July 2, 2020

Do the Wright thing

In 2019, the FAA required that you pass a bunch of written tests and log 1,500 hours of flight time to become a qualified airline pilot. This takes no less than two years.

In 1903, Wilbur Wright won a coin toss with his brother Orville and became the first person to pilot a powered aircraft. He was, by definition, unqualified. And in fact, he pulled up too sharply, stalled, and crashed in less than 4 seconds.

Here’s the thing...

When you’re trying to accomplish something that has been done a million times before, you can read the manual or go to school or hire an expert or copy the greats or whatever. That’s the right thing to do.

When you’re trying to do something brand new, you just have to go for it, even though you don’t feel qualified. You are, by definition, unqualified. And in fact, you will probably screw it up a few times.

Try anyway.

It’s the right thing to do.

Yours,

—J

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