Life in Small Bites

Below is an excerpt from my book, Small Bites. It is a rendering of my thoughts about how to approach ‘Adversity’ as a former military pilot and a business leader.

The adversity and challenges we are facing regarding the health and economic issues thrust upon us by Covid19 are extreme. They are different for each of us. Although not written with any notion of such a global pandemic there may be some useful ideas in the general approach to such adversity.

“When an in-flight mechanical failure occurs a pilot spends his focus blaming the plane at great peril.” – Dad

“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.” – General George S. Patton

Handling adversity or unexpected turbulence requires a sharp focus on what should be done first.  As mentioned in my chapter on Attitude, pilots are trained to memorize critical Emergency Procedures for nearly all conceived emergencies. These must be conducted in specific order.  The procedures are continually practiced until the pilot becomes fully functionally competent in proceeding through the memorized checklist.

Outside the cockpit, adversities in life are usually a confluence or accumulation of events.  Rarely are there a set of exactly appropriate procedures that can be immediately applied to correct the situation.  However, there are actions to take to insure greater success in transiting through the turbulence.

The right Attitude supplemented with appropriate Courage is more likely to lead to the right Actions.  Anthony Robbins advises that it is vital to see things as they are, not worse than they are and act to change things to be as you want them to be.

My high school football coach drilled the principle into our head that, “When you are within the 10 yard line, don’t drop the damn ball.”  I have worked to apply this principle to my businesses and my relationships.

Formerly, I had perceived this warning as to not lose focus or commitment when you were near your goal.  Although I recognize this wise caution, my life experience has taught me that the greatest risk is to lose focus or commitment when you are on your heels, nearly under water, or when your goals and success seem quite distant.

I have found these times most crucial for personal achievement – for a ‘turn-around’.  For a leader, the recognition, energy, and activity required for effectively coping and moving forward during times of crisis are more important than any other time.   It is within the environment of chaos that leadership is exposed. It is the most difficult time to marshal personal and team resources.  Crises are the true test of personal effectiveness and leadership.  As a wise person wrote,

“It is easy enough to be pleasant,
When life flows by like a song,
But the man worth while
Is one who will smile,
When everything goes dead wrong.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

The old saying, “Easier said than done”, is only relevant when we are stuck in inertia spending more time complaining than acting.  Michael Josephson advises,

“When you are in a hole, stop digging.”

Effective personal and organizational leadership must be uplifting, not “downbeating”.  It must be creative, visionary, and appropriately risk-taking.

During crises, risk must be managed.  But first, it must be understood.  Bob Lutz, a guru at General Motors, advises that in times of crisis a measure of “productive paranoia” is useful.  Fanatic discipline to manage risk must be empirical in focus, a rigorous assessment of the facts, and actions to root out what actually works and what does not.

Effective leadership must be disciplined to constantly focus on which attitudes correlate to successful action and which actions correlate to successful results.  Disciplined focus and activity lead to increased resilience and faith.  As Steve Jobs said,

“Sometimes life is going to hit you in the face with a brick.  Don’t lose faith.”

Faith is not relying on the anticipation of good luck.  Good luck cannot be the foundation for success.  Faith in self is the Well from which personal resourcefulness can flow.   Faith in self is an essential ingredient to overcome threats to survival, be they personal or organizational.

Faith provides the stimulus to stay in motion. The key is to do what is known to work. For the individual, it is exercise, nutrition, journaling, networking, working a plan.  For the leader, it is collaborating, inspiring, guiding, and leading from the front.  Many of the Small Bites emphasize these principles, especially in the chapters on Courage, Success, and Action.

Every football running back can attest that it is easier to change direction when in motion.  Remember that every unexpected adversity creates possibilities for a different experience. There are no failures in life, only lessons.  Wisdom is earned when you embrace the lessons in every failure.  These are often hidden and often with unanticipated opportunities. 

Like the undaunted young man excited by the pile of horse manure claiming, “There must be a pony around here someplace!” our challenge is always to look for the pony, the opportunity, while handling the turbulence.  Many Small Bites speak to this wisdom.

Turbulence – Emergency Procedures

“Make a commitment that tragedies and disappointments become a source of increased Patience, Strength, & Wisdom.” – Dad

“If you are going through hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill

“In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.” – Anonymous

“God sometimes does try to the uttermost those whom he wishes to bless.” – Mohandas Gandhi