Meet Joshua Gunderson

We had the good fortune of connecting with Joshua Gunderson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Joshua, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Work life balance is a continual process of iteration that has changed over the years for me. At the outset of my fighter pilot career in the US Air Force, I spent the vast majority of my time on work. Despite this focus, I incorporated things that provided me with energy each day. Everyone’s “things” are different but I generally find that proper sleep, nutrition, physical exercise and time with family allowed me to maintain focus while spending long hours at work. The other factor that is increasingly important is time management. How do you fit all of these elements into your day? Being deliberate with a schedule/time management has been key for me. Technology has enables people (myself included) to spend large amounts of time scrolling through mindless content. One hour is 4% of our day and the average person spends more that one hour per day doing this. I have found that limiting distractions while “working” allows me to be more effective in studying/prep/executing whatever task I have for the day. If I am intentional about the hours I want to work, I am more productive and accomplish the goals more quickly. This has allowed me to carve out time for things like sleep, gym, family, etc. The takeaway truly is being very deliberate with your time and not flippantly going through the day.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I began my career by attending the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO for undergrad. While there, I was an instructor at the airfield and taught other cadets how to fly. I also participated in a semester exchange with the Spanish Air Force in San Javier, Spain. After school, I attended USAF pilot training and was selected to fly the F-15C Eagle fighter jet where I served in an operation combat squadron in Okinawa, Japan. From there, I was selected to fly the F-22 Raptor and was stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. In both assignments, I deployed to the Middle East in support of operations there. Throughout my time of flying fighter jets, there was a constant pressure to succeed and this was driven ultimately by a personal fear. My worst fear during this time was not working hard enough to be prepared in the event someone needed. The thought of American or coalition personnel being harmed because of a lack of preparation or knowledge was the ultimate fuel for my desire to work incredibly hard over this time period. I was later selected to be the sole F-22 demonstration team pilot for the USAF and led a team of 14 people around the country and the globe to showcase the jet as well as inspire people to achieve their fullest potential. This was the highlight of my Air Force career because I was empowered to lead a team at 25-30 locations across the globe and visit schools in each location. Discussing goal setting and the power of vision/determination was incredibly rewarding to me. I was thankful to have played even a small part in someone choosing to chase their dreams. My goal has been to use aviation, something that I have always loved and that captures the imagination, to inspire those around me to achieve success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I currently live in Reno, NV and love the outdoor elements of the city with its proximity to Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Mountains. One of the activities would be to wake up before sunrise and hike up to the summit of Mt. Rose to watch the sunrise. I have found that exposure to the outdoors has been very beneficial for my life and sharing that with others has been wonderful. Seeing the world from the peak of a mountain at sunrise or sunset truly forces a level of introspection that I haven’t found elsewhere. You get a sense of how small we are in the world and how expansive the world around us is. This has often led me to developing new ideas or approaches to challenges in my life. Beyond that, I find small settings more conducive to deep conversation. While light conversations are fun, we have limited time on Earth and diving into more though-provoking conversation is preferred in my mind. I enjoy doing this while cooking and enjoying a meal in small settings. Whether it’s cooking in my kitchen or sitting at a small cafe like the Perenn Bakery, each day would include a long meal with conversations about experiences, lessons and life. Depending on the season, skiing at the local mountains is a wonderful activity that once again embraces the natural elements of the city. Flying is an important part of my life and similar to hiking mountains, this provides an amazing view of the world. I would take the person flying around Lake Tahoe and maybe a few days trips to surrounding areas for exploring.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The most influential person to my success was my mother who constantly supported my ambitions to fly jets in the Air Force. She shared many life lessons from her journey as a Cuban-American who fled communism and grew up in the US. The resilience and determination my family had during this time fueled my unrelenting dedication to achieving my career goals. Beyond my mother and family, there have been countless instructors and peers in my Air Force career that have shaped me over the course of 19 years. I am eternally grateful for the time they invested in me and wish to pay this forward to future generations.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cabogunderson/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuacabogunderson/

Image Credits
Picture of 4 jets: Sam Eckholm Picture of F-22 with vapor: Mark Fingar