Red Team Goal Maneuvering
- Don't let getting punched in the face stop you from achieving your goals.
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Dr. Dave regularly conducts keynotes, breakouts, and adventure workshops
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Dr. Dave specializes in working with people who are ready to move to the next level
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Latest Blog
We’re No Longer on the Way to Being Homeless
I know many of you were around for the start of my 40 Days to Homeless series. For you and any new list members, I’d like to do an update. To get the entire story, be sure to check out… 40 Days to Homeless 39 Days to Homeless 38 Days to Homeless On the situation,
Read MoreI Screwed Up by Asking for Help
I screwed up by asking for help. I hate saying that. After all, I’ve been teaching my Pre-TSD program to vets and public safety folks for years, and the first piece of advice I give them and their families is to ask for help early and often. My family hit a weird rough patch recently,
Read More38 Days Until We’re Homeless in Chattanooga
In 38 days my family might be homeless in Chattanooga TN. *For the whole story you can start the series HERE. I got an e-mail today in response to this series that made me sick to my stomach. As soon as I read it, I messaged my buddy Ryan McRae, my best friend in the
Read More39 Days Until We’re Homeless in Chattanooga
In 39 days my family might be homeless in Chattanooga TN. For the whole story you can start the series HERE. Since the first e-mail yesterday, I’ve been getting some questions. I’ll answer them here, because I’m sure many of you are wondering the same things. “What about your business?” It’s a fair question. It’s
Read More40 Days Until We’re Homeless in Chattanooga
In 40 days my family might be homeless in Chattanooga TN. Me, my wife, and our five kids make a family of seven, with kids ranging from 12yo down to 2 months. We’re getting kicked out of our 3 bedroom apartment because we go over the 2-person-per-bedroom rule, even though one of the kids is
Read MoreResources for My 40 Days to Homeless Thread
If you’re following my 40 Days to Homeless e-mail thread, below are the resources I mentioned. If you didn’t get here from that thread, please check out my GoFundMe page to get an idea of what’s going on. Thanks! Ebay is where me and the kids will be selling a lot of our toys, comic collections,
Read MoreWhat is Adventure?
Dictionary.com defines it as both a noun and a verb. It’s an exciting or very unusual experience, participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises, a bold, usually risky undertaking, a hazardous action of uncertain outcome. It’s also to risk or hazard, to take the chance of or dare, or to venture. Those all sound very exciting. They also fit well in line with what we consider to be proper adventures. Most of us only look at adventure in the stereotypical way…
Read MoreI Look Like a Big Hairy Chicken in the Bod Pod Egg
Check me out in the Bod Pod! I look like a big bearded chicken. I first read about the Bod Pod device in Tim Ferriss’ book 4 Hour Body. He praised it as one of the most accurate body fat measurement devices around. I’d done the caliper thing before, but always wanted to try the
Read MoreCT EMS Expo Resources
Welcome! This blog post is for attendees that attended the 2017 Connecticut EMS Expo. *If you didn’t attend, but come across this page otherwise, you are still more than welcome to the resources. The Future of EMS FREE Book Offer… If you’re interested in a Kindle or paperback copy of my book The Future of
Read MoreChoose Your Own Adventure- The Mystery of the Homebrewing Beekeeper
Welcome to the first installment of the Choose Your Own Adventure profiles I’ll be doing at drdavidpowers.com. My focus in life and business is to seek adventure, but that may not mean what you’re thinking. Most people think adventure only refers to danger and excitement, but it doesn’t have to. My intent with these interviews
Read MoreYou’re too old, fat, ugly, skinny, bald, or whatever to make it.
That title is from a myth I busted in my book Breaking into Acting. It’s really not true. As a matter of fact, you may succeed in what you want to do simply because you look different. I do. I’m the only guy on the conference circuit not afraid to rock a fierce, long red
Read MoreThe Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod (Redbeard’s Reading List)
Welcome to the next entry in Redbeard’s Reading List! The next book I’d like to mention for this series is The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. I finished it last night while sitting on the edge of a huge field while my 9yo son’s track team had their field day. Spoiler- the girls totally crushed
Read MoreWhat’s Better than a Punch in the Face?
I’ll tell you what’s better than a punch in the face…being ready for that punch in the face. You see, most people set goals, but then give up on those goals when something bad happens. We refer to those times as “getting punched in the face”. I got punched in the face recently when we
Read MoreBaby Number 5 is Here!
I know you’ve gotten accustomed to a new blog post each week, and I wanted to apologize for not having a new one this week. In lieu of a new post, I’ll show you a picture of my excuse for being so busy today. Sherlock Watson Powers was born last week. Even though he’s our
Read MoreCan You Use an AED Near Water?
In my CPR classes I’m often asked if an AED can be used in a wet environment. I’m not talking about a sweaty person or someone who spilled a drink when they went down either. We’re talking boats, poolside, or by the lake. Is there a risk of someone else kneeling or standing in the
Read MoreEssentialism: the Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown (Redbeard’s Reading List)
Welcome to the first entry in Redbeard’s Reading List! The first book I’d like to mention for this series is Essentialism by Greg McKeown. I just read it recently on the recommendation of my friend Paul Grau at Current Leadership Coaching. For years I’ve experimented with minimalism because of a desire to not be overwhelmed
Read MoreAre You Utilizing Small Teams in Your Business?
The notion of small team leadership isn’t new by any stretch, as you can see from the image below that comes from a decades old military manual. After its successful use in recent years by special operations troops, many businesses, government entities, and even churches are seeing its benefits and practical applications. Are you currently
Read MoreWhat does getting punched in the face have to do with goals?
In case you haven’t been checking in with them or didn’t know, every Friday here at my office is Facepunch Friday. It’s the day we celebrate proper goal-setting in the face of adversity. Because goal-setting often involves change and plans gone awry, that’s why we highlight the facepunch, in honor of the famous Mike Tyson
Read MoreBest Teambuilding Movies?
I need some input from you on the best teambuilding movies out there. I’d love to get some ideas from you before I put together a poll to vote on the top ten. My only caveat is that it has to be at least a small team and not a couple. For small team I’d
Read MoreHow Much Money Did Your Business Make in the First Month of the Year? Mine Made…
How wide open are you with your business and your numbers? How wide open do you need to be? I just finished up an awesomely productive three days with Ryan McRae of ADHD Nerd. I profiled him recently in one of my Success Stories. We worked on a lot of things. I kept him on
Read MoreJack Reacher on Military Drifters
I’m a huge fan of the Jack Reacher series of books by Lee Child. The movies are so-so, but the books are a superb look into the mind of a professional military man turned drifter. For those of you in my age bracket, it’s like The Equalizer meets David Carradine’s Kung Fu. I recently read The
Read MoreWhat I Don’t Know about Snakes Could Kill Me
I started creating imagery for a local magazine to publish in regard to my first aid, CPR, and wilderness first aid classes. Here’s the first one… This message was written by a team of geeks, nerds, gamers, and Dr. David Powers. You can always find us at www.callsignredbeard.com. Thanks for reading! In the words of
Read MoreMy Vision for NCO School
We’ve recently relaunched our wildly popular Leadership University with a new focus and improved courses. For years I’ve taught the course at EMS conferences and government agencies, but I’m excited to expand it to the corporate realm. It has become… In the military, non-commissioned officers (NCOs) form the backbone of the service. In the business
Read MoreSuccess Profiles- Ryan McRae, Chief Nerd at ADHD Nerd
I coach people in high risk/high stress occupations and help them find enjoyable second careers after spending time in uniform. Because of that, I enjoy coming across success stories of folks who hit the ground running after their time downrange. This is another in a series of profiles I’ll be presenting. I hope it encourages
Read MoreHere’s Your Chance to be Featured in the New Edition of My Rapid Skill Development Book!
I need your help with a project I’m working on. My book Rapid Skill Development 101 was published several years ago. The book hit several best-seller categories on Amazon, such as education and psychology, but it’s in need of updating. Since the book came out I’ve had a few of the readers send me their
Read MoreThere’s No Reason to Quit a Uniformed Job if You Don’t Want To
It doesn’t matter if you’re a cop, EMT, firefighter, or a soldier. There may come a time when an injury, a boss, or the bureaucracy try to force you out. They may very well do it, too. Disability hearing goes the wrong way. All of a sudden you’re not promotable. The new chief wants a
Read More5 Things Great Leaders Say
Great leaders are great communicators because they communicate great ideas. Here are 5 things great leaders say when communicating with people they lead. 1. What are your thoughts about __________________? The best leaders seek input from their team. They realize they don’t have all the answers. Even more, they know 1+1=3, so the more input they get from
Read MoreShhh! It’s My Quiet Time.
In this post I’m assuming you have a regular quiet time. If you don’t, go check out my friend Kent Julian’s post on Leading Your Life from Quiet. So, how do you do your quiet time? I’d love to know, so please tell me in the comments below. Here’s how I do it… In our
Read MoreSuccess Profiles- Retired S.C. Firefighter Raises $1 Million for Hands-Free Hose
I coach people in high risk/high stress occupations and help them find enjoyable second careers after spending time in uniform. Because of that, I enjoy coming across success stories of folks who hit the ground running after their time downrange. I came across this one in an EMS newsletter. I hope it encourages you and provides
Read MoreAnnouncing Our Newest Sponsor…Peak Energy Performance Therapy
I wanted to announce the newest sponsor who is assisting the Powers family on our adventures. Carrie Lane and Peak Energy Performance Therapy will be helping us with a program we need to turn our bodies into finely tuned human performance machines. Carrie Lane with Meghan Briggs, a track and field star at the University
Read MoreQuit Making Dumb Goals. Make them S-M-A-R-T.
I teach a lot on goal-setting at various conferences and with my coaching clients. Depending on my time with them, I may delve deeper into other related issues, but a core piece of my goal-setting process is the SMART method. The SMART method is pretty easy and simple to remember. It’s one of the reasons
Read MoreIs Your Team Anything Like the Star Wars Crew?
Aside from the obvious enjoyment of interstellar travel and light saber duels, the Star Wars movies offer a great many lessons in other areas. Because team building is a primary focus of my speaking, I would like to point out a few lessons from Han Solo and others as they relate to teams. Small teams can
Read MoreShould CPR Training Be Required in High School?
Should CPR Training Be Required in High School? It’s a good question, and, for at least one school district in the United States, it’s been answered. Check out this recent headline- D.C. Requires CPR Training for High School Graduates. Personally, I think it’s one of the smartest ideas to come out of DC in a long
Read MoreGot Ruck?
How many of you out there enjoy rucking for exercise? I’m hoping it’s not just the former military guys that do it. Check out this article about me that just came out recently. I hope it will stoke your fires! This message was written by a team of geeks, nerds, gamers, and Dr. David Powers.
Read MoreNate Morrison…from Spec Ops to Military Fitness Guru
I coach people in high risk/high stress occupations and help them find enjoyable second careers after spending time in uniform. Because of that, I enjoy coming across success stories of folks who hit the ground running after their time downrange. This is the first in a series of profiles I’ll be presenting. I hope it
Read MoreIllinois State Ambulance Association Conference Resources
Welcome! This blog post is here for attendees that visited my booth or attended my dinner keynote on Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse at the Illinois State Ambulance Association Conference. *If you didn’t attend, but come across this page otherwise, you are still more than welcome to the resources. Click HERE to get a FREE copy
Read MoreTop Seven Tips for Life After Military Service
With my coaching clients I’m often asked for a summation of tips or hacks for men and women leaving the military. In my practice I help highly driven people in high stress/high danger occupations who are seeking significance through a second career. I do this by hacking and attacking the learning process toward action rather
Read MoreWhat Should I Do After Leaving a Life in Uniform?
With my coaching clients I’m often asked this question…what should I do after leaving a life in uniform? It doesn’t matter if you leave for retirement, voluntary separation, an injury, or even a disciplinary proceeding, you still face that question and its ramifications. If you’re wondering what uniform I’m talking about, I’m talking about the
Read MoreWhat Happens When Cops Get Fired?
The coaching side of my business focuses on helping people in high stress/high risk occupations establish successful careers once they leave the uniform behind. Much of the time this is law enforcement. Most of the time they’re leaving because they retired or suffered a career ending injury. But not always. Sometimes my job deals with
Read MoreDelta Airlines Should Switch Over to a 550 Team Setup
I’m sure by now most of you have heard of the monstrous computer FUBAR that Delta Airlines faced this week. If you were trying to fly Delta and you’re reading this, I’m very sorry. I’ve slept in airports on several occasions, and it is not fun. Delta’s computer shutdown and subsequent loss of service for
Read MoreWhy Do So Many People Die Soon After Retirement?
In a recent podcast my friend Dan Miller talked about retirement and what that means for most people. I wanted to sum up a few points that are very applicable to my coaching clients, but the link is below if you like to listen to the entire thing. He encourages people to have a
Read MoreParents- Please Don’t Let the EpiPen Price Increase Keep You from Using Them!
I teach a lot of CPR and first aid classes, as part of my Adventure Workshops and locally to raise awareness of the need to be prepared for medical emergencies. I enjoy teaching them, because it’s how I got started speaking professionally. It’s also a way for me to give back, by hoping that someone
Read MoreLife After the Uniform- US Military Vets are Fighting Sex Trafficking
Welcome to my series on Life After the Uniform. The goal of this series is to provide options and ideas as the main impetus of my coaching practice is helping men and women in high stress/high risk jobs find fulfilling second careers. I’ve worked some with a human trafficking group called The Exodus Road, but
Read MoreAre You Living Life Forward?
My good friend Kent Julian has a business that revolves around living life forward. As a matter of fact, it’s called Live It Forward. In case you’re not familiar with the concept, he expresses it as “empowering you to move from dream to do”. I’ve known him for a number of years, and he not
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