Being a successful, strong and marketable aviator requires implementing powerful habits in your personal life. Good productive habits are EVERYTHING when it comes to success in your career. Even the tiniest changes to your daily routine will breed a more stable mood, lifestyle, and overall general well being. Here are 5 powerful habits of successful pilots:
PUT YOURSELF FIRST.
This may seem like an easy feat, but when so many responsibilities fall on your shoulders, both at home and in the flight deck, the tiniest tasks that aid in your overall wellbeing tend to be the items that fall to the wayside. What it looks like to put yourself first:
Take your mental and physical health seriously
Take time for yourself first thing in the morning (Even if it means getting up 20 minutes earlier)
Honor the commitments you make to yourself
2. BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT AND WHO YOU ALLOW IN YOUR PERSONAL LIFE
Something as simple as what you listen to on your commute can make or break your attitude for the day. Who you choose to converse with will set the tone and rub off on how you interact with others. Understandably, you cannot control your co-workers or crew, be the thermostat and not gauge. Don’t rise to meet their attitudes. So long as you control what you are exposed to personally, you can strengthen your presence in uncontrolled situations.
3. ANCHOR YOUR GOALS
Set simple goals and chip away at them. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. One of the most important habits to build is to know where you want to be in life, and make a plan to get it. If you aim for nothing, thats exactly what you will get.
Goals determine your daily plans and habits; stay focused on how you spend your time, and keep at the forefront your priorities.
4. CREATE A DAILY PLAN THE NIGHT BEFORE
Every day looks different when you don't technically have a schedule as a traveller. Clear your mind for a good night sleep by jotting down what you would like for your next day to consist of. You are more likely to accomplish these tasks when you have an engrained idea of what a successful day would look like in your personal situation.
An important note on this particular topic however; have grace with yourself and be flexible. The only constant in aviation is change, simply roll over tasks that weren’t tackled to a later date. You are still moving forward.
5. REMIND YOURSELF THAT OTHER PEOPLES’ OPINIONS OF YOU, ARE NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS
Keep the people pleasing at a minimum. Its impossible to control what others' think and feel. Dont waste your energy on anything that feels empty. If you cater to bad conversations, or open your mind to negative context, you will be opening yourself up to other peoples’ problems and not cultivating what grows and strengthens you as a pilot.
Crew Resource Management is huge in the cockpit, but if its not discussing the factual situation at hand, or building you up to learn and become a better aviator, then politely leave it be.
Start small, and watch your life build into a strong and amazing career. If you dont love what you do, even on the hard days, its just a job, and thats no place to live. Aviation is a lifestyle, and you can make it as wholesome and fulfilling as you want, all it takes is a little effort each day.
I pray your personal and professional life builds in leaps and bounds. GO GET EM!
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