Page 138 - Never Fly Solo

ABORT! ABORT! | 111
combat, when it really mattered? What would your educa-
tion, professional training, and character mean if you quit
every time things got tough?
As professionals, we need to step up and have the charac-
ter and strength to do the right thing even though it may be
challenging and painful. As executives, entrepreneurs, manag-
ers, coaches, parents, and friends, we have to live up to our
commitments and responsibilities to fulfill the roles we signed
up for. We can’t just abort at the first sign of struggle. Imagine
if all our soldiers turned tail and ran when they first saw the
enemy.
Today we see too much of exactly that behavior. It’s what
erodes the fabric of the business world and the society we live
in. We watch with resentment as executives embezzle money
from their employees and shareholders. We watch in horror
as our own politicians sell out to greed and participate in
shady negotiations. We see managers make false promises to
clients on deliverables and fees, eroding the reputation of their
companies. And we see married couples with children divorce
when their relationship is tested, without really trying to work
things out.
So why does this occur?
Fear. Fear of failure. Fear of mediocrity. Fear of not being
accepted or liked. Fear even of success. The list goes on.
We have to live up to a higher standard and not forsake
our values, our purpose, and our wingmen at the first sign of
adversity. This is what reaching new heights is all about.
But it’s not always easy. We need to focus on those things
that are greater than our fears if we hope to muster the cour-
age to strap in, take off, and face the missiles.
What gave me the courage not to quit was my commit-
ment to live up to my obligation as an officer, not leave my