You have achieved success by conventional standards. You have proven your drive, demonstrated excellence, and accomplished significant goals. Yet something vital feels missing - a deeper sense of purpose, a mission worthy of your full capability, an impact that truly matters.
Your Next Mission is a practical workbook designed for high performers ready to transform success into significance.
Whether you are a veteran transitioning to civilian life, a leader seeking renewed purpose, or simply feel called to greater impact, this guide provides the mental models to forge your purpose-driven path forward. Through strategic exercises, real-world insights, and hard-earned wisdom, you will craft your next mission - one worthy of your proven capacity for excellence.
The world needs what you carry. Your mission continues – are you ready to start today?
In life, few forces are as transformative as the discovery of absolute purpose. Yet, purpose is not merely about finding what we are meant to do; it is about radically understanding who we are, what makes us tick, why we desire to lead the lives we do, and how we choose to shape our path forward toward self-transcendence. This is the essence of Your Next Mission—a calling for the 1% of the 1% that invites you to explore not only the external journey but the deeply internal one, where relentless self-awareness becomes the compass for navigating life’s most critical moments.
Having served in the Marine Corps, I have witnessed firsthand the profound connection between radical self-awareness and purposeful action. It is what turns Your Next Mission into a ruthlessly authentic calling and your elite leadership into legacy. In the demanding environments of service, business, and personal growth, the clarity born from self-awareness allows us to see beyond the chaos, rise above self-doubt, and create heat in this world for generations to come.
This book challenges you. Period. It challenges you to move beyond the surface-level goals of success and fulfillment and instead embark on a journey of visceral connection with yourself and the world around you. It is an invitation to ask hard questions, explore uncharted parts of your identity, and to trust that the answers—though not always immediate—will guide you toward your next mission.
As you create the pages of Your Next Mission, I hope you embrace the power of self-awareness to ignite not only your sense of purpose but the passion and commitment to live it out fully. With purpose, we lead. With radical self-awareness, we thrive.
Dr. Sarah Spradlin-Knippenberg
CEO Vitruvian Advantage
I started my med board process after a very long and painful recovery from having C5, C6, and C7 fused in my neck. That left me with a gnarly scar on the front of my neck, a sizeable titanium plate, 6 screws and 6 spacers permanently. My fit for duty evaluation wasn’t much of an evaluation as it was sentencing. I had four service disqualifying injuries that I knew about and that were well documented but there was a small part of me that honestly thought that I could continue to pull it off and keep making it happen. I was just shy of my 20-year mark, and I had planned on staying another four years. Besides, I had just reenlisted 6 months ago. The doctor that I saw for my evaluation made it very clear that at this point there wasn’t a conversation that could be had where I would be allowed to stay. Although, I knew it was a possibility, I didn’t think I would get forced out if I didn’t want to go. That proved to be foolish thinking.
Being transparent, I was ready to get out, or at least I thought I was. I thought, I’m ready to move on to the next chapter. I’ll have my retirement and my disability, so I’ll be good financially. I’ll have the same home, same friends, same motorcycle club, not much will change other than I won’t have to answer to the man anymore. The naivety just jumps right off the paper when you read that, doesn’t it?
After a few short months, the crushing reality of the truth would hit me. But before that, probably the best decision I made was the transition program I completed. I was fortunate enough to get a slot with The Honor Foundation. I had had a friend that went through the class before me, and I could see how prepared he was for the next chapter of his life. He was also the honor grad. So, I went into this thing with some pretty high expectations, and I wasn’t let down. There was an enormous amount of good information learned during that 12-week course. Some of the most important things I learned were my professional priorities. In order of precedence, they were Love what you do, Love who are doing it with, and make decent money. Sounds a lot like team life doesn’t it. It’s important that you remember that.
But before I finished that transition program, other aspects of my life started unraveling quickly, and I found myself in a position where I didn’t have the same friends or the same motorcycle club. I also had the pleasure of getting my jaw broken only two months out of the Army. So, to sum that up, I had a broken jaw, few friends, and no motorcycle club anymore. Not exactly how I saw my retirement going. However, having a broken jaw put me in a position where I had to do a lot more listening because I was unable to speak with my jaw wired shut. And when you can only listen, people will show you very quickly who they are, and I didn’t care much for the things I heard during that time.
I was still able to finish my transition program, albeit not finishing as high up as I wanted to. I was extremely bitter, and I was diving into everything mindset based. I couldn’t get enough of it. I took a contract job out in west Texas that would keep me away for a solid month in a very desolate place. I achieved two things with this. It separated me socially and geographically from the toxicity of it all. It gave me a while to think about things, try and get my mind right and make decent money.
While I was out there, a good friend of mine called me to see how I was doing. I wasn’t doing great to be honest. I was getting things together in my head, but at the same time, I was getting more and more angry the more I thought about the betrayal of what all had happened. Long story short, he had a job for me, and it was a monster! Chief information security officer (CISO) at a major law firm in Miami and a salary well into six figures. I just needed to sell my house and move to south Florida. So, I called my wife and told her to pack the house. We are moving to Florida. We left everyone and everything and moved to Florida. I was so sure that this move was going to give me everything I wanted, and it was far from where I came from.
I’ll skip forward seven months. I was no longer with the law firm, my fancy title, or my big corporate salary. I had forgotten my professional priorities that I had learned. And more importantly, I had forgotten my calling in life. My calling is to take care of people. It’s not complicated in concept. It is what it is, and I was paying the price, physically, mentally, and spiritually for not listening to that calling. I was tested and tested repeatedly. Things got so bad inside my head that I no longer trusted myself. I had very few friends, a lot of anger and frustration. I’d somehow developed a temper all over again as if I was 13, and I could snap at a moment’s notice. I had wave after wave of severe depression crashing into me on a daily basis. This was not the first time that I had battled suicide in my life, but it was the scariest for sure. If I hadn’t had solid people around me supporting me and believing in me, I’m not sure where I would be right now. I don’t think I could ever reach a level of selfishness where I would commit suicide, but I 100% would not be in a good place right now. I wouldn’t be writing this to you all.
How I got through all of that is for another time. The important thing to remember is that even at a point as low as I was at, there was a way out. My struggles were in my own head and to be honest, were only perceptions at best. But I had allowed toxicity back into my life in many aspects, and those things and people were draining me to a very dangerous point. I’m not placing the blame on anyone other than myself. I’m simply pointing out that the atmosphere you choose for yourself can be detrimental. My own actions and decisions had led me into all of this. The best part about that is that if my own decisions got me into it, only my decisions were going to get me out of it. And that was incredibly empowering for me.
One of the most important things that we can do for ourselves is to ensure that we keep toxicity as far from us as possible. This is not an easy process and it’s a process that requires constant maintenance. I’ll be honest. Recognizing and stopping toxic habits that in no way served me or my goals, wasn’t that difficult. Recognizing and distancing myself from toxic people was not so easily accomplished. Many of those people I loved and still do to this day. But I had to start denying them access to me. I had to start protecting my energy like my life depended on it, because it did. I’m sure that many of you are thinking that “it can’t be that hard to distance yourself from people that aren’t serving you anymore.” What if you realize that the most toxic person in your life is your spouse, or maybe your best friend? How committed do you think you’ll be to making life changing decisions if you need to cut off your best friend, or divorce your wife? It’s something to think about for sure.
I want to wrap this up so that you all can get into the meat and potatoes of this course on a positive note. Surround yourself with people who challenge you and push you to be better. Surround yourself with people that love you and support you. Surround yourself with people that you believe to be genuine and authentic. And remember this, you can surround yourself with the best people in the world with the most solid and accurate advice, but YOU have to do the work that is required for change. No one else can do it for you. So, let’s get to work!
Daniel (Dan) Simmons
Coach, Speaker, & Business Owner
US Army Retired, Green Beret
Black Flag Protection Group
blackflagprotection.com
Transitioning out of the military is often described as stepping into the unknown. For many, it’s not just a change in career—it’s a profound shift in identity, purpose, and direction. My own journey was no different, though perhaps more complicated than most.
I was a Guard guy. My “transition” didn’t follow the typical script. It was messy, raw, and filled with unexpected challenges. I came back from deployment, got divorced, and became a single parent almost overnight. At the time, I was juggling a corporate job alongside my weekend duties with the Army National Guard. When it came time to leave the military, I wasn’t prepared. I didn’t have a family care plan, and circumstances left me backed into a corner. With no roadmap, I took custody of my son and stepped into the dual roles of full-time corporate employee and full-time single dad.
For years, I stumbled through life, trying to find my footing. Nobody told me about the benefits or resources available to veterans. I didn’t walk into a VA office until years later. Those early years out of the military felt like survival mode—working 50+ hours a week, going to school full-time, and trying to be a present father. I was chasing the dollar, convinced that financial security would solve everything. But despite all my effort, something was missing.
It wasn’t until my late 30s that I realized I’d spent a decade just getting by. I hadn’t truly thought about my purpose—what I wanted my life to stand for. That shift came when a friend gave me simple yet profound advice: “Stop chasing the dollar. Focus on your purpose.” Those words stopped me in my tracks.
In reflecting on my life, I realized I’d always felt fulfilled when helping others—whether it was connecting people, supporting them in their goals, or simply being there. I took on a new mantra: Focus on purpose, and profit will follow. That change in mindset, paired with a deeper connection to my faith, gave me clarity. I learned to trust that when we align with our purpose, everything else falls into place.
For military members, finding that purpose after service can feel like an impossible task. The structure, camaraderie, and sense of mission we had in uniform don’t always translate easily to civilian life. But here’s the truth: you still have a mission. It may look different now, but it’s no less important.
The key is to stay engaged—serve your community, volunteer, mentor, or simply lend a hand where it’s needed. By staying connected to others and to something greater than yourself, your purpose will reveal itself. It may take time, and the path may not be linear, but it’s there. Don’t give up. Keep moving forward and trust the process.
That’s why I’m so proud to introduce this workbook by my friend and brother, Jon Mayo. Jon has a gift for helping people uncover their purpose and forge a path forward.
Your Next Mission isn’t just a guide—it’s a roadmap for anyone navigating the complex journey of life after service. If you commit to the process, step by step, this workbook will help you find your purpose-driven path.
To my fellow veterans and anyone searching for meaning beyond the uniform: this is your next mission. Embrace it. Stay patient, stay persistent, and remember—you’re not alone.
Your purpose awaits.
Best of luck, and God bless.
Adam Bird
Serial Entrepreneur, Founder, Speaker
Heroes Media Group
I left the military in 2019 in order to spend more time with family, embark on a new career, and move closer to family back on the East Coast. I did not anticipate my departure from the military would be anywhere close to as difficult as it proved to be.
When I was deployed in 2018, my wife (then fiancé) and I made the decision that I would submit my formal resignation from service. It was also during that time that I pursued a junior military officer to corporate America recruiting program, where I would interview for numerous roles in corporate America upon my return home, and immediately begin a new career once out of the military.
I made one (of many) big mistakes during this time period - and that was not doing a values inventory, and finding something career-wise that would align with those values. Unsurprisingly, from 2019 until very recently, I have struggled greatly from an internal perspective on not pursuing something of deep meaning for me. Through working with Jon, and applying the principles aligned throughout this workbook, I have identified what is most meaningful to me - and that is service to others.
My mindset after leaving the Army was “if I cannot find purpose out here, then I might as well make as much money as I can.” This left me pursuing less than meaningful roles with an inflated promise of high earnings behind them. It is then no surprise that while pursuing this - I felt very empty inside.
I have personally known Jon Mayo since 2016, and since I first met him, he has served as a figure of strong intentionality and willingness to help others hold themselves accountable towards what they know their true inner strength can be. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of doing the difficult work of getting to know who you truly are, and what you value in this life. Without it, you will wander aimlessly like I did trying to recreate my military experience in the civilian world - something akin to putting a square peg in a round hole.
I sincerely hope that Your Next Mission will serve as the guide to others to avoid some of the mistakes I have made in my transition, and as I understand it, countless others have as well. I implore you to have the courage, tenacity, and grit to persevere through a difficult chapter to reap the rewards of what living a truly aligned life can look like for you. I can think of no better way to get started on that path, than with the pages that lie ahead.
Tim Myers
US Army Veteran
First and foremost, I’m incredibly blessed to write this forward for my good friend and fellow Veteran Jon Mayo. Jon is someone who I immensely respect and blessed to call him a friend and colleague. I am privileged to work with Jon in the form of a coach although I feel I pick up just as many Knowledge Nuggets from him in our intense sessions.
My own transitional journey happened in 2009 when my little brother took his own life, and this happened when my real estate business was falling apart. My ego and need to do things on my own was to the detriment of me. I’m not going to go full bore into my challenges, yet I will say after I realized I was Edging God Out (E.G.O.) and trying to do everything on my own I found myself living in a client’s house that I had listed for sale (they did not have knowledge as they moved out of state). It was me and my Rhodesian Ridgeback Rhodie treading water and just staying alive.
During my time of darkness, with no confidence, very few friends and family (as I had alienated them) I found myself out of desperation opening up to others and finding ways to serve. One way was volunteering at a library where a gentleman approached me with a book, he felt I should read. I did and it ‘clicked’. Since 2010, I have made it a point to not let anyone feel like they have no-one.
Many of my coaching clients are looking for their version of success. Albeit many times most are looking for monetary success, yet as my mentors (including Jon) and coaches have reminded me there are many more pillars (God/Spiritual, Personal Growth, Family, Community, Work, Living Environment and recreation) to live a truly harmonic life.
Jons passion for helping men Level 🆙 is above reproach and you will find no-one more selfless than my friend Jon. What you hold in your hands is a true blueprint to reach ‘your level’ of success. Everyone is different and ‘Your Next Mission’ acknowledges this.
IF you follow Jon’s protocol, do ALL the activities you WILL find what I feel success is, which is living a life of options and not obligations. NOT finding balance (I feel balance is junk) but harmony.
Again, what you have in your hands is a roadmap to your own success. Please do EVERY assignment Jon assigns, marinate on the lessons and put those into action. I promise it will not only Level 🆙 your life, but you will become someone people want to be around, learn from, lean on and become the ultimate version of yourself.
Scott Ferguson
Level 🆙 Peak Performance Mental Conditioning Coach & Speaker
Served US Navy 1990-1997 Operation Desert Storm - Serving YOU Now!
