's don't, let, don't let the military color what you try and pick up in the civilian world, like, uh, you know, I, I've always loved hockey and so, thankfully for me, that was something I could always fall back on. Um, you know, especially out here living in colorado, like there's plenty of hockey up here. So, out here living in Colorado, like there's plenty of hockey up here. So check, um, but as far as like rock on goes, uh, you know, outside of hockey, cause, I mean, just doing that once or twice a week is helpful. Um, you know, not just physically but but mentally, like you said, and I think in some cases it helped me more mentally than physically.
Speaker 3:But I started rucking, and it can be a lot more enjoyable when it's just you picking whatever weight you want, whatever route you want. You can listen to music if you want, you know, versus all of the constraints that are put on you when you have to do it in the military, is it's going to be this much weight, we're going to go this far or we're going to go this way, and you can't listen to music, and you know all the choice gets removed from you. So, um, you know I, I, I got into rucking because it was an easy and relatively cheap way to kind of kickstart my fitness journey. Um, and then, as I started doing that kind of sharing some insights and thoughts that I had, I had people like reaching out to me like hey, I see that, like you're rucking and you're getting back into fitness, like how can I do that? Like what are some things that you suggest?
Speaker 3:And so then I turned it more towards trying to help people and educate them on the benefits of rucking and then from there, just fitness in general, and as I was doing my own personal development, you know, kind of realizing that it was all interconnected, really, of, you know, to to move forward in life, towards success, your goals, dreams, whatever that might look like. You know, to me fitness, nutrition and mindset are kind of the three key building blocks, and so that's kind of what I've laid as a foundation of Ruck On, and now I kind of use it as a bucket because, you know, I just want to inspire other people to go after their goals and dreams, whatever that might look like. So like, for me, after some of the development that I've done, I realized that I have a story from playing hockey at West Point that I want to write a book about, so I've been actively taking steps to make that happen.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's fantastic. Sorry to interrupt, but we only have a couple of minutes left. Yeah, um. So you know, I, I I love how you and everybody please again listen how you translate you know your successes into life. You know, I think it's, I think it's awesome how you just keep moving forward and and doing that. Um so, with with that said, I do want to touch base on, before we go and I know I'm going to ask you know, you know I'm going to ask you for your three tips to get veterans and their families further, faster. So I want to touch base on um, a couple of thoughts real quick on quick, on finding that passion, that fulfillment in your career, some thoughts on how to kind of look for that, to navigate into a career that you're going to love.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So I think something for me, something that I would suggest, is try and find people you know it's great if you can find a veteran who's doing something that you think you might want to do. You know there are veterans and resources out there that kind of try and funnel veterans to certain career paths because they can be very successful and very lucrative but they aren't for everyone and they're not the only ways to be successful. So for me, I was fortunate to, as I was kind of stumbling my way through things, coming across veterans who, some of them, were just doing completely different things. They were in entrepreneurship or you know, pursuing something way outside the norm.
Speaker 3:And then I also came across a number of veterans who were they might have been working in a kind of traditional post-military career, whether you know, tech or consulting, but they had something like Ruckon, that they were working on the side, right and at various levels of success. And so finding those veterans and kind of seeing that as a blueprint of oh, I can have a successful day job outside of the military that takes care of everything, but then I can also pursue or experiment, test out different things on the side, you know it, I guess a good military analogy that I can see from it is almost like a you've got to take care of your, your fob, your forward operating base, like make sure that's taken care of and then you patrol out from there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that I love that, yeah, and you know, sometimes that thing that you find passionate turns into a business. And yeah, in a full-time business, I know a lot of people, uh, including myself, that have, you know, have a, have a passion and and they have a business. You know, know. So don't, don't, if I can say, don't close yourself off to that possibility if it's something that you think you want to do full time. It's amazing All of the things that are out there now in the world we have today where you can make money doing something you love doing. You know so, absolutely love that. So, with that said, if you can give us three tips to get veterans and their families further, faster, joe, yeah, so I know two things that that helped me a lot.
Speaker 3:You know I mentioned the daily stoic and so kind of delving into stoicism has helped me a lot because it kind of helps you Take life in the world as it as it is. You know great strategies on, you know here's the reality, how can you operate within that, and you know, move forward, um, but what I liked about the law of attraction is the idea that you have the power to create what you want in the world, um, and so you know I, I first read the secret and so I guess you know tip number one would be to read um. So you know, a success, a way I've had success with reading, is just 10 pages every day.
Speaker 2:It works.
Speaker 3:You know it, it sounds like such a small amount, but if you can read 10 pages every day and it, it, it also it kind of breaks things down because you're kind of forced to within those 10 pages. You know, if you're reading a book that's designed to help move you further in life, it kind of forces you to look in those 10 pages. It's like what can I take away from this? Yeah, absolutely. I think that's super important.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:And then journaling. It's something that my grandfather and my dad, at various points growing up, I think, tried to get me into. But, you know, being a young, stubborn, hard, hard headed boy and young man, it's like, yeah, I don't that that sounds boring, I don't want to do that, but, um, it's something that I have done, um, for the past few years now. Um and I I just kicked myself because I'm like I have, I have a decent memory, but, like man, it would be awesome if I could go back to that time period and have, like, what was I thinking about? What was I actually? You know, I might know generally what I was doing in that time period, but, like you know, what was I doing on a day to day basis?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it's really. You weren't ready yet, though right, it came to you at the right time to do it. Now you appreciate it, and the best time to start something you should have started two years ago is today. Right now yeah so awesome, you're doing it now.
Speaker 3:How about tip three Tip three, I would say focus on the positive, and I think I was reading a book that kind of goes into the law of attraction from a practical like how can you actually make this work for you? And one of the exercises I think is very helpful for people that aren't, you know, maybe naturally like optimists or able to see the positive is like make a list. You know. If you're unhappy about something, you know whether it's your job, your life situation, whatever is just make a list of all the things that you don't like about it or wish you could change, and then draw, you know, arrows from each one across the page and flip it. It's like okay, well, if you don't like X, then what's the flip side of that?
Speaker 3:If you don't like a boss that micromanages you, what is the opposite? Oh, a boss that trusts me, values my opinions and insights, things like that, and so then, if you do that for every single thing across the page, what that does is it gives you a picture of of what you do want. And so I think what I notice a lot is and you know, I think it explains quite a bit of the the negativity in the world, not just for veterans, but just everyone is. People get hung up focusing on the negatives and what they don't want, and you just get more of that versus and and I still have to do this with myself um, even like little things I've noticed is like saying things like no worries, it's not a big deal, like it sounds small, but just those, those tiny little shifts kind of add up and it's it's saying like all good, um, there's a thing that we do, I'm sorry.
Speaker 3:Go ahead, please finish yeah, no, but I'm just, you know, if you find that you struggle with negativity or seeing the positive, like I think that's a great exercise and just and again going back to tip number two, journal Absolutely Then just reflect on that. It's like everything that you see that you don't like, okay, we'll flip it and then focus on that positive piece more than the negative, and it'll it'll. It's surprising that if you just keep focusing on that positive stuff, how it'll start cropping up in your life.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. I love that and I we're way over time, but I just got to say this before we go there's there's a highway in California that have all of these um uh for electrical phone lines, that kind of stuff, and people focus on the post and it's that it's one of the um highest accident rates, because when people are focused on something, it takes them to that right yeah and yeah, and so it's literally.
Speaker 2:There's so many crashes into these posts because people are seeing them and they just start looking at them and they start driving right to it, not even paying attention. So what you think about, you bring about everybody. What you think about, you bring about. And if you focus on positivity, I'm going to say gratitude even as well and you celebrate that gratitude. You cannot be upset about something and grateful. I promise you this in closing there's things to be grateful about, whether it's brushing your I got to brush my teeth this morning because I have teeth or a toothbrush or running water, because my friends there's people that don't I got out of bed this morning. There's so many things to be grateful for that people don't focus on and when you do it changes the game. It literally changes the game.
Speaker 3:Just waking up. In the morning I woke up on the right side of the dirt.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:Absolutely. There are some people that didn't.
Speaker 2:There are Lots All right guys With that said. Joe, how do people reach out to you?
Speaker 3:um instagram is probably the best um ruck on ventures um instagram, facebook, um those are. Those are the two places that I'm most active, so fantastic, sounds great.
Speaker 2:um, joe, thank you for being on. Uh, as I, as I always say, time is the most precious resource we have as human beings. Thank you for spending some time with us, dropping some knowledge, some thoughts and some things to help veterans and their families get further across. I really appreciate it. Thanks for having me Absolutely, and on that note, we're out of here.
Speaker 1:Thank you for joining us on another insightful journey of your Thoughts your Reality podcast with your host, michael Cole. We hope the conversation sparked some thoughts that resonate with you. To dive deeper into empowering your thoughts and enhancing your reality, visit empowerperformancestrategiescom. Remember your thoughts shape your reality, so make them count. Until next time, stay inspired and keep creating the reality you desire. Catch you on the next episode.