Nobody's Shooting at Me Today

One of the phrases Justin Lakin says often is:

"Nobody's shooting at me today."

At first, it sounds like a joke.

But when you understand his story, you realize it's much more than that.

In this episode of From Busy to Rich, Wes turns the microphone around and interviews his longtime friend, business partner, and co-host about the experiences that shaped him into the leader he is today.

Justin's journey is anything but ordinary.

At just 20 years old, he became a Green Beret. While most people his age were trying to figure out what they wanted to do with their lives, Justin was preparing for combat deployments, leading soldiers, and operating in some of the most dangerous environments in the world.

He describes one of the most important lessons he learned during those years:

You can get used to almost anything.

Even combat.

What starts as overwhelming eventually becomes familiar. What once felt terrifying becomes routine. And if you're not careful, you can even become complacent.

That's not just true in combat.

It's true in life.

Many people become comfortable in situations they know aren't serving them. They stay in jobs they dislike. They tolerate unhealthy habits. They settle into routines that no longer align with who they want to become.

Justin's experiences taught him that growth requires continual reassessment.

Not panic.

Not fear.

Just honest evaluation.

One of the most powerful moments in the episode comes when he recounts surviving an anti-tank mine explosion in Afghanistan.

The blast destroyed much of their vehicle. One teammate was killed. Justin was knocked unconscious and woke up disoriented, trying to understand what had happened.

But what stands out isn't the explosion itself.

It's what happened before it.

Justin had prayed before the mission.

And when he looks back on that day, what he remembers most is not fear, but gratitude.

Gratitude that more lives weren't lost.

Gratitude for the protection they experienced.

Gratitude for the perspective it gave him moving forward.

That perspective became even more valuable years later.

After leaving the military, Justin transitioned into civilian life. He worked in contracting, the oil industry, and eventually found himself at a crossroads after being laid off.

Within a short period of time, he lost his job, his wife was involved in a serious car accident, his brother passed away, and he found himself helping family members through incredibly difficult circumstances.

Many people would have quit.

Justin didn't.

He kept taking the next step.

Not because he had all the answers.

Not because he felt confident.

But because moving forward was the only option.

One of the most meaningful lessons from this episode is that resilience isn't about never struggling.

It's about refusing to stay down.

Justin and Wes also spend time discussing one of the qualities they both value most: coachability.

Not simply listening to advice.

Acting on it.

As Justin says, if you hear feedback but never apply it, you're not actually coachable.

That lesson applies to every area of life.

Growth requires humility.

Humility requires action.

And action creates transformation.

The episode concludes with a reminder that all of us will face difficult seasons.

Life will bring challenges.

Life will bring uncertainty.

Life will bring moments that force us to reevaluate who we are and what matters most.

But those moments don't have to define us.

They can develop us.

Justin's story is ultimately a story about faith, resilience, purpose, and choosing to move forward even when the road ahead isn't clear.

Because sometimes the most important thing you can do is simply take the next step.