Finding Purpose Every Day: The Key to Staying Motivated in EMS and Aviation | Ep 74

Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, hosted by ECHO and brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and Valor Plus.

Most of us remember what it felt like when we first entered emergency medical services (EMS) or stepped into a flight suit—the excitement, the nerves, and the drive to learn everything we possibly could. But as experience grows and the job becomes familiar, something can quietly begin to change. Confidence can turn into comfort, comfort can become complacency, and the passion that once pushed us forward can start to fade.

In this episode, Mike Fadale and Blake Shrider sit down with flight paramedic and motivational content creator Mark Fowler to talk about what it takes to keep that from happening. From discipline and personal accountability to education, team culture, work-life balance, and finding purpose both inside and outside the aircraft, Mark challenges us to stop waiting for motivation and start making deliberate choices about who we want to become.

Because excellence isn't something we achieve once. It's a decision we make every day—to stay curious, remain a student, serve the person in front of us, and continue becoming better than we were yesterday.

So strap in as we take an honest look at complacency, motivation, and what it takes to keep moving forward when the excitement of the job becomes routine.

Thank you to our sponsors Global Medical Response Air, Metro Aviation and Spectrum Aeromed.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:20

Welcome back to the Valor Flight Crew Podcast. As always, your host, Mike Fidale, Blake Schreider. How are you today, Blake? I'm doing great, Mike. How are you? I'm hanging in there. I'm ready to go away for a weekend and enjoy some time up at the cabin. I'll be spending uh the next foreseeable three to four days on the boat with a drink in my hand, so I will be a happy camper. Absolutely, literally. Literally and figuratively. Good for you. Well deserved. Well deserved. It's much needed. But before we get to that, we do have a pretty amazing podcast for you today. Really looking forward to this discussion. And I think the reason I'm looking forward to it is as Blake, you and I have been in this industry for a hot second now at this point, right? Uh we've seen a lot of changes in the industry. We've gone through a lot of changes in ourselves in this industry. And I think as in general, I think when we get into hems and public safety aviation, we're very driven individuals. We have practiced our craft at nauseum just to be able to have the skills necessary to do the job, get the work done, and have that team atmosphere to do it. But I think as we've been in this a little bit of time now, it's easy to fall into that place of complacency and maybe lose some of that motivation and not necessarily have the get up and go, or should I say, our get up and go got up and left. And there's times where I feel like we all fall into this kind of bucket where we don't necessarily have all of that. And so I really am looking forward to having this discussion today with our guests to be able to really kind of delve into what some of that looks like and how hopefully we as public safety aviation professionals can hopefully somewhat prevent some of those things and recognize them and prevent them. So really looking forward to the discussion. So without further ado, I'd love to welcome to uh the episode, Mark Fowler. How are you today, Mark?

SPEAKER_00 2:10

Hey you guys. I'm doing good.

SPEAKER_02 2:12

How are you all? Can't complain here. Uh like I said, I'm I'm got a great weekend ahead and uh I'm I'm off work after like uh you know nine or ten day stretch. It's nothing big. So I'm I'm a happy camper.

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Talk about keeping it going. You work ten days in a row and trying to find that motivation. And I I think I think at least Mike for to and Mark to lead this conversation off. I think you've you've already started half that process, right? Like that work life balance. So you work hard, you've got a uh you know, a nice little getaway, short getaway, which I think is very much needed, but I think that's a a big part of how we can stay refreshed and still coming back to work ready to go, but not burning ourselves out. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

I think that's so important to make sure that we have that extra time. And that's a big part, I think, of what we're gonna end up talking about today. Mark, before we get into it, if you don't mind, if you can just tell us a little bit about um yourself, your flight experience and your background and uh who you are.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

Yeah, absolutely. So I want to thank you guys again for having me on. You know, a little background on myself. I've been in EMS for probably 11 years now and flight paramedicine for about five. I teach at medic nurses' schools, I help organize and facilitate a scholarship. I help uh and work at local EMS agencies and the community. And whenever I'm not doing my other 10 jobs, I run a social media platform aimed at motivating people and they also provide some comedic relief. So with that social media handle being Mark Faller1234 also.

SPEAKER_02 3:54

Yeah, I think uh before you so Mark, you had reached out and and asked about uh the potential to come in and join us on the podcast. And you know, that was the first thought that came to my mind was looking at uh seeing some of your videos online through whether it be Instagram or or Facebook and and uh seeing the motivational stuff that you like to do or or how you try to keep people engaged. Uh, and that's really what kind of spoke to me and where the idea came for this podcast because I feel we all get to the point in our career sometimes where work feels like work. And I I think at the end of the day, if you go back to it, like this job is the best job in the world. And I feel so incredibly fortunate to be part of this industry and to have this job. And uh it's great to see people who have that same passion and drive and want to motivate others. And and I think that's really where where the basis for a lot of this ended up coming from.

SPEAKER_00 4:48

Yeah, I could agree with you more. You know, it's it's hard to find people, especially the longer you stay in the career, uh, you know, you kind of lose that drive. And uh I I hope to bring that drive back in most people and or create it for for our industry. Excellent.

SPEAKER_02 5:06

Say let's uh start off a little bit of an icebreaker here. And um, obviously you're a very passionate person and very motivated person. Can you tell us about something that in the industry that you are extremely passionate about? And what is it about that topic that keeps you motivated to really learn and do and and be the best that you can um in in the hems world?

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Yeah, I would say, you know, my biggest passion now is motivating people and helping them become the best versions of themselves and really better than they were yesterday, you know, and essentially that growth is what my passion is kind of more focused on now. People usually expect me to say the helicopters or the critical care medicine part, you know. And uh but helping people become more confident, and that can be either through teaching, mentoring, or uh just helping the average person realize that they're capable of more is kind of the passion that really drives me now and and helping create that growth for everyone.

SPEAKER_01 6:15

So, Mark, when you talk about growth, and I think that that's and I think that's an awesome point that you know we all start this field um with that we're gonna help, you know, we're gonna do something, and it's gonna be great and it's gonna be heroic, and it's gonna do all these amazing things. And I know how I felt when I first started. I mean, I was scared, I had not a whole lot of life experience. I was 23, so I'm obviously dating myself, but to just kind of hold on to and and keep that passion and and those feelings from when you first start this job. Can you kind of take us back to when you first started in EMS and then how that transitioned into you focusing on getting into flight and and kind of that process and that journey on what it took for you to get there?

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Yeah, absolutely. So looking back, I would have to kind of start in uh a host of class I took back in high school. It was a healthcare class, and uh, you know, during that class, that's whenever it really uh spiked my interest because one of the days we had a flight crew come in to do a presentation and I was amazed at their presentation. So especially how they presented themselves, you know, they got to share some cool stories that we all loved. And then uh but as we kept talking to them, a a group of uh our local EMS had come in too, and I realized with their presentation is they were really the experts on C. So that kind of really drove me to kind of get into that career originally, and uh, you know, so from there I started researching it, talking to everyone I could, uh going to a guidance counselor, and you know, at that point I knew I needed to start with just being an EMT. So that that's what I got out of high school, and then uh whenever I graduated, I was hired shortly thereafter with it. So that's how my EMS career kind of started.

SPEAKER_01 8:14

I think it's amazing like to see now. Like I mean, I remember when I was in high school and and I some of it was maybe just starting to up things are just starting to kind of come out, you know, getting into the healthcare field. But I I think now I I've just amazed on how much more exposure into the the healthcare industry younger folks are are getting, especially in high school. And then it's opening up so many doors and opportunities for people to start even doing curriculum and things from a very young age, like 16 and and on. And I'm blown away by that. I I mean that I didn't even know what the heck I wanted to do when I finished high school, you know. I just was I think I was just happy to graduate high school and move forward. But I I am just amazed on on the exposure that we all have. And I I know I take it for granted a lot when we when we when we go to places and we do outreach and we do PRs. Um, I know sometimes, you know, I know I'm not the only one, but I know sometimes you're like, oh, all right, it's gonna be hot, we're gonna go out there. And I really sometimes forget like that impact that we truly make. And Mark, I'm so glad that you that you had that. And I try to remember those other things as flight crews that we're we're planting these images and those experiences and in young minds very early. So we really need to really invest and really make sure that we're we're we're really putting off that good image because people are really lashing onto this field from very early and they're continuing on.

SPEAKER_00 9:39

Yeah, I could agree, Boar, you know, with that presentation. I looking back, if they didn't come in and give such a great presentation uh or even show up that day, you know, it would probably have been uh tough to even see myself in EMS, you know, because a healthcare class kind of introduces you to the entire healthcare industry. So there's so many choices, and it's kind of hard to fall on uh specifically EMS unless you hear the cool stories and all that. It's a pretty good convincing factor to start off with.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Yeah, I I actually had a very similar experience, and then I was part of uh an explorer post at the local hospital, and so got the experience and the exposure with a lot of different avenues of medicine, and people come in and talk to us about it. But uh EMS actually wasn't one of those things, uh, nor was flight medicine. It was more so focused on everything within the hospital. And they made mention of like, oh, well, there's also EMT classes, and that was kind of like the extent of it. And I was like, well, that sounds interesting. That might be something I would be interested in, right? And and you know, I'm dating myself a little bit here, but going back to uh, I think that was probably 1998, 99, somewhere around there. Uh, there was a big push for EMTs, and so uh it was I think $25 for the course that I took, and that included the book. Uh uh because they were so anxious to get more EMTs out into the industry. And I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was like, oh, this will look great on a resume. Like I had zero intention of staying in EMS, but I think just like everybody else, like we've gotten bit by that EMS bug. And it's something that just kind of really sticks with you. And and it it just I, you know, I know we've talked about it on other podcasts, but it's like, you know, I still remember that very first ambulance transport when the tones dropped, how nervous I was, where we went, what we did, what the patient was. Like I still remember all of those things because it was such a pivotal moment in my life. And and I think, you know, we didn't back then especially, we didn't do enough of a push of what this industry is like. I knew about helicopters and that they were medical helicopters, and I was obsessed with helicopters since I was a little kid, but I never really saw what that transition was going to look like for me uh until I actually got into the healthcare world and realized that this could become a reality. And so I I guess that's where I want to kind of direct it at you then, Mark, as far as like what was it about it? So obviously you you you had the um the informational session, you learned about being an EMT, you went and got your EMT. How did that transform you or inspire you to continue within the industry, work through your paramedic, and then eventually work into uh the flight world?

SPEAKER_00 12:27

Great question, yeah. So, you know, as I started going through EMT medic school, I found out that uh it was presented with a lot of challenges. You know, we're not a lot of us go into the industry and you know, you're not just immediately born knowing how to take vitals, even something simple like that, or uh communicate effectively to maybe another person. And uh so as I started going on even with the simplest of tasks, it's uh the challenges that actually uh intrigued me more than anything because it was so tough on everyone and it was so new and something different that uh really like I said, it it really intrigued me because everyone kind of challenged with it was facing difficulty. So, you know, that difficulty, it was like an equal playing field for everyone that was uh there in class, you know. And uh I I felt like through those challenges, I I just love a good challenge.

SPEAKER_01 13:28

So Mark, are you the kind of guy that you see something that's that sounds extremely difficult? I love that, and I'm gonna go for that. That's kind of a lot of what I'm hearing, and I admire and I admire that, and I think uh that that takes a huge amount of guts and a lot of um you know self-determination to to really go after that.

SPEAKER_00 13:50

Absolutely. Yeah, I would I would really define myself as someone that goes after all the challenges that I can. And uh, you know, that that is kind of tough, especially in kind of the flight industry, as you guys very well know. It's kind of a tough industry that no one really knows about, um, and no one really knows how to get into and doesn't know what classes to take. So um I I liked it even more for that reason.

SPEAKER_02 14:16

Yeah, and uh for anybody that may follow you on on any of the socials there, Mark, uh I'm sure people are probably aware, but uh it sounds like you had a partner in crime growing through going through a lot of this as well. So I'm sure it was certainly nice to to have that that extra support going through this this crazy journey with you.

SPEAKER_00 14:34

Yeah, yeah. So as you guys can see in a lot of the posts, I have a twin brother. So it makes it even more um interesting of a topic because now we have not only the normal challenge that everyone faces, but we get to challenge each other. And uh we get to really compete in that way. So we've been going back and forth for a while, and then uh, you know, as one does one thing, uh we both, you know, kind of build up into flight. So it's uh it's been a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_01 15:04

Please tell me you use that to each other's advantages at times. A little sick day, the other one shows up, no one knows the difference, you know.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

It worked in high school and it works in careers too.

SPEAKER_01 15:18

Heck yeah, that's awesome. Uh hey, uh your brother's is he is it Mike? Yeah. Yeah, hey Mike, uh I gotta, I gotta need to be off today. Do you mind filling in for me? And no one knows the difference. That's gotta be awesome.

SPEAKER_02 15:35

Yeah, but you you know, at the end of the day, and I obviously I'm sure you guys don't do it, but like, you know, we spend and in this industry, we spend so much time with each other. I really find it hard to believe that people wouldn't be able to tiffer tell the difference between you and your brother and the personality, you know, like the minute little things between you guys. Um, but that would be hysterical if you guys tried to pull that off.

SPEAKER_00 15:57

Yeah, you would actually be surprised. Um, and how many other people kind of experience it, the stories we've uh heard over the years, and uh it seems that it is as long as you keep us separated, is the best bet because that's when people can't tell those minute differences. Whenever we're hanging out together, yeah, you can kind of pick it out. But whenever we're separate, we look the same, we act the same, you know, we have the same experiences in life. So it just looks like I'm doing 48-hour shifts all day, every day.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

So No, when when you guys posted that video or the photo of you guys next to each other, same flight suit. If he wasn't wearing the hat, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

So, Mark, obviously, this has been you know a little bit of a journey for you to get to uh your career as a flight clinician. Um, a lot of motivation along the way, you know. Obviously, you had some some people helping you and pushing you along the way as well. How would you say? So I mean you've been doing this a couple years now, you're you're kind of in that spot of your career where I think you're comf like you're comfortable now, right? You know, when you first start in flight medicine, you you're terrified of so many things and you're constantly wanting to improve and get better, and you don't feel comfortable in your own shoes. And it takes, you know, a good year, year and a half to you really feel like you get, you know, you find your groove and you're in the right spot. And you've gone through all that stuff in your flight career now as you've progressed through um, you know, EMT, paramedic, and now flight clinician. And it's like, I think we all get to that point at some point where you just get comfortable, right? Like everything just seems to flow. There's um just a natural pattern that happens with everything that we do. And I think uh it's a normal transition for a lot of us to kind of fall into that comfort zone and forget to continue to push us forward and to learn new things and uh to challenge ourselves some more. And now that you are kind of at that point in your you know career where you're comfortable in what you're doing, how do you find personally that you're able to maintain that motivation every day when you go to work to get the job done, to to be that active team member, to engage and and and push each other forward as a team? Like what's your secret?

SPEAKER_00 18:12

I would say motivation for people can be different um so many different ways. So for me, I kind of have to think back to like we spoke before on what what really captured me into getting into this field and remembering that presentation and that we're actually making a difference in people's lives as cliche as it may sound. We are there at their worst times and uh we're there to make a difference and we're there to comfort them and be an answer, especially whenever you know that that worst time of their life is going on. So I would say it starts with a mindset and what when you really think about it, and the way I think about it for myself is every patient deserves the best version of me every day that I go to work. And uh, you know, I shouldn't slack or shouldn't kind of uh kind of wait for motivation. I should be there for my patients regardless, especially in this kind of career as you know, as starting out as first responders all the way up to flight clinicians. We're we're there to help people. You know, that motivation for me isn't something you wait for. And as as we all know, we don't wake up motivated every day. You know, it motivation kind of comes and goes. And if someone says you're motivated 24-7, that's just a lie, all right? But flat out lie. You know, most days, yeah. Most days I I hit the snooze button, I roll over and want to get more sleep like anyone else. But that's actually where you start recognizing complacency setting in. And, you know, that action, your action is what creates that motivation. So, you know, I I believe it's that kind of discipline that comes in that creates a motivation, and think of motivation as a decision like anything else. So the biggest thing I would say is taking action first. You know, action creates that momentum, momentum builds your confidence, confidence builds your belief, and belief changes you as a person, and you become a change person.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Man, I I'm I kind of feel a lot of this one, Mark. And uh yeah, I feel attacked right now. I know. Uh like you know, when it you almost feel like I I I totally feel the snooze button, and I have tried for probably the last like year and a half to set like uh really good habits, right? So I'm a morning person. Pretty much everyone else in my household is not, you know, but I enjoy mornings. That's that's what I like. So I have tried to find like you talked about, it's a mindset, right? And it's a choice. And and and I think that's so important that that we have to remember that. Like we we have a choice to continue to come to work and do this job. It's a very, very great privilege to do this job, but we have to make sure that we are making the best choices because if we make the best choices for ourselves, like you said, Mark, then we are gonna be our absolute best for our patients. And that's what it ultimately comes down to. If I were to choose to like do things to not get the good night's sleep, and then I'm snoozing in, and then I'm rolling into work on two wheels, and you know, and then I'm running out and we're getting through the brief, and then we do the the checklist, and I'm kind of like, you know what, I think everything's there, you know. It's it's it's choices, and I and I feel like I've really tried like to find what works for me. I know a lot of people that or a few people that are listening to this will be like, I'm not mourning a person. I come come alive at night, you know. That's not me. So so, Mark, how do you when you talk about making these choices and to set yourself up to be the best for your patients? So, how can you, the things that you do for yourself? How does that transpire into motivating others to also do the same thing? Because just talking to you, I'm already checking boxes of things I need to change and help myself either. So how do you get that to correlate to help motivate other people as well?

SPEAKER_00 22:34

There's a couple different ways of doing it. I think it's like that mindset we've been talking about. And just your attitude and what what you focus on. You know, we we see the world on how we choose to focus on it. You know, if you're looking for positivity throughout the day, you're gonna find a lot of positive stuff. If you find anything, if you want to look for something negative, there's plenty of negative out there, that's for sure. And it's easier to be negative than positive sometimes. So, you know, I I have to always kind of keep keep that positive mindset, but it's just like you said, coming prepared, staying humble whenever you get into the job. And uh, you know, you you just have to keep going after it and keep going for those challenges. Me myself, I'm not a morning person, but I enjoy the challenge of getting out of there with you. So I like that challenge, and I have to tell myself to go after it every morning. So that's that's what I work towards. You know, just kind of keep up that consistency because people notice that consistency, you know, especially in leadership. You know, a lot of people think of it as like a rank, but it's more of influence, is what I see it as. And people follow that kind of positivity and that energy you bring to the field. So you're you know, at the end of the day, your attitude spreads faster than you think. So and that culture can be kind of tough, especially uh, you know, kind of reflecting back on it. You you can't, you know, wait for the culture to be better. You have to create the culture, and everyone kind of recognizes that energy you bring. So I try to bring my best self.

SPEAKER_02 24:19

I absolutely love what you just said there. And there was a couple things I wanted to go back and kind of touch on because I think that, you know, first off, your attitude is something that is so important. And and I think it's so interesting and easy in this industry for us to constantly focus on the things that we can't control when we really should be focusing on the things that we can control. And I can control my attitude, I can control that I go out and I do a full rig trek. I can control that I make that I make sure I have all the things that I need, that I'm suited and booted and ready to go, that I have the right tools necessary with me, that I've practiced my craft enough times to make sure that I'm taking care of my patient the right way. Like these are all things I can control. And these are all things that, and when I do control them, will help to bring a better attitude, will help to, I think, at least hope to improve morale that will make that team atmosphere a little bit better. And and I love what you were saying there, and that, you know, these are sometimes the simple or easy things that you can do as a person, as a provider, as a teammate, right? And and I think that we forget about those sometimes. It's so easy to just kind of brush that under the rug, or, you know, there's the phrase of misery loves company, right? Like it's so much easier and more fun to be miserable sometimes because we need that that validation or what have you. I'm not sure what the the specifics are behind it, but it it it is it is very clearly, I think, a choice sometimes. And there are many days where again, I am not a morning person. My coworkers know do not talk to me until I've had a cup of coffee. Um it is not like, and and especially if we're going on a flight at three o'clock in the morning where I'm tired and uncaffeinated and hungry, that combination in and of itself is not good for anyone, right? But I think that there's so much that we can do to control our own uh ability to be a positive team member. And and I love how you were kind of explaining that in that you know, these are these are the things that we have to choose to show up each day for our patients. We have to choose to show up for our partners every day. And quite frankly, we have to choose to show up for ourselves every day. And I think that's probably the hardest part of all of this because I think that we feel responsibility to someone else. We've we feel responsibility to our partners and to our patients and to our team. But we very rarely feel that same level of responsibility to ourselves. And I think that's where the challenge comes in. And so I love how you were, you know, you it it's you put it very simply. This is a choice. This is something that we choose to do. And and I think personally that the positivity that we can bring and the positive attitude that we can bring to a team atmosphere goes much further than the negative side of things. But I think that the negative side of things spreads like wildfire sometimes and is extremely difficult to control. And so I think when we start getting down that negative route, that we start feeling a lot of that complacency of like, oh, it's okay. I was here yesterday, I don't need to check my gear again today, right? Like, or oh, I've done this skill a thousand times. It's fine. I can just go through the motions and it'll be okay. And I think that we fall into that little bit of like, you know, the complacency path. Um, and I'm I'm curious, you know, obviously you're a very positive person, Mark. You uh like to motivate others, you see the best in the situation that's in front of you, and you try to bring that attitude, you know, bring your own sunshine, right? Have you experienced a time where you have seen complacency in yourself or your team? And what do you what did that look like for you, or how did you confront it or recognize it in the first place?

SPEAKER_00 28:17

I think every provider experiences it. You know, complacency is uh kind of tough industry-wide, but it's something that you don't really recognize at first. So it's like I said, I think everyone kind of experiences it. It's not a matter of if you're going to experience complacency, or rather when that complacency sets in. So you need to be prepared to overcome it. So just as we are in this industry of EMS, we're prepared for the worst thing to happen. We need to be prepared for complacency and our attitudes to change and for us to lose that passion. So, you know, nobody actually chooses that complacency. It happens one easy decision at a time. So, and those easy decisions can be something simple, you know, skipping one training, you click through your online training quicker than normal, you quit reading, learning, or being a student, you stop asking questions, and you can stop giving it away.

SPEAKER_01 29:15

We we all watch all the videos. We watch all the videos, we no one skips forward through any of that. Come on.

SPEAKER_02 29:21

Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 29:24

I would never the the scary part of that complacency is it normally looks like confidence in most of us. You know, it looks like you're confident, you're comfortable with anything and everything, but that's when you're complacent. And in a field, especially as medicine that's ever changing, you know, we we have to kind of let those egos aside and be bigger than be bigger than that and have curiosity. So, you know, like I said, complacency will set in. So you have to kind of confront it immediately. You have to start taking action, you gotta stop being lazy, you gotta do the trainings, and uh, you know, start taking on new and more challenges. So that's what I do.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Let me ask you this then. I want to I want to dive that maybe one step further. And so when we're talking about, you know, we have choices and we come in and we want to do the same thing, right? So groundhog day, right? When it's the when it's the same thing, you know, three days in a row, you know, or or three shifts in a row, you know, whatever it is, right? You you do those same things. And then let's say over like a month time, you know, from from a leadership perspective, you know, you you come in, you do your your job, you do your checkoff, you maybe do your your your straightforward flights or whatever, and and you go home, you know, not a big deal. But then over a month's time, then like from when when management or leadership, when people look back and say, you know, these were all the things that I that we all saw, you know, when you have your your your team meeting base meetings or whatever, and you know, maybe these are the things that we didn't do so well at. Like I've noticed this in the past. Like, do you think as a culture, and and I'm talking about the hems industry and and and EMS and pre-hospital, like, do you think a lot of times we tend to focus more often on the things that we didn't maybe do so well more than the things that we did right? And then I guess does that kind of further promote that complacency, right? Because you're like, well, I did like four of these shifts and I didn't have anything go wrong. And then so if if I'm if no one's noticing, then why am I gonna continue to do the extra? I'm just gonna check the box and go home. Do you think we we kind of miss that mark a little bit instead of highlighting the the highs and things we did good, do we focus more on on some of the things we didn't?

SPEAKER_00 31:50

Yeah, for sure. I would say we we need to focus on all the positivity in everything that we do and the actual differences we make. It may have been just a simple checklist that we did, or it may have been just a simple call we ran. But truly to that person that called 911, it it was an emergency to them. And they didn't have an answer. And obviously, they're looking at life in a more negative manner, especially if they're having an emergency, it's not a very positive atmosphere, right? So we have to kind of bring that positivity to them, but also our best versions are of ourselves. So helping that person, as simple as it may seem, uh, makes a big difference in their lives and they'll remember that for the rest of their lives.

SPEAKER_02 32:34

I want to take it back one more step as well. Um, I I loved something that you said there, Mark, and that complacency is often disguised as confidence. I feel like that was something that was super important to kind of digest for a second. And and I'm I'm thinking back in my career, and I'm thinking about uh when I started to feel comfortable and confident in the job that I'm doing. And when I look at the people that I looked up to who are also comfortable and confident in the job that they're doing, um, or people who I considered to be like masters in their craft, you know, nothing bothered them. They were always able to handle every situation, they knew what to do, whatever would come down the pike. And I think there's a very fine line because I never, I never really looked at the complacency and confidence correlation before. And now I'm I'm going back and I'm kind of looking into, you know, what that what that looks like in in in my career and how there are certainly times where I've noticed in myself where I have gotten complacent with some of the things. And I've had to like have that like internal wake-up call of like knock it off. Like, this is not okay. And and I never thought of it before, put that correlation there. But having hearing you say that um really makes me kind of look back on the times where I have caught myself being complacent in something. And I can honestly say that I I certainly feel like those times are often some of those times where I felt the most confident. And and I really think that that's an interesting distinction that you brought up there, in that um, it's easy to fall into that path. And I don't think we ever really recognize that in ourselves because that in and of itself, I think, is a you know, a natural progression in our careers is to feel confident in the job that we're doing. But at what point does that confidence turn into the complacency? And that's got to be a really fine line. Like, is there is there a way that that you've found in in your career that you see in others that really help to distinguish between those two? And how do you how do you maintain confidence, competence, and uh the ability to do the job well without getting complacent?

SPEAKER_00 35:11

So whenever we think of complacency, you know, complacency itself impacts every aspect of the team. You know, that that's from the medicine to the communication amongst crew members, you know, their morale or that culture we talked about at the base. Um it affects your training, your attitude, and you know, it can even roll over to like safety, but ultimately the teamwork that you provide. So complacency, remember, doesn't you know, doesn't usually create like one catastrophic mistake, right? It it's not something big, it's the small things, and that's what I really kind of focus on. You know, it complacency really kind of creates hundreds of small shortcuts. That's what kind of makes up complacency. And eventually those shortcuts and those shortcomings catch up to you. So as that adds up over time, you know, it it can uh catch up to anyone.

SPEAKER_01 36:13

Uh yeah, I feel like it's it I I as you're saying it, I'm I'm thinking back to times too when I'm just not at my best, right? And I and I feel those and and I'm actually being complacent and and I I hope that I'm not trying to hide it under like this confidence or or more false confidence, you know, in that aspect. But I but I do find, you know, I do find just looking back and and and thinking about things on when we're we're a busy industry, and and not only is like the hems world a busy industry, like there's so much that goes into each patient flight and encounter, right? And it affects so many different aspects of each provider, and then it affects us all differently. And then we put three or four people of that team in the aircraft trying to mesh and accomplish the same goal. And if we all have those little slips where we're not kind of at our best, and like you said, Mark, they're like the small shortcuts, you know, the small little things to just like, yeah, we don't really need to do that on this flight, you know, this one's fine. And then we get back and it's like, ah, you know what? I'll um I'll restock in just a little bit, you know. Let me, it's hot out, so I need to go eat, and then I need to go rest or or whatever. And so I think of those times that I easily do myself, and then like you said, it'll catch up to us, right? Because if if I didn't put everything back on the aircraft and um the next flight comes in, and then you're scrambling because you got to grab everything, get out to the aircraft, or you're trying to restock it real quick, and then that's when things get missed. And I think that's such a valid point. I'm literally speaking from experience, so but but I I think that's just such a valid point that it's so important for us to like stay the course, right? Like it, it it's hard because it it takes so much for each flight, and and it's just hard to describe, I guess, for people like if you haven't done it, and if if and for anybody listening that's in this field, I think everybody can relate to that. Though it's the long game on how to stay confident without being complacent and doing those things. So I guess my question, because I I'm literally thinking of all the things that I should be fully doing 100%, not even you know, 98%. I should be seeing it through each and every time, you know. Um, so how can we combat that? So, like what are the things that like like for me example, what can I do on my next shift to really make sure that I'm seeing things through and making sure I'm not being complacent? And how can I do that and bring it to the team and base level?

SPEAKER_00 39:06

I think the biggest difference you can make is kind of reflecting back to when you first started the the career, and we can all relate how scared we were, both in uh getting on a truck for the first time or maybe the helicopter for the first time, and just not knowing, but this this industry is so big, so we should feel almost that way every time we come into work because there is so much to learn and do. So as you're kind of going throughout the career, I find that you know you should just stay a student forever. Because if you stay and you become the instructor, I always said, you know, to to teach is to learn twice, right? So we need to be on top of our games and learning more because there is so much more to learn. So for every shift that I walk into, I I start asking myself, especially whenever I start in to become more complacent, I ask myself, what can I learn today? What can I improve? And what what happened today that can make a difference in the future, if that's for my patients or for myself. So I I always kind of keep searching for mentors, uh never stop reading, always teach others, and like I said before, you know, that teaching forces you to keep learning and doing more. So that that growth is what you should be focusing on.

SPEAKER_02 40:37

I I really like that aspect of it, and I think that um you're certainly onto something in the regards of the education side of things. I think I've had some of the best shifts when I've come in and people have been engaged and wanting to go through training scenarios or some kind of education and not doing it by themselves, but doing it together so that we can talk through these things. I mean, look, we gotta we gotta train how we fight, right? And and I think that it's so easy to find yourself going down this rabbit hole of being complacent and just going through the motions rather than actually doing the full-on training the way that it's supposed to do, the way that you would communicate, the way that the you would build the muscle memory of going through some of those things. And I think that that can easily be translated into other aspects of the team dynamics. And I I think you know, a lot of what we've talked about has been some of those, those internal noticing of complacency and how that affects us and really kills the overall our our own internal motivation. But I think when we talk about it from a team perspective, that this is like a this is a much broader and more dynamic topic, right? And and this this spreads out into your overall team dynamics, how you train, what your operations look like. Uh, and I think the overall attitude and morale of that specific team. And I and I think that, you know, I think the the training and the education that you mentioned is is certainly one way that we as individuals who are truly passionate about this job can hopefully have a positive influence on our team dynamics with. I I can think of many circumstances throughout my career where uh either myself or someone else has come in and really been like gun-ho about like, hey, let's do this education today. I really want to go through this and talk about it. And when you go through that with them, they're not just doing the motions. You know, think about the last time you had to drop your three tubes for the month to make sure that you're staying compliant for your, you know, for your team, right? Like, are you just dropping plastic or are you actually running through your RSI protocol and talking about what you would be doing to set yourself up for success and how you're gonna position the patient and the equipment you're gonna have and where you're gonna have the equipment, what medications you're gonna give, what the dosages are for that particular patient. And and I feel like even the people who are in that situation doing it with you, that you clearly don't want to be doing that with you, by the time you're done running through that training iteration, a lot of times those people are very engaged in the conversation and really having the necessary conversations and going through the necessary skills to make sure that they're setting the whole team up for success. And I really think that that's one super good way that you mentioned that can help combat some of that complacency. And it may start off rough, right? But like by the end of it, like if you can have that positive impact on your team, I mean, that that's that's helping your overall dynamics, that's helping the morale, that's helping the way that you work together, and that's ultimately helping our patients. And and I think that we forget about sometimes the impact that we can have just by doing those little things. And that's why I love that you ended up bringing that particular topic up on it.

SPEAKER_00 44:05

Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, as you kind of had said, complacency is the the biggest part there and becoming comfortable. So it's just staying a student and uh just staying at it, keep learning, you know.

SPEAKER_01 44:19

You said. Teaching is learning it twice. And I I really like that because I I do a lot of teaching. And I also think I'll probably learn things like probably five or six times by the time I end up teaching it correctly. So like you usually need to learn things the hard way. That's usually how it goes. But I really like that you said that teaching, you know, is learning it twice. And and I'm willing to bet after this, after the show gets um on the air, Mike's gonna get emails being like, Man, my education department heard this, and now we're all running through scenarios every day. Like it's a all three of us, we're gonna get emails on this and be like, ah But no, it's what you gotta do. Like you you have to. Someone's life depends on this. Absolutely. It really does. How many, how many of us have always said this, right? They're like, when you've worked on the on the rig and or or in the hospital, we've all said this. I will work the worst station you have, I will work the worst area, I will run all night as long as I have a great partner. The like I can do anything, right? And and I feel like that is that is so true. And I feel like Mark, if if if we were all to work together, uh, I just feel like that the way that you present yourself bringing that positivity, I I I feel like it would be a great shift. We'd probably do a lot of training. And uh I f but um but I really think that's such a non-training team building. But it's such a it's it's it's it's a very important aspect, I think, that we we really have to to remember that we like us as individuals, we it's easy for us to complain about all the things that like we can't change. And and when we talked about that earlier, I it just hit me as like, well, why the hell do we focus on that? Why do we sit here and bitch about like, oh, this schedule sucks, you know, or oh, I don't really like going over here. It's like, yeah, well, you know, I chose this, you know, so I I I might as well just be happy doing it, you know. And I just wonder, you know, how we can all get better. Uh and I think Mark, you brought up that that's that first step is just making that conscious choice to just be positive, you know, about it. And then and I think, like you said, that spreads over and into the rest of the team. Um I'm guilty, guilty as charged. Definitely sometimes I'm not my best at that.

SPEAKER_00 46:49

Yeah, I think a big part of that is uh with Mike, what you had said earlier about innovation and just going through the scenarios and training, uh, a lot of times we just go through it quickly and yeah, we check the boxes, yeah, we innovate the plastic head, and it's just part of the job. But it's really, you know, we a lot of us, especially innovating and stuff, is not a skill you're just born with. It's something you have to practice over and over with. And even when you have that skill kind of uh established, it you're still creating that muscle memory. So I think going back, doing the scenarios and acting like it's a real patient and kind of uh establishing that baseline. So whenever we get that call at 2 a.m., we're able to perform like any other because that's just part of our memory now.

SPEAKER_01 47:42

Yeah, it's never at like 10 a.m. that that call happens when you're like you got you you came in, you did your check, you had your breakfast, you know, you did everything. It's it's never when you're like you think you're prepared. It's always 2 a.m. when that call comes in for that.

SPEAKER_02 47:55

Oh, of course. That's always the way it goes. And and I think it, you know, obviously you have some really good points there, Mark, on on how that looks from a team perspective, but I feel like there's more to turning complacency into motivation than just doing education or training with your team, right? Like it's it's how you interact with them. It's maybe you bring in some food and cook that day as a crew. Maybe it's, you know, that you guys have planned to do something after work, right? Like you you build that that team atmosphere and and then you know, like are there any other tricks that you have up your sleeve when you go in and and say your partner is like just not feeling it today? Your partner is totally lacking motivation, doesn't want to really get up and do a whole lot, uh, is really resistant to anything that's going on. Like, how do you um help to motivate them in a positive way? Because it's more than just doing the training. Like there, there's a lot of other aspects that go into it. Like, what tricks do you have that maybe I can try next time I go in and my partner's not feeling? Or let's be real, next time I'm not feeling it, my partner needs to deal with me. Like, what are some things that that maybe would help to push things in the positive direction when you maybe have that difficult team member who is is really not or is on the struggle bus with motivation that day?

SPEAKER_00 49:14

So the biggest thing I would say is uh, you know, you you spoke on complacency and motivation and uh how to change that. So something to keep in mind is you know, you you can still love your career and have become too comfortable now. So that's something to consider. So you have to start incorporating discipline kind of in your daily routine. And honestly, that discipline matters more than the motivation you may feel to get out of bed and stop hitting the snooze button, right? So you gotta create that routine and discipline to just get up even when you don't feel like it. And uh, you know, as that motivation comes, it goes, you have to create a standard for yourself. And uh standards, you know, they determine who you become. So I think a lot of people kind of look for that motivation, and that can be motivated at times, especially some videos you may see here or there. But uh, you know, you need to chase fulfillment in everything you do. So, and honestly, a a good uh public speaker that talks on this specific uh point is Tony Robbins. If you guys have listened to him, he he does a full um podcast on the art of fulfillment. So I think I really focus on that is feeling fulfilled in what you're doing. And uh, you know, he he speaks highly on it. And the biggest takeaway is you know, that fulfillment comes from serving something bigger than yourself and what you do every day. So that could be serving your patients, serving your students, maybe your family when you come home, the community that we serve at work, or you know, our partners. You know, you gotta have that purpose.

SPEAKER_02 51:03

So it's not about starting a TikTok, right? I mean, I guess it could be, right? Like if that's something you and your teammates want to do together, but I can think of most of my teammates who would probably punch me in the face if I said, let's go do this.

SPEAKER_01 51:21

But I mean, whatever works, you know, like you said, but but Mark, you said the discipline word. And like instantly I cringe because there's like, man, should I just be like, should I just order pizza and just be lazy today? And like my right brain says, Yes, I should 100% do that. Then the left brain's like, uh, that sounds good, but no, you know, like man, uh oh gosh. I I maybe I'm just speaking from like terrible personal experience of just like this lack of discipline, I guess, at times when it when it comes to I don't know, eating pizza and being lazy.

SPEAKER_02 52:02

And I do really like that aspect of it, Mark, and in that you gotta find your why, right? And and I I think that like this is something that we preach in like a lot of different areas. And I I know when um we have our academies for flight career assistance and support team for people who want to come and join the peer support. Like that's like lecture number one is that you need to find your why. Like, why are you here doing this? And is is this for your benefit? Is this for the benefit of others? Um, and what is the reasoning behind that motivation for you to be here? And I think that it's so often easy for us to forget that and to fall down this other path that we just don't want to go, whether that be individually, as a team, or quite frankly, as an industry. And and I I think I've seen so many changes in the industry over the years. And um, you know, that's why I I end up following so many of uh people like yourself, Mark, who who are motivated, who do see the validity of the job, the passion of the job, uh, who are really truly interested in continuing to motivate others. Because I think that we're we need more of that. I feel like in in our world, we see death and destruction on a daily basis. It's all of the bad things that are happening in life, uh, it's all of the negative sides of things, and we forget sometimes to focus on the positive. So when I see people like yourself and many of the others that are out there on social media that are trying to make that positive influence, uh to me, that's something that I really appreciate and enjoy watching. Um, whether that be an educational experience or just something lighthearted and humorous and something to brighten the day, I think that those are things that we all need to start getting behind and doing a little bit more or being more engaged in. Because, like I said before, and like I've said many other times, this is the best job in the world. There are some days I don't want to come to work, but this is still the best job in the world. And I think that it's so easy to forget that from a team perspective sometimes. And and if we bring that negative attitude to work, um, we may be having a bad day, but that has an even bigger impact on the team that we're affecting and the patients that we're caring for. And I think that's what I struggle with sometimes is I I try to show up with a positive attitude all the time. As long as I'm fed and caffeinated and get a little bit of rest, I can usually do that okay. However, you know, there are some days where it's easier said than done. As long as it's these specific, very specific requirements, I'm 100% positive. Yeah, exactly. But like I I appreciate that you know, people like you, Mark, are willing to come on here and have this conversation and and really identify that like this is something that affects each and every one of us. We all go through this in our career to some extent in some way, or we are affected by it in one way or another. And so I love that you're willing to come on and have those conversations because I think that this is something that is so important that is it's easy to get caught in that bubble. It's easy to forget about the big picture, to remember the why, to put yourself back in those shoes of you being, you know, a baby EMT who is just enamored by everything that's going on in the EMS industry. And I think it's healthy for all of us to kind of take that step back and maybe sometimes be forced to remember what is so freaking amazing about everything that we get to do every single day we get to go to work.

SPEAKER_00 55:44

Yeah, I think the biggest point, you know, you you had even spoke on is that why. And, you know, a lot of people have trouble finding their purpose kind of even in this industry, like many. And uh, you know, uh it's actually a recent question that I've been getting actually pretty frequently is like how to find that purpose, especially in this kind of career, is uh creating that purpose. So I think that's actually the wrong question. We're looking at it in a sense. So perf purpose isn't necessarily something you discover, so it's something you choose every day, and you find that purpose and meaning in maybe the career you're doing, but in life, you know. So you know, that purpose, especially for us, maybe helping a patient or teaching a student, like you said earlier, Blake. And uh, you know, the next time we're we're coming home to family, we're we may be serving them and find purpose in that. So you gotta find meaning and purpose in what you're doing today, because purpose follows meaning. You know, it it may be just serving the person right in front of you. That's not to say not to celebrate the wins, you know, absolutely celebrate the wins and those small things that build up. That's that's kind of create creates that motivation, that discipline. But it's so much more than just the wins necessarily to kind of keep in mind because it's not the achievements that you gain, it's a person you become. So that's what I really hard on.

SPEAKER_01 57:23

Yeah, that's really good. You know, I think when when we I can think of many people that I've looked up to over the years that when they've retired and and moved on, you know, I don't remember all the certs they had or all the other accolades that they had, but I do remember how they were as a person, how they treated patients, and then how they treated the team, you know, and how they were with everybody. And I think that's a a really, really good point to to bring up that that's that's that thing that sticks with people, that how you're remembered and how you help other people feel about themselves and the patient, that's that's a really huge point.

SPEAKER_00 57:59

Yeah, I love that you kind of harped on that point too. The the biggest thing I want to everyone kind of listen and to remember is to find that purpose and all that. You don't need a new year, you don't need a new job, you don't need the perfect circumstances where you know we we we have to have our copies. Come on, that was my excuse.

SPEAKER_01 58:22

Oh man, I'll start tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00 58:24

I'll start tomorrow. And uh, but essentially what you need is a decision, right? Growth is a decision, and that fulfillment we talked about earlier is a decision. So being excellent is a decision. Every morning you have to kind of wake up and be that better version of yourselves. So kind of a couple of questions I go back on is you know, to kind of create that purpose and meaning, I ask myself, like, um, who can I serve today? What can I learn today? And how do you become better than you were yesterday?

SPEAKER_01 59:01

Love that. Damn.

SPEAKER_02 59:03

And and I think you you hit the nail on the head with with the purpose side of things and the choice to to be excellent, the choice to be motivated, the choice to make the right decision. And I I think taking it back to the beginning of the the entire podcast today of talking about that um you need to have that work-life balance. I feel like part of having purpose is being something other than a flight clinician. Right? Like you need to have that. Well, I'm also uh an avid hiker and I love to go boating, or I enjoy riding my motorcycle, or whatever it is for you, you know, reading books, being with the kids, like you need to have that purpose, not just at work, but outside of work, to have that healthy work-life balance, to bring more meaning to the things that you're doing on a daily basis, so that you can hopefully be more deliberate about the decisions that you're making. Uh, at least that's how I equate it, listening to a lot of the things that that we've that you're talking about, Mark, and the conversations we've been having over the past hour. You know, I really feel like there are so many things that are such a motivating factor that are constantly beat down by all the demotivating factors that surround us on a daily basis. And without having that purpose and that true sense of why behind it, both inside and outside of the jobs that we do, I feel like we're we're probably missing a piece of the puzzle if we don't have both of those aspects. And so it's not just about showing up at work and making the right decision, it's about deciding to, you know, maybe not skip that workout or to spend that extra time with the family or to do that thing that you've been thinking about doing that you just haven't done in a while. You know, I'll be the first to say, I'll I'll love an excuse to not have to go back to the gym until New Year's, and I know I need to get my butt back there. But like, you know, uh, it's so easy to make an excuse and to not do those things because it's easy to lose that purpose. And you have to wake up every day and choose that purpose and choose to be excellent and choose to be motivated. And it's not easy. It is not easy because if it was, everybody would be doing it, right? So I, you know, I love how you kind of phrase things in that like this really is your choice, and you can choose to be in a good spot with your team, or you can choose to bring those team dynamics down. But all of these things are things that you have control over around you. And and so I I I appreciate being able to have that conversation because I think that these are concepts that like we we don't we don't think about, we don't delve into it enough. We just kind of go with the flow and whatever mood is around us, we mimic that or we go along with it, and and we don't realize that we can truly be the catalyst for a change just by doing some very simple things or making some very simple decisions. So I really appreciate that you've come on and joined us today to have that discussion.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:22

Yeah, absolutely. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:24

Well, I learned a lot. I learned a lot of um like that self-reflection and and really looking back and just remembering the you know how young and motivated and the hair that I had way back when when I first started your flowing locks. Oh, yeah. No, that that actually never happened. I need pictures now. When I was like five, probably, that's probably when my hair was its longest. But no, Mark, I I really appreciate, man. Um in a world of you know, like social media is just it's every day, it's everything, it's every aspect of everything that everybody does pretty much nowadays. And I think it's great. And I'm really happy that that Mark that you're out there putting out the positive vibes and really throwing out there that you are capable of so much more, and I think sometimes people just don't hear it enough, you know, and um, and even in the small things, and I think that's where people will find that confidence in themselves and and and you don't have to become complacent, like we're all gonna make mistakes, and like you said, that complacency part will always be there and roll in. But I think that if we can just be better and kinder to each other day in and day out, it starts with us, and then that just flows into everything else that you do being a better husband, uh, brother, you know, family clinician. It it just it it rolls into so many other aspects. I think if we can really keep that, like you said, Mark, um you know, teaching is learning twice, you know, staying humble, staying motivated, and being better than yesterday, and asking yourself those questions on who you can serve better today, I think that's great, man. And I really appreciate you coming on and and talking about that. I I definitely had a lot of self-reflection. I didn't plan on this being a therapy session, but I appreciate it. This was this was a really great conversation to have. So thank you.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:32

Yeah, I hope I motivated you guys. You know, I I think onto your point earlier, like was you know, at the end of your career, people won't remember you for your flights, for your innovation skills. It's it's really how you made them feel, both as a patient, maybe as a team member, uh as a community member, walking through the store and just doing your daily life, right? How they feel is their kind of perspective on life and how you can really change it. So, you know, you have to kind of create uh that atmosphere and uh, you know, lead by example, and that's what people will remember you for. So, and the biggest topic, especially uh Mike, you kind of mentioned there earlier was that progress that we should always be seeking. And uh, you know, progress isn't just like part of happiness. I define progress as happiness. So we have to kind of make progress in anything and everything that we do in life. If that's uh, you know, going home and serving our family, or maybe riding dirt bikes on the weekend, or uh working in the careers that we do, you have to make progress and you have to kind of uh keep looking at the positive side of things.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:47

Yeah, I love that. And I think um we need to challenge ourselves every day to look for that progress and to also challenge others to find that in themselves. Uh and I think that focusing on these little things, you know, every every team, every crew, the entire industry for that matter, is going through a lot of changes, has some ups and downs, there's peaks and valleys, and there are a lot of things that we are going through as an industry, both and you know, uh locally and globally. And I think just focusing on some of the little things that you've talked about, Mark, uh, and bringing that to light and challenging each other to do the right thing in the right way with the right attitude, I think is really uh the key to us as an industry being healthier, being stronger, and uh being happier at the end of the day. And so I really appreciate you coming on and joining us. And obviously, if you know, if you guys, if our listeners out there, if you have not already followed Mark, please go and do so. Uh it is great, lighthearted videos to be able to see on a daily basis that really is something that can bring a smile to your face in the craziness of everything else that's going on. Um, so keep doing what you're doing, Mark. Really appreciate you joining us, and this has been a fantastic conversation.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:08

Thank you guys so much. You guys are awesome.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:10

And uh, if you guys are all caught up on the Valor Flight Crew Podcast, make sure you head on over to verticalhellcast.com where you can check out the Hangers E podcast, helicopter podcast, vertical MRO podcast. Special thank you to all of our listeners out there for your continued support of the Vertical Hellcast platform and the Valor Flight Crew Podcast. Be safe, and we'll see you next time.