Sure, but I thought you might also appreciate the "dang, if only I'd
been told about the red and blue buttons three months ago" answer.

True, but often global variables are regarded as a very bad thing (tm).
Of course, like many languages, Java also provides you with the means to
shoot yourself in the foot. I'll assume you know all this and are a
skilled Colt 45 gunslinger picking up a loaded Glock 9mm for the first
time (and that I'm out of range).

One way ^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H The green button is ...

  class Global {
     public static Bullet myBullet;
  }

  class Gun {
     Gun() {
       myBullet = new Bullet("OldPro");
       new Foot().shoot();
     }
  }

  class Foot {
    private JTextField flesh;
    public void shoot() {
      flesh.setText(Global.myBullet);
    }
  }

  class Bullet extends String {}

I learned that using the green button was usually a bad choice. Maybe
I'm wrong, you can judge for yourself.

Definitely not.

I'd probably be passing needed instance variables as arguments to
methods that, er, need them. Often you can bundle up a whole bunch of
variables as instance variables in a single instance of some container
class.

Good luck! :-)

P.S.
You might like to search Google Groups for prior discussion of "Global
Variables" in comp.lang.java.programming.