Could you land a plane?

A car is speeding down the scenic routes of Portugal.

It’s me and my two close friends, my unofficial mastermind group.

One of them dropped something pretty fascinating:

“One study says 50% of men think they can land a commercial plane.”

After a pause, he added: “Honestly? I think I could as well.”

Sitting in the back, I couldn’t help but chuckle and agree:

“I’m pretty sure that 100% of this car thinks that we could too.”

It sounds absurd, right? But as we shared a laugh, there was an undeniable truth in our overconfidence.

It got me thinking. We often believe we’re capable of Herculean tasks. Like landing a plane.

But according to a pilot, most wouldn’t even manage to find the right button to call the navigation tower for help.

Here lies the metaphor for life and entrepreneurship:

We dream big. We envision ourselves tackling the most daunting challenges, thinking, “How hard could it be?”

While the reality is a complex cockpit filled with controls we barely understand.

The lesson? It’s not just about believing you can land the plane. It’s recognizing the years of training, the hours of practice, and the countless failures pilots endure to safely touch down on the runway.

This doesn’t mean we should curb our ambitions. Far from it.

It’s a call to appreciate the journey, the learning, and the preparation that goes into achieving our BHAGs (big hairy audacious goals). To value the expertise and not just the outcome.

It’s not the belief that we can land the plane that counts. It’s the dedication to learn every switch, button, and lever in the cockpit.

So, next time you’re convinced you can do something wildly out of your league, ask yourself: “Am I ready to learn what every button does?”

Here’s to the dreamers ready to become learners on that Extra Mile!

Carpe Diem,

Tino