Business Start-Ups & Nighttime Aircraft Carrier Landings

I recently came across a video of a fighter jet landing on an aircraft carrier at night in complete darkness. The only exception to the darkness was the dotted runway lights.

In my imagination I’m trying to arrive at what the pilot’s thought process must be: “There are a few lights down there. I am in alignment with them; I’m going to go ahead and just crash the plane right into them. Whooooo, Let’s go! Yeah!”

I also imagine being an entrepreneur is the same. Although I am starting my own multifaceted real estate development business, I am not sure if the term entrepreneur is correct. I do, however, relate to the concept of a crash landing in the dark.

Running low on fuel and in complete darkness, the pilot must trust his instruments to guide him to the light. Then, he must place trust in the lights to guide him to land. Then, he must trust that the equipment to stop the plane will work. Trust is the key word there. Trust in the equipment, Trust in the plane’s instruments, Thrust in the people that maintain the systems, and most important, trust in your own abilities.

The only thing worse than a night landing is a night landing in poor weather with low visibility and the carrier deck is pitching. I imagine that sort of thing coming down to a business decision where your choices are limited.

A) Focus, clinch your teeth, trap the hook safely, and land the plane. Then, take a warm shower, and get some rest.

B) Crash the plane on the deck, hope to eject safely in the proximity of a rescue with limited physical damage.

C) Crash the airplane into rough seas and hope for a rescue before succumbing to the frigid temperatures.

D) Don’t fly fighter jets for the Navy.

In a business situation, the choices are similar.

1: Get traction and get the business to flourish.

2: Have a great idea that doesn’t quite pan out but pivot into something that works.

3: Get the business started but loose steam and fizzle out.

4: Don’t start a business and go work for someone else.

There would be a real problem if option 4 was not feasible. What if you’re the lucky guy with a rocky career record who can’t work for someone else? What do you do then?

Similar to the fighter pilot, there are really two simple options: Land the damn plane or crash and die.