From “You Can’t” to Fighter Pilot: Mandy Hickson on Grit, Allyship and Flying the Tornado (Re-run)

This Remembrance week, we’re bringing back one of my favourite conversations from the archive. Mandy Hickson was one of the first women to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line with the Royal Air Force. She went from the air cadets to the cockpit of a fast jet, in a world that was never built with her in mind, and she’s now a speaker and author who helps people find their resilience and lead with purpose. In this episode, Mandy talks honestly about walking into a male-dominated world and earning her place in it. She explains why the right allies made all the difference, and how she kept hold of who she was without blending in. We also get into why failure isn’t the opposite of success, and why grit only really kicks in when you’re clear on your purpose. If anyone has ever told you “you can’t”, this one’s for you. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: From air cadets to fast jets: how Mandy found her way into the RAF Being one of the first women flying the Tornado GR4 on the front line Why allyship matters, and what good allies actually look like Staying yourself in an environment that wants you to conform Failure as a stepping stone, not a full stop Why resilience is tied to purpose Changing a system from the inside 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: “The world doesn’t need more people to blend in. What it needs is people to radiate and to shine.” “Resilience and that grit... are tied into purpose.” “Once you’re into a system, my goodness, you can fight it from within.” 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Sign up for the newsletter to get your weekly inbox dares: www.shewhodareswins.com Join the Dare Club community Become a Patreon member for all bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/cw/shewhodareswins 🎙️ WANT MORE? Squash Falconer: the first British woman to paraglide off the summit of Mont Blanc, on Everest and finding one more step. Adele Dobler: going from feeling lost to saving lives as an air ambulance helicopter pilot. 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. Leave a 5⭐ review. It helps more women discover these stories. Watch all episodes on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.