Leaving on an Airplane
Approximately 25% of people are nervous or afraid of flying*. Are you one of them?
Personally, I love to fly. The only thing I don’t love about it is the physical discomfort of riding in the plane. At 6’5” tall, it is clear to me that planes are made for the masses, not for extra tall people. But despite that, I enjoy air travel. I had an Aha! moment this week as I was sitting on an American Airlines flights from OKC to Nashville. Well, really the flight was from Dallas/Fort Worth to Nashville because it’s pretty hard to get a direct flight between 2 mid-sized airports but that’s another issue. I digress…
My Aha! moment came as I relaxed fully and let my mind wander. My mind doesn’t typically just wander around with no purpose. I’ve written on here before that I am very task and goal oriented. I am almost always focused on a task or what I can, should, or want to be accomplishing. Sometimes, especially when encouraged by my wife, I set out to relax and enjoy nothingness… I’m not very good at it! She has to encourage me a lot!
But as I sat on the airplane I realized I can now completely relax both mentally and physically. Just a few months ago, on a business trip, I slept from before takeoff all the way through the landing. This is not normal for me. I had been traveling a lot and was obviously extremely tired, but even when tired I still have different action items, ideas, and responsibilities running through my mind. My newfound in-flight relaxation comes not just from my exhaustion but also from my external circumstances. I am almost completely, 99.9%, out of control of what happens on and to the plane. My Aha! moment wasn’t just that I’m out of control of these external circumstances, but that I have become comfortable with not being in control.
I have the ability to take control and change the outcome in meetings, car trips, church services, at home, or other situations. Even if I am not driving the car, I have the ability to watch for hazards, map the route, or help in other ways. On a plane, there’s no changing the route or keeping the pilot from missing a turn! This feeling doesn’t comfort all people like it does me. In addition to being task oriented, I consider myself to be a “systems and processes” guy. I believe that systems and processes are what make our lives work better and easier, with less stress. I strive to improve processes and align systems to work in my favor and the benefit of my business. Being comfortable letting go means that I am comfortable with the systems in place.
My Aha! moment boils down to these two things:
I know the goal, it is clearly defined and attainable. There isn’t much more a task-oriented guy can ask for than an airline flight. The destination city and arrival time are defined. Even in extreme conditions, if these are to change then I can’t control the decision. Delays occur and gates can change, but once I am sitting on the plane it is almost always a clear path to the end goal.
I trust the airline systems and their processes. The airline industry (and government regulation) have clearly defined, established, and executed systems and processes. I can almost walk through the whole boarding process from calling the priority passengers to sitting down and buckling without thinking. The safety messages and walking through the cabin with refreshments are standard with little variation. Even the things I don’t see, the maintenance schedules and inspections are highly regulated.
Flying on commercial airlines may be physically uncomfortable and airport security a pain, but the whole flying process is pretty comforting for a guy like me! Present me with a clearly defined task with correct systems and processes to achieve the goal and I am a happy man!
Safe travels to you all; whether on the path to your goals or from one city to the next.