The Flipside

Michelle "MACE" Curran can fly an F-16 fighter jet upside down, yet she is afraid of spiders and tight spaces. During high altitude chamber training she wondered whether the airmen around her, all of them men, could tell she was panicking under her oxygen mask. She still went on to fly sorties in Afghanistan and to serve as Lead Solo for the Thunderbirds, performing in air shows across the country. Throughout her career she also struggled with imposter syndrome, which she saw as an even bigger opponent. Over time she learned to turn fear into strength and self-doubt into confidence, and above all to make uncomfortable choices by flipping her perspective, much as she flips her jet. In The Flipside, Curran explains how fear pushes people back into their comfort zones and onto autopilot. She draws on lessons from high-stakes missions and defining moments in her life to offer readers a practical approach to building resilience and meeting challenges with courage.