Five Bullet Friday - November 7, 2025

Dear A,

It was a busy week with a lot of commuting between Sarasota and Tampa.

Here's what I'm exploring this week...

AUDIO BOOK I'M LISTENING TO...

Failure is Not an Option by Gene Kranz. I own a hardcopy of this book. However, as I am delivering an emergency response course in a few weeks I thought I would revisit the book's powerful lessons while I drive. Kranz and his team at NASA are American heroes who define what it means to lead during uncertainty and take big risks. Landing a man on the moon truly remains as one of our greatest human achievements. Kranz pulls back the curtain on the type of leadership it took to endure all the challenges.

STUDY I'M EXCITED ABOUT...

The Mindset that Helps You Live to 85. A 30 year study of 71,000 adults found that people with the most optimistic outlook are up to 70% more likely to live to age 85 or beyond, regardless of their health habits. The effect held for both men and women and across different levels of health and stress. In other words, optimism didn’t just overlap with healthy behavior; it added something extra.

NEW COURSE I'M PROMOTING...

The CARVER Essentials. This is a foundational training of the well-established CARVER Methodology, which was made popular by the CIA, the US Special Operations Community, and the Department of Homeland Security. This initial online video series provides you with a background on how the methodology came into existence and its usage across the fields of critical infrastructure protection, HUMINT targeting, strategy, operational tradecraft, and leadership.

MOVIE I'M WATCHING...

Swordfish. This is a great spy thriller from 2001 that captures the essence of cool. With a star studded cast that includes Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, John Travolta, Don Cheadle and Sam Shepard, they don't make movies like this anymore. While a lot of people give it poor reviews, I find it a perfect way to kill two hours on an airplane.

QUOTE I'M PONDERING...

“Misdirection. What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes.”

— Gabriel Shear (John Travolta), Swordfish

Thank you for your attention. As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions.

Stay safe and vigilant,

Luke Bencie