S4E3 – Dean Fechner: Sharing hard-won lessons on resilience

The Unforgiving60

Dean Fechner is a tough human. From a first career as an Air Force Physical Training Instructor, through subsequent work in law enforcement in places ranging from the Australian Parliament House to the battlefields of Southern Iraq, he has demonstrated an incredible amount of character and resilience. But his toughest challenge came not in uniform, but on the operating table. In this episode, Dean chats with Ben and Tim about how he built his resilience and how it was tested through the medical challenges that he has faced – and how he is now using the lessons that he has learnt through his life to help other people.

04:22 Dean’s background – joining the military, training as a sparky and then – becoming a Physical Training Instructor!

06:42 Secrets of the ADF Physical Training Instructor course – is it more than just learning how to shave your legs?!

10:00 Working as a PTI at the Australian Defence Force Academy

11:40 Leaving the Air Force and becoming one of the pioneers in the personal training industry

12:00 …and into the police force – a lifelong ambition

13:45 What are the differences between police and Defence Force training?

15:00 Balancing the competing requirements of policing – the ‘three block war’ concept

17:53 Transitioning into security roles within Courts and Parliament

19:45 Into Southern Iraq and a training role in their National Police Academy

23:50 What did a normal day in Iraq look like?

25:45 Did Dean feel he was making a difference in Iraq?

28:40 Dealing with the stressors of life in a combat zone

31:00 Over and above the meaning of the work, how important was the money?

33:00 Work after Iraq

36:00 Unexplained health issues, culminating in the identification of a massive heart blockage

38:00 ‘The Widowmaker’ – a medical diagnosis you don’t want to receive

40:10 Bouncing back – physically and mentally

43:20 How did Dean keep going through it all? Mental and physical strategies

46:25 But then things started to plateau – and the headaches began…

47:40 …which were then diagnosed as a brain tumour

50:10 The importance of hope

51:00 Breathing, meditation – and studying psychology

58:00 Breathing techniques, including from Brian MacKenzie and Andrew Huberman

1:01:30 The value of Stoicism

1:03:25 Where to from here?

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External Links

Dean’s current work includes his role with Front and Centre, who provide bespoke solutions and support in the areas Sales Training, Leadership Training, Client Experience, Presentation Skills and more.

Music

The Externals – available on Spotify

Ben Frichot - available on Spotify