Monday Morning Match is a quick post – maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea – intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.
Diverting from Your Destination
This weekend I was flying out west to visit my Mom in Kalispell, Montana. My first flight from Columbus to Denver was diverted at the last-minute and we were forced to land almost 500 miles away in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It turns out a very dense layer of fog had rolled in over the Denver airport very unexpectedly and visibility was reduced to zero. The pilots, along with United Airlines flight control, made a quick decision and we veered SW to the center of the Land of Enchantment.
As frustrating and inconvenient as this diversion was, I’d much rather have landed safely under sunny, clear skies than try to “find our way” onto the tarmac in near white-out conditions. We were in Albuquerque for about an hour while the plane refueled, and then once we were cleared to leave, we arrived in Denver about 3 hours later than expected.
Of course these early morning delays caused a ripple of delays through the rest of the day and remaining flights, causing me to land in Spokane almost two hours late. The good news is I made it safely to my final destination of Kalispell a few hours later but all in one piece.
Are You Getting Diverted or Distracted?
An airline diverting a flight due to fog is much different from a pilot being distracted by an inadvertent call from the control tower, a cell phone ping or a flight attendant asking when the plane is going to land. Being diverted from your plan of attack is different from how often we allow ourselves to get distracted from our end goal. Distractions are usually self-inflicted thanks to a lack of focus or clear understanding of what we are trying to do.
Knowing where you are going and what you’re trying to accomplish might give you the foresight to divert your time and attention to a “safe place” so you can get your bearings again and make sure that people in your care are safe. Diversions are a choice we make while distractions are forced upon us.
If you want to stay on course, learn to ignore the distractions. Save the diversions for when you can’t see clearly, are having mechanical issues or don’t feel that continuing on your current “flight plan” is in the best interests of all involved.
Remember, your final destination is where you can build relationships, solve problems and have fun. If you’re not on the final approach for any of those, determine whether you’ve been distracted or diverted… then get back on course. You still have time to make a successful landing.