Let Go or Stay Stuck | Justin Cross
What Are You Still Carrying?
Justin Cross helped test the F-22 Raptor - one of the most advanced fighter jets on earth - pushing it past its limits to see what might break. But when one went down in the Mojave desert, killing the pilot and leaving the jet buried in the sand, it shook something loose in him.
That crash forced a reckoning.
After 9/11, Justin felt the pull to serve. He joined the Navy, then after leaving the military he landed on the F-22 flight test team at Lockheed - where the job was to push boundaries and study what failed. That mission cost a life. And it made Justin realize there was weight he’d been carrying that no one could see.
In this episode, we get into what most guys bury - guilt, shame, and the stories we try to outwork or hide. Justin shares how he finally faced his own - and how that moment became the beginning of True North, a retreat where men let go of the old weight and walk out changed.
Ever had something hit you that hard - where everything slows down and something deeper comes up? Drop a comment below. We’d love to hear your thoughts.
The Beardsmen Podcast
For nearly twenty years, we’ve been having real conversations about what it means to be a man — and how to create a life on our own terms. The Beardsmen is the next chapter, and you’re invited to pull up a chair. No scripts. No agendas. Nothing off limits. Just real talk about becoming the man you were born to be.
Live Bold. Live Brave. Live Bearded.