Course Correction

February 13th, 2012

How often is an airplane on the exact preset course as it’s flying?

We know that pilots submit a flight path in advance of departure.  They know the course they’re flying.  Settings are planned.  But how often is the plane on its exact course?

The reality is that it’s not on course very often.

How often could a plane be wheels up at the exact second the schedule indicates? Pilots know the wind conditions, anticipated weather, etc.  But there are always course corrections to be made.

The same is true when you and I get in our cars for a short trip.  We know where we’re going and how many stops are anticipated.  But we almost never arrive at the destination at the exact moment we anticipate.  We must course correct constantly – we change speed for traffic variations, we make an extra stop to take a call, or we decide it’s a good thing to get a cup of coffee and stand up a while.

Do these adjustments to our plan make us feel like a failure?  Of course not.  That’s just the way it is.  We monitor conditions and make adjustments.

We think differently about our goals though.  We get attached to the exact way that we’re going to achieve what we set out to do.  We decide that the plan must be followed to the letter, and when we fail to meet that goal, we berate ourselves.  It’s a huge mistake.  Given that even highly trained pilots are constantly course correcting, what makes us think that we will complete whatever task precisely as planned?

To achieve greater success with your goals this year, anticipate course corrections.  Plan for them.  Expect them.  Know how to best adjust your work to reach your goals.  Course correction is a fact of life.  Embrace it now to achieve greater success later.

- Chuck Zimmerman

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