Know Fear With Tony Blauer

All the guests on the KNOW FEAR® Podcast are hand-selected. This means every one of them has a story, an expertise, and a message I want you to learn about. I interview people from all walks of life, but of course, you know I have a love and deep respect for those who serve. Just look back at the list of some of the amazing people I’ve had on the show: Mike Glover, Andy Stumpf, Pat McNamara, Clint Emerson, JC Glick, Dutch Moyer, Craig Sawyer, Brian Chontosh, Dave Grossman, Ryan Michler, Jack Carr, Steven Pressfield, and Byron Rogers, to name a few. When I heard the interview between Nick Lavery and Shawn Ryan, I was blown away on so many levels… The story is nuts…but it’s Nick’s personality and his story-telling skills that make this even more powerful. I hadn’t even finished the Ryan interview and was already reaching out to Nick’s team to set up an interview. KNOW FEAR family, I’d like to introduce you to Nick MACHINE Lavery. Let’s start with this: SILVER STAR THREE PURPLE HEARTS TWO BRONZE STARS BR

How to save America (and the rest of the world) I’ve known Ryan Michler for some time now. I’ve watched him grow his business, improve his writing, fitness, mindset, and razor-sharp messaging on social media, but probably the most impressive thing I’ve witnessed is the impact (and influence) he’s had on his family. I watched his son Brecken transform before my eyes (online). One day, I reached out to Ryan and asked him if I could interview Brecken for KNOW FEAR. He agreed to it, but we needed to wait for our schedules to line up. (I didn’t know they had been planning to launch a podcast called Man In The Making - which you’ll learn about soon enough - the title is self-explanatory.) So what’s the connection to the subject line and Ryan? What do I mean “Save America and the rest of the world”? Simple: Our future rests on the shoulders of our kids, and if we don’t prepare them, then we will have failed them. This, of course, should be any parent’s goal, but something has shifted in the last 30 years and things

The legend Steven Pressfield (Gates of Fire and so many other great books) messaged me and recommended I interview Gary Quesenberry for KNOW FEAR®. Gary’s current focus is on the very important subject of situational awareness and he thought he’d make a great guest for our audience - Mr. Pressfield’s intuition was right! I really enjoyed this talk, and after nearly screwing up the pronunciation of his last name, we had a great talk. I think you'll really enjoy it! Check out Gary’s background: He served in the US Army as an artilleryman during Operation Desert Storm. After the events of 9/11, Gary went to work as a Federal Air Marshal. There, he traveled the world in his country's service and became a leading expert in the fields of violence and predatory behavior. He is the CEO of Quesenberry Personal Defense Training and is the author of the “Heads Up” situational awareness series, the latest book in the series is Spotting Danger Before It Spots Your Teens. Gary has an extensive background in domestic and fo

Before this podcast, I had never met Jorge.   If I told you the details you'd assume I was lying...but it's all true.  Jorge used my system to protect himself and his family during an attempted home invasion.   The suspect was armed, Jorge was not armed. As the gunman pointed his pistol at Jorge, he thought "this is it, this is where I get shot", then he remembered my video on active shooters using improvised weapons and triggering their startle flinch!  In those harrowing seconds, Jorge recalled the lesson and went for it.  You'll need to listen to the story in his words to appreciate how amazing his story is!  Here's a link to the active shooter video Jorge studied dozens of times: https://vimeo.com/351921499

I've known Marcus for several years now. During that time we've had some amazing talks and share similar philosophies about life. Since his life's work, mission and vision are helping people understand the 'gift of adversity,' I thought it would be fitting to share with you given the year we've all just experienced. Coach B PS I recorded this back in 2019 and thought I had released it! (Better late than never!) Learn more here    

I discovered Alex on Instagram one day and was immediately blown away by his courage.  He is smart, witty, outspoken, and has huge balls given we are deep into the cancel culture era.  I'm not gonna spend a lot of time trying to convince you why I think you should [must] listen to this interview and then follow him online... if you know something is wrong with the world right now,  give this a shot and if it resonates, share it.  His answer to my last question is epic and the last comment re law enforcement is powerful.   Check out his IG page here:  https://www.instagram.com/wurzelroot/

With over four decades of martial arts experience, including three decades instructing self-defense and personal fitness and two decades working nightclub security, Marcus has become a respected expert in responding to and de-escalating violent situations. Certifying men and women in over 20 countries to become Krav Maga instructors. Conducting instructional seminars, and rank testing. The only non-Israeli on the international Krav Maga Federation (IKMF) instructors team. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram. Read more about him on his website here!

I met Marcus Davis decades ago at a UFC event in Las Vegas -  little did I know that he had been following me in my system for many years before that we met.  We hit it off right away and have remained friends over the years. After he retired from fighting, he began including elements of my philosophy and my research around the startle-flinch response, aka, the SPEAR SYSTEM to those he trained in self-defense. Marcus was a pro boxer, a veteran of the UFC, and fought in many other organizations. Fans of fighting, martial arts, and self-defense will enjoy this! More on Marcus's background here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Davis 

This was one of my most fun episodes ever. JD contacted me as a coach looking for a missing link to help his athletes. After some discussion, he invested in the KNOW FEAR program, studied it, and applied it to his team. A short while later he sent me this email: AMAZING! JD has 16 years of volleyball coaching experience. He had had the opportunity to learn from the top volleyball minds through coaching experiences with USA Volleyball and Gold Medal Squared. JD is also a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer with certifications in sports performance, mental toughness, fitness nutrition, and behavior change through NASM.  You can follow his club at LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jd-malone-cpt-ces-fns-21953383/

Executive Protection Agent, Video Blogger, Published Author, and Veteran on a steadfast mission... Former Marine, Byron Rodgers joins me for this episode of KNOW FEAR. We talk about mission, passion, authenticity, and more. I've only known Byron a short time but every time we get together I learn more about the man and his mission. Learn more:  https://byronrodgersmotivation.com/

What an honor it was for me to interview Steven Pressfield. I have been a huge, huge fan of his for a long time. Years ago I read the Legend of Bagger Vance and Gates of Fire and was deeply moved by both books. And over the years I've read man of Steven's other books.  It's interesting to note that he was one of the very few guests I've interviewed where I was actually nervous during the cal! Isn't that cute? The fear management expert was nervous. *I actually talk about this during our conversation.  If you're in the tactical community or martial arts and you don't know who Steven Pressfield is, immediately purchase Gates of Fire and consume it! Enjoy this talk with Steven Pressfield!

I've known Matt Del Negro for several years. You would never think he's an actor who has had key roles in The Sopranos, The West Wing, NCIS, Chicago Fire, and a dozen other movies and TV series. Why I make that statement is because he is so down to earth, so humble and if somebody asked me to guess his occupation, I would never think "actor". When I heard that Matt was releasing the book ‘10,000 NOs: How To Overcome Rejection On The Way To Your Yes’, I was so excited for him. I've listened to his popular podcast 10,000 NOs and was curious – was it simply transcripts of interviews or something completely different? Meet the guy who plays Matt Del Negro in real life, my friend Matt Del Negro. https://www.matthewdelnegro.com/  You can get the book here:  https://www.10000nos.com/

What should you do if you are driving and suddenly surrounded by rioters? ABOUT THIS PODCAST I was talking to my good friend Damon from Legacy Mentor and we were discussing the peaceful protesters surrounding cars and beating people up and attempting to kill them and he asked me what the hell we should you do if surrounded - this podcast was my answer. Want to train with me or my team?  We don't' teach fancy techniques. We teach people how to think. We teach people to manage fear. We teach people how to move naturally, instinctively. We explain how to train your brain because its the mind that navigates the body. At the moment you need to act decisively you cannot get more training or order more gear — therefore, everything you need to at that fight needs to have been developed or acquired prior to that fight. Reread that. "At the end of the day...it’s the end of the day" - and you want to make it there. Enter the CHOOSE SAFETY Law. To avoid danger at all costs starts with choosing safety - always. Do what yo

Retired Navy SEAL and bestselling author, Jack Carr, joins me today on the KNOW FEAR podcast. We don't talk about his novels, we don't talk about his military background, we talk about what is going on right now in our country, and Jack shares some sage advice on things we can all do to better prepare ourselves and families. His article aptly titled: Our Obligation to Fight, inspired me to reach out to Jack. You can read it here. More about Jack and his novels here.  

I have been following Ryan Michler online for several years now. You may be familiar with his name since I interviewed him for the Candid COVID Talks. This call is a much deeper dive into his mindset and philosophy. I have always been impressed with his singular focus, principles, ethics, and drive. His community, called Order of Man is perhaps more important today than at any other time in our history, as we are at a bizarre crossroads for masculinity and accountability. WATCH ON VIMEO https://www.orderofman.com/

My friend Michael Gervais is one of the world's most successful sports psychologists. From working with the Seattle Seahawks and Pete Carroll to helping Felix Baumgartner become the first human to travel at the speed of sound without a capsule, he’s an elite high-performance psychologist working in high-stakes environments. The list of people, organizations, and projects he’s helped and worked on is too long to list here. This is one of the few interviews where I was making notes on thoughts I wanted to revisit for my own development and the work I do with my team on fear and managing fear.  You're going to love this episode! If you are a fan of my research and work on mindset, Michael has a gift and insight in explaining the complexity of psychology which makes it so easy to understand and appreciate. He and Pete Carroll have a new Audible Original coming out tomorrow called Compete to Create. It will be a resource for learning how to train your mind and live better. WATCH ON VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/4359105

What started as a quick catch-up from with my friend Fergus, quickly turned into a 90-minute call about the pandemic, antifa, politicians, fear, self-awareness, mindset, self-defense, de-escalation, empathy, and communication.  You're going to really enjoy this and some of the gems he shared with me from his new book The Happiness Handbook were amazing!  Dig in! Coach B *About Fergus: Dr. Fergus Connolly has worked with some of the world’s leading sports, military, and business teams including Verizon, the San Francisco 49ers, University of Michigan, Liverpool FC and multiple Special Forces units. https://fergusconnolly.com/      

Gunnar Peterson possesses a wealth of knowledge and experience. After 30-years in the fitness industry, he has done about everything you could want or imagine as a professional coach. He's worked with the who's who in Hollywood, he's the Los Angeles Lakers’ Director of Strength and Endurance, has worked with athletes from the NBA, NHL, NFL, MLB, USTA, professional boxing (male AND female!) and various NCAA sports and has a list of entrepreneurial affiliations and successes that are too long to list. It's easy when you get to the top of your industry to sit back and rest on your laurels, or delegate. Not Gunnar. He trains all the time. He still teaches and coaches. He is always moving, always creating.   It was refreshing and inspiring to learn that he is still very much a student at heart and continually learning. That's a good lesson for all of us. While we talk about fitness, we mostly talk about life. His insights on learning, success, and personal development really hit home with me. I loved this talk and

I've known John Welbourn for almost a decade. He's a monster of a man, at 6'6", weighing around 278 lbs, I can't even imagine getting hit by him.  John played football in the NFL for 10 years and has since evolved into one of the world's top strength and conditioning coaches. He is CEO of Power Athlete and the host of Power Athlete Radio.   What you will learn listening to this call is that John is equally adept with his brain as he is with his body. This is a very deep and passionate discussion about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Meet my friend John Welbourn. Learn more here: https://powerathletehq.com/ Watch on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/427534007

Welcome to this somewhat unique episode of KNOW FEAR. Why? Because it's just me! It’s a recording from my Wednesday morning garage gym self-defense class and I'm sharing it with you because my intro rant inspired by the current violence in America might be of value to you. Here are some of the things that I discuss: There is not one single magic technique in the world. The first fight you need to win is between you and you. How can we solve problems in times of chaos? Where is the first place we are hit? How to think about intuition so that it serves you during a crisis. What I think you should do when you get any fear spike. Tips to reframe fear. My consent and preparedness model. Holy shit moment? Remember the F.U.C.K. formula. The Tactical Trinity. This metaphor can change how you navigate life: Mind Body Spirit becomes Nav-System Car Fuel. I wrap up this call with a review of the inspiration philosophy and science around the SPEAR System. The difference between the Spear system and the Spear tactic Evi