Were you just counting on good looks and charm to catch a fish?
See, a funny thing happened on the way to space: I learned how to live better and more happily here on Earth. Over time, I learned how to anticipate problems in order to prevent them, and how to respond effectively in critical situations. I learned how to neutralize fear, how to stay focused and how to succeed. And many of the techniques I learned were fairly simple though counter intuitive — crisp inversions of snappy aphorisms, in some cases.
Astronauts are taught that the best way to reduce stress is to sweat the small stuff. We’re trained to look on the dark side and to imagine the worst things that could possibly happen. In fact, in simulators, one of the most common questions we learn to ask ourselves is, “Okay, what’s the next thing that will kill me?” …
Think about Survivor (the reality show)…The show has been on for years now, so everybody knows some of the skills you need in order to win: how to make a fire, for instance, and build a shelter out of branches. And yet, year after year, contestants show up without knowing the basics. I don’t get that. You knew you were going to be on Survivor — were you just counting on good looks and charm to catch a fish? Knowing that the stakes are a million dollars and a whole different life, why not come prepared?
To me, it’s simple: if you’ve got the time, use it to get ready. What else could you possibly have to do that’s more important?…
I don’t regret being ready (…and I don’t view any of it as a waste of time). That’s how I approach just about everything. I spend my life getting ready to play “Rocket Man”. I picture the most demanding challenge; I visualize what I would need to know how to do to meet it; then I practice until I reach a level of competence where I’m comfortable I’ll be able to perform. It’s what I’ve always done, ever since I decided I wanted to be an astronaut in 1969, and that conscious methodical approach to preparation is the main reason I got to Houston.
I never stopped getting ready. Just in case.
—
I’ve mixed a few of my scattered highlights to build this Kindle Keep from Chris Hadfield’s inspirational book, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination, and Being Prepared for Anything.
This one is in my list of top 10 book that my kids have to read before they begin a serious pursuit of anything, especially their vocation. I wish the book existed in my 20s. It’s an important guide to learning how to prepare and how to choose — and why the specifics of the journey should guide one’s choices, and not the hype that surrounds that elusive destination.
