Advice From the Cockpit

I received a pep-talk from a friend of mine this last week as I’d admitted to being in a moment of overwhelm. It’s always encouraging to receive a slap on the back when you need one, and feeling that you’re part of a broader community of people ready to support you is invaluable. I’ve learned to draw on that community more gracefully these days.

What struck me most was the care taken in choosing these words of encouragement, especially considering they came from a non-aviation friend. The encouragement and advice was:

“Nothing flies without fuel — what are you going to do to refill your body and spirit? Stay out of the clouds — those doubts in your head are blocking your vision and creating turbulence. Take-off is optional — you’ve chosen this path because you’ve trained for it. Fly! Stay ahead of the plane — trust your instincts and your planning. And finally, keep calm and Aviate, Navigate, Communicate.”

This is a remarkably complete set of instructions for bracing yourself and following through, and I thought worth sharing with you all today as we make our way…