The line quoted in the title of this blog
has become an infamous pop-culture misquote from the April 1970 flight of Apollo 13. Command Module leader John L. Swigert, actually said to Mission control, “we’ve had a problem”, but none the less, the “successful failure” mission (as NASA officials later called it during press conferences), could have been tragic without the talent, focus, and vision of the mission’s crew.
One of the most thought provoking and utterly “chilling” conversations I have ever had was during an airplane flight on my way to speak at a conference. I picked up on a conversation across the isle from me that a gentlemen was having with his seat mate. The gentleman talking was an astrophysicist, explaining how delicate of an operation it is for a space shuttle to enter into, and then return from space.
He discussed in detail the smoke, noise, fighter-jet escorts, brightness of the flame, the awesome power and physical speed that is generated, and the skill required to launch (and then safely return) that huge piece of hi-tech and expensive machinery.
Though I’ve never witnessed the event myself, from talking with people that have, and now listening to this man, both [the launch and return] are aptly breathtaking.
As a shuttle is up in space [the time most people stop paying attention], it is orbiting around the earth at thousands of miles an hour! Seriously, thousands of miles an hour? I can’t imagine this. I honestly get a little nervous [my wife would totally agree] when I’m going a little too fast on the expressway, or on a mountain bike. And imagine … what would cost of that speeding ticket be?
But remember – to reenter from outer space into the atmosphere, the shuttle has to go from thousands of miles an hour, down to… zero.
And, this entire process all needs to happen without any major post launch thrusting or propulsive ability. Not only that, this astrophysicist was explaining, but a shuttle has a certain “window” that it has to enter for the re-entry flight to be successful.
The last thing the astrophysicist said (as I was munching intently on my pretzels), was the most startling.
He stated,“even one degree off and the conclusion to a shuttle voyage could be catastrophic”.
That “window” come to find out, requires the shuttle to enter is at an exact time. That window, needs to be entered at the exact “angle of descent”. That angle, needs to be entered at an additional exact angle to the earth and the atmosphere so the shuttle doesn’t burn up and explode. Finally that window, needs to be entered at an exact degree, so the shuttle will not miss its mark by tens, hundreds, or thousands of miles.
In other words, to hear that word, “touchdown” coming through the communication system, the astronauts that pilot that shuttle have to be perfect. Within one degree.
SO WHAT?
Imagine if we thought like this when it came to business or personal development?
The reality is, many times we take a “as long as were in the ballpark” attitude towards our business, our mission, and our personal development expectations. As long as we come “close” to our window, we will be okay. For shuttle astronauts, “being okay”, would end in a fiery disastrous explosion.
That is not how you would want your personal or your business’s future to end up… is it?
So what would it look like for you and your business leaders to create, follow through on, and achieve exact goals? Would it change the way you do business? Would it change your personal development plan?
You may have heard the term SMART being used to establish goals for yourself or your business. Progenisys believes though, instead of SMART, goals should have an EXACT target.
Here are some EXACT goal setting tips to help you not end up in a fiery heap thousands of miles away from your touchdown point.
When establishing personal or business goals:
Enhancement minded: Does this goal help strengthen, fortify, or diversify us, or does it fragment and weaken us?
Xray-Level Understanding: Have we looked at everything, even the things that people maybe trying to hide?
Accountability measures: At every level, who is responsible for what, why, and when?
Commitment from all: Does every level of the operation know their role in this?
Timeline driven: Specifically, when will this be completed?
Just as the safe and successful landing is the goal of EVERY shuttle mission team member, so should the successful implementation and achievement be the goal of every endeavor you launch for your business or personal development.
Because honestly, it is ONLY the very lucky few who actually return safely from the words, “Houston, we’ve got a problem.”
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