Would you get on a
plane
if you knew it was
going to crash?
Tim Connor
Tim, and
your point is?
Great
question. I was recently reading a book about failure and how people go out of
their way to avoid it. In the same book
the author shared dozens of stories about people, some famous and many just
ordinary people who faced repeated struggle, adversity and failure and not only
survived but either prospered or made significant contributions to their fellow
man.
There were
too many to list or go into detail, I would rather share the common traits of
all of these people and their actions and responses to their challenges. But first – none of them would have boarded
an airplane if they knew in advance it was going to crash. But how do we know that the one we are on
might not just be the one that does.
Read on.
First and
foremost no one who begins a journey toward something new; a process,
invention, goal, activity or the desire to excel wants to fail but people who
have who brought courage, perseverance, patience, faith and effort to any
endeavor. They all knew that sooner or later there would be challenges and
obstacles, some of which could cause failure or require that they begin again
and yes, again, until they reached their goal or satisfied their purpose.
Do you think
Edison’s work, creativity and effort would have survived a fire that destroyed
75% of his workplace that he didn’t expect, want or see coming if he lacked
belief in what he was doing? Do you
think Lincoln would have ever become President if he had given in to a life of
poverty, isolation, rejection and defeat?
They and so
many others understand that success is not always about the accomplishments but
the willingness to continue toward the desired accomplishments in spite of what
life throws in your way.
No, these
people would not have started anything if they believed they would never get to
where they wanted to go, but they didn’t let the discouragement or rejection of
others, the uncertainty of their journey ahead, the tremendous sacrifices along
the way or the potential for failure stop them. They were driven by the journey
not its destination. This doesn’t mean
they weren’t focused, dedicated and committed but that their motivation was the
process and they didn’t get attached to what the end would look like whether
they arrived or not.
They were
flexible and willing to learn, adjust and compromise letting the goal itself
determine the steps they should take and how, when or where.
Does all
this stuff sound difficult? Well, yes it is and this is the reason so few
people keep at it in the face of adversity, discouragement and
disappointment. They are driven by their
feelings, fears or ego.
Do you have what
it takes to do something significant? In your career business, relationships,
church or community? I don’t care if
it’s a new job, business, marriage, or invention, sooner or later you will face
a crossroads as to whether to change course, give up or keep at it, learning to
better manage your responses, attitudes, decisions and actions to what life
throws at you.
You might
ask what does the title of this article have to do with what I am sharing here.
Everyone who
gets on a plane knows there is a slight chance of disaster but they get on it
anyway. Come on - 600 mph at 30,000 feet
in equipment that was put together by the low bidding company by employees who
were overworked, tired, stressed or hated their job?
Not implying that this is the always the case
so if you are in the aircraft manufacturing business please don’t take offense.
No, not all of these passengers are future inventors, business founders or
creative geniuses but they all put their lives in the hands of the plane and
the crew. They trust.
People who
have made significant impact on the world now or in the past had this same
trust. Yes, they knew there was the
possibility of failure but they trudged on in spite of the potential for disaster.
“We
can dream, fail and still survive.”
Maya Angelou
