F.E.A.R. Waldo

There’s this guy named Rob. Friends call him Waldo. He’s claustrophobic, which is no big deal for most jobs. But, he’s also afraid of heights. Again, not a deal-killer for most jobs, right? Well, yes, but Waldo wanted to do something. Be a pilot. Now, being claustrophobic and afraid of heights could be an issue. A real issue.

But Waldo didn’t want to be just a pilot. He wanted to fly jets. And not just any jet, he wanted to be an F-16 jet fighter pilot. And you know what? He did it, and became a highly decorated combat jet fighter pilot.  Waldo flew over 65 combat missions and 2650 hours over the skies of Iraq and Serbia.

I asked Waldo, “How is that possible? How did you overcome your fears? I’m so claustrophobic I can’t even conquer a closed MRI machine.”

Waldo said, “Steve, it’s all about FEAR. How you approach it. FEAR can stand for;

• Forget
• Everything
• And
• Run

or

• Focus
• Energy and
• Accept
• Responsibility.

I chose to Focus Energy and Accept Responsibility.” Waldo told me this before he was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author for the book Never Fly Solo.

In my book “The Greatest Words Never Heard: True Stories of Triumph,” I thank a lot people that I have met in this bizarre journey named life.  Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman (http://www.yourwingman.com/) is one of them. A true American patriot and friend who is an inspiration to many. Take the time to meet him. Go to his website. You will be inspired. Motivated. Pumped. Or. check out Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman on CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

Lt. Col. Rob “Waldo” Waldman was also kind enough to endorse “The Greatest Words Never Heard: True Stories of Triumph.”

“A gifted storyteller, Steve Kayser has written a book that will touch your heart and compel you to reflect deeply on your own faith, courage, and most importantly, relationships. I couldn’t put it down.” 

For a writer … can it get any better than that?