Page 23 - Never Fly Solo

xviii | INTRODUCTION
It won’t be easy. Growth seldom is. It will involve risk,
courage, and commitment. But I guarantee you, the journey
will be well worth it.
If not for the trust I had in my wingmen, and my commit-
ment to conquer my fears, I would never have graduated from
the Air Force Academy or had those silver Air Force pilot’s
wings pinned to my chest. I would not have had the opportu-
nity to travel the world, break the sound barrier in an F-16,
or teach dozens of people how to fly jets. Nor would I have
endured yearlong remote tours of duty in Korea, deployments
to the sweltering Saudi Arabian desert, horrific panic attacks
at 20,000 feet in the night skies of Iraq, or surface-to-air mis-
sile launches. After all, it takes courage to step outside your
comfort zone and pursue your passions.
It was the courage I learned in the Air Force that gave me
the courage to leave the Air Force. I left behind a secure mili-
tary career and flew into very unfamiliar territory. Armed
with an M.B.A. but no real-world business experience, I
entered the corporate world and eventually started my own
consulting business. It was a huge risk, and I failed countless
times while struggling to adapt to this new mission. What
made the difference for me were the wingmen who had my
back and kept me on target. Just as in combat, I was never
flying solo.
My point? That risk has its rewards as well as its chal-
lenges. To succeed, you not only have to be willing to deal
with the missiles en route to the target, but you also need
trusting partners on your wing—partners who will look out
for you and help you perform at your best.
Every day, new missiles are launched. The changing econ-
omy, budget cuts, layoffs, turnover, health challenges, family
issues—they’re all part of life. And in the midst of these chal-