Passing The Torch

WELCOME TO PASSING THE TORCH, A PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT PODCAST THAT’S ABOUT THE JOURNEY, NOT JUST THE DESTINATION.

This show is a conversation with people who inspire me — thought leaders, entrepreneurs, athletes, authors, and others who are constantly evolving and learning about themselves. I’m not pretending to have it all figured out, and that’s what makes this podcast different. As I navigate my own personal growth and discover new tools, insights, and stories that are helping me, I’m bringing you along for the ride.

I believe that when it comes to self-improvement, we don’t always need to hear from someone who has already "arrived" at their ideal self. Instead, we can find power in connecting with people who are in the trenches alongside us, figuring things out as they go. Passing The Torch is an opportunity for both of us to learn, grow, and share in real-time.

Every episode, I sit down with individuals from all walks of life — from CEOs and best-selling authors to Special Forces Operators, friends, and elite athletes — and we dive deep into the lessons they’ve learned, the obstacles they’ve overcome, and the wisdom they’ve gained. Along the way, I’ll be sharing my own experiences and insights from my personal development journey.

Whether you’re someone who’s looking for guidance or simply enjoy hearing raw, honest stories of transformation, Passing The Torch offers something for everyone. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about sharing what we’ve learned and helping each other move forward.

Join me on this adventure. Let's pass the torch together.

Recent Episodes

Sept. 3, 2026

Navy SEAL Commander: What 24 Years of War Taught Me About Fear, Anxiety & Inner Peace - Jon Macaskill - Best of PTT

Send us Fan Mail Jon Macaskill is a former Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness and meditation teacher. He’s a Naval Academy graduate and has his masters in Operations Research from the Naval Postgraduate School. Jon has served in Iraq, Afghanistan, off the coast of Somalia, and in Panama. Jon brings mindfulness and meditation to high-performing teams to aid in dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression all while increasing focus, creativity, and productivity. Since ending his 24-y...
Aug. 20, 2026

Obama’s Speechwriter: The Hidden Art of Words That Move Millions - Cody Keenan - Best of PTT

Send us Fan Mail Cody Keenan is a bestselling author and one of the most accomplished political speechwriters of his generation. He spent 14 years working with Barack Obama, ultimately serving as the President’s chief speechwriter and helping craft some of the most consequential speeches of the Obama presidency. But what does it actually take to find the right words when millions of people are listening? In this conversation, Cody and I discuss the hidden craft of presidential speechwriting, ...
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Aug. 13, 2026

From Navy SEAL to Hollywood: How Grit, Authenticity & Identity Fuel Success – David Meadows - Ep. 144

Dave is a former navy SEAL and classically trained actor. He is currently Acting and modeling in NYC, LA and the Southeast. - Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Importance of grit in life 05:40 Military service and personal growth 07:26 Authenticity and self-discovery in acting - More about David Meadows IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3690667/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdavidbmeadows/?hl=en Website: http://www.davidbmeadows.com/ - Podcast Summary: Passing The ...
143
Aug. 6, 2026

Why Success Without Community Will Leave You Empty - Waco Hoover - Ep. 143

Waco Hoover is an entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience in venture capital, M&A, entertainment, media and live events. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1997-2001 as an infantry Marine, combat water survival instructor and infantry scout. He served several deployments across Southeast Asia. After separation from the military, Hoover graduated from New York University, cum laude and completed Harvard Business School executive education programs. ...
142
July 30, 2026

Why Consistency Beats Talent and Blind Loyalty Destroys You - The Wire's J.D. Williams - Ep. 142

The conversation focused on J.D. Williams’s career, growth, resilience, and impactful roles from The Wire to today. - Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Being grateful for family 04:08 Facing Challenges and Finding Resilience 06:51 Importance of consistency in success 09:43 Maintaining a Positive Attitude 13:54 Playing the Character of Bodie 17:37 Discussing a character's pivotal line 22:43 The Wire's ongoing relevance 26:19 Discussing J.D.'s acting career 29:57 Comparing HBO roles: Bod...
141
July 23, 2026

Ryan Leaf - From Addiction & Rock Bottom to Redemption & Purpose - Ep. 141

Ryan Leaf explores addiction, accountability, identity, and why lasting transformation begins with radical self-honesty. - Podcast Chapters: 00:00 Ryan Leaf's redemption journey 05:46 Caring about family opinions only 09:07 Taking control of daily attitude 11:14 Sharing personal experiences openly 15:39 Reflecting on personal accountability 17:40 Discussing vulnerability and accountability 23:32 Diagnosing and understanding CTE 26:12 The impact of football on players 29:54 Re...
140
July 16, 2026

Ep. 140: Team RWB Executive Director Michael 'Sully' Sullivan

Send us Fan Mail Michael Sullivan is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel with 30 years of service, including 23 years as a Green Beret and the Executive Director at Team Red, White & Blue (Team RWB). A 1994 graduate of Claremont McKenna College, he led some of the military’s most elite special operations units and served in key command roles across Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Africa. Sully completed six combat tours in Afghanistan and commanded organizations including 3rd Special For...
139
July 9, 2026

Ep. 139: Amberly Lago Turning Pain into PURPOSE

Amberly Lago is a widely recognized expert in helping entrepreneurs build their businesses through grit and resilience. As the founder of The Unstoppable Life Mastermind, she has worked with thousands of clients, empowering them to achieve success by developing resilience and perseverance. She is the host of The Amberly Lago Show, a podcast recognized by Apple as being among the Top 1% of podcasts worldwide. An internationally sought-after speaker on grit, resilience, and con...
138
July 2, 2026

Ep. 138: Military and Veteran Entertainment Awards Gala

The Military Veteran Awards event celebrates the incredible veterans, service members, storytellers, creators, and entertainment leaders changing how military stories are told. - Quick Episode Summary: I conducted nine interviews on the red carpet. This video is a combination of all videos. The episode is a vibrant celebration of the intersection between military service and entertainment, showcasing personal stories of resilience, creativity, and mutual respect. It h...
137
June 25, 2026

Ep. 137: Ryan Hawk The Price of Becoming

Ryan Hawk is a bestselling author, keynote speaker, and host of The Learning Leader Show, where he has interviewed more than 700 influential leaders, including CEOs, bestselling authors, elite athletes, military leaders, and entrepreneurs. His podcast is consistently one of the world's top business shows, earning millions of downloads annually. Ryan is the author of three leadership books, including the USA Today bestseller The Score That Matters. A former Divi...
136
June 18, 2026

Ep. 136: ⁠How Jasmine Jones Built a Champion Mindset: Resilience & Discipline

Jasmine Jones is an Airman in the United States Air Force, a High-Performance Athlete with Team USA Bobsled, Mid-American Conference Most Outstanding Track Performer, First Team College All-American, Bobsleigh Bronze Medalist in the 2026 Winter Olympics (which ended EMU’s 42-year drought without a US Olympic medal for the university’s athletes) and a single Mom. - Quick Episode Summary: Air Force Olympian Jasmine Jones discusses resilience, motherhood, bobsled journey. - Peop...
135
June 11, 2026

Ep. 135: The Light Foundation Buckeye Blast

In 2001, former NFL player and 3x Superbowl Champion, Matt Light, and his wife Susie, established The Light Foundation to help young people develop the skills, values, and mindset they need to create a meaningful and productive future. The mission of The Light Foundation mission is to take young people out of their everyday environments and provide them with unique opportunities that ignite their passion, purpose, and motivation to succeed. - Quick Episode Summary: Buckeye Bl...

Recent Blog Posts

June 9, 2026

The Comeback Kid

Haters will say this is AI 😄 Here is something I wrote in early 2016.“A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.” - Old ProverbAt least for a 6’7” point guard, the road begins on a 94 feet long and 50 feet wide wooden court.Before we s…
May 7, 2026

A Letter From 54-Year-Old Me to 44-Year-Old Me

It’s easy to remember what I was doing exactly one year ago today, or at least preparing for. This week marks one year since my military retirement ceremony after 23 years of service. In some ways it feels like 365 days ago, and in other ways it…
Dec. 29, 2025

25 Lessons I’ve Learned from Hosting Passing The Torch 🔥🎙️

I started my podcast in January 2018. At the time, I did not even have a name for it, only a burning desire. After 100+ conversations with leaders, friends, family, veterans, athletes, authors, and everyday people doing extraordinary things, a few t…

About the Host

Martin Foster

Podcast Host

Join Martin Foster, an accomplished leader and trusted mentor, as he dives deep into the principles of leadership, character development, and high performance. Each episode, Martin brings you thought-provoking conversations with trailblazers, entrepreneurs, athletes, and experts from all walks of life who are crafting the art of leading with integrity and purpose.

From personal growth to the power of mindset, "Passing The Torch" is not just another leadership podcast — it's a source of wisdom, actionable strategies, and real-world insights to help you build a life of meaning and impact.

Whether you're a seasoned leader or just beginning your journey, Martin will guide you through the challenges, decisions, and breakthroughs that shape extraordinary leaders. Get ready to elevate your mindset, refine your character, and unleash your full potential.

Reviews

Great podcast !
Such a natural when it comes to interviewing and speaking! Great content !!!
Great leadership podcast!
I’ve known Foster for a long time and had no doubt that this podcast would be great. It’s full of great leaders & mentors. Foster has been able to bring us these amazing leaders who have the wealth of knowledge/lessons learned to pass onto the future leaders. Every time I listen I hear something new and useful. And extra awesome that CMSAF took time to mentor as well!
Great leadership insights!
Martin and the guests on his podcast share from their life experiences practical ways to pursue effective leadership - very challenging.
Great resource! 🙌
I love how Martin puts it: “Mentorship is about sharing lessons learned from past experiences to develop the next crop of leaders.” A true abundant mindset, setting the next generation up for success. Looking forward to checking out more episodes!
Great work!
I love hearing from our military men and women in podcasts like this because the perspective they bring is different and invaluable. Thanks for putting this out Martin!
Highly Recommend
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Martin does a phenomenal job creating authentic, meaningful conversations that challenge you to think deeper about leadership, growth, purpose, and living well. The Passing the Torch podcast is insightful, practical, and human, not just surface-level motivation. You can feel Martin’s genuine curiosity and passion for helping people grow through every episode. Highly recommend for leaders, performers, and anyone trying to become a better version of themselves.
Identity, Purpose, & Belonging
Identity is the first casualty of transition. A veteran leaves service. A founder sells. An athlete plays a last season. What goes missing is not the job. What goes missing is the answer to who you are when the thing that answered it is gone. Passing The Torch sits inside that gap without rushing anyone out of it. The host does not claim to have resolved his own identity. He is still in it, learning in real time, bringing listeners along. That removes the usual transaction of personal developm
Love the Guests and title!
Love the background of the host coming from an over 20 yr career in the military and bringing on some truly amazing guests! NFL Pro Bowlers to Business owners! Well done Martin!
Amazing Guests- and a Host with Heart
I love this show. Martin is a great host and gets incredible guests with amazing stories. Highly recommend!
Amazing Show
What an excellent show! I am so happy I discovered it. His episode with Ryan Leaf convinced me to follow.