More than 100,000 flights take off and land every day all over the globe.

In Stephen M. R. Covey‘s book, How to Develop a Personal Mission Statement, he talks about staying on course. Did you know that a plane is off course 90% of the time?

Before a flight takes off, the pilot creates a flight plan, knowing their destination and approximately how long it will take to get there. They lift off at the scheduled time, but during the flight, air turbulence, weather conditions, and other factors keep pushing the plane off course. In fact, the plane is off course about 90% of the time.

So, how does the pilot get to their destination on schedule?

The pilot gathers information regularly from instruments, radar, weather reports, and ground control technicians. Using this data, they evaluate their current location relative to their destination and adjust their direction to get back on course. They make constant course corrections throughout the flight.

Being a leader, like you, is a lot like a pilot preparing to take off. You have a specific destination. You create a ‘flight’ plan, assemble the resources you need, and begin your journey. But as you grow and become more well-known, it’s possible that the picture you envisioned as your destination has become less clear, overshadowed by the day-to-day details of the work.

Without a course correction, you might not reach your desired destination. One of my favorite quotes is, “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll never get there.”

Where is your ‘there’ for 2024? It’s July 1 – are you on course?

(Photo: Michael Kelley)