1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 In this inspiring episode of In Search of Excellence: Island Style, host Larry Gonzales sits down with Izaiah Dillion, a 24-year-old active duty Air Force member, to discuss his journey from a challenging upbringing in Stockton, California, to becoming a homeowner in Hawaii. Izaiah shares how he leveraged his VA home loan benefit to purchase a condo with minimal out-of-pocket costs, gaining instant equity and aligning his mortgage with his BAH. Izaiah recounts growing up without his father, getting into legal trouble as a teenager, and how the Air Force offered him structure, discipline, and opportunities to travel the world. He reflects on his deployments, duty stations in Japan, Turkey, and Qatar, and the life lessons learned along the way. Beyond military service, he talks about staying sober for over two years, building disciplined routines around fitness and nutrition, and his passion for coaching clients online to achieve fitness, sobriety, and personal discipline. The conversation also dives into Izaiah’s viral salsa dancing adventures across multiple countries, his goal to dance in 30 countries by the age of 30, and becoming the first homeowner in his family—a milestone he celebrates with gratitude, discipline, and forward-thinking financial planning. Guest: Izaiah Dillion – Active Duty U.S. Air Force, Homeowner, Fitness &amp;amp; Discipline Coach Instagram: @izaiahdillion Timestamp Highlights: 00:00 – Street Dance Goes Viral 00:15 – Meet Izaiah Homebuyer 02:11 – Growing Up Stockton 03:11 – Trouble And Turning Point 03:50 – Felonies And Hard Lessons 07:55 – Why The Air Force 09:15 – Tokyo Duty Station Life 11:29 – Air Force Job Explained 13:17 – Buying In Hawaii With VA 16:10 – No Drinking Discipline 18:52 – Salsa Around The World 20:43 – First Home In The Family 21:51 – Leave Time And Break 22:51 – Homeownership Fears Budget 24:30 – VA Loan Lessons Learned 25:54 – Next Plans Fitness Coaching 27:14 – Fit Sober Discipline 27:28 – Morning Routine Reading 28:06 – Training Basics Macros 29:09 – Home Workouts Hawaii View 29:51 – Air Force Shift Schedule 30:45 – Early Mornings Mindset 32:18 – Remote Coaching Setup 34:25 – Accountability Motivation 35:04 – Macros Versus Calories 36:46 – Advice Mentors Regret 39:34 – Five Year Vision Hawaii 41:22 – Travel Goals Europe 43:07 – Tactical Takeaways 45:13 – Dance Hikes Surfing 47:11 – Biggest Adversity 48:34 – Why Join Military 51:34 – Final Thanks Outro 🌺 Enjoyed this episode? Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who is exploring military homeownership, building discipline, pursuing fitness goals, or seeking inspiration to overcome challenges. 🤙 Follow Larry Gonzales and In Search of Excellence: Island Style for more conversations with Hawaii leaders, entrepreneurs, real estate professionals, and inspiring individuals like Izaiah Dillion. In Search of Excellence, Island Style https://sites.libsyn.com/613475 <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/41607260/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/202865770