Into the Wind

I was taxiing to the runway at Atlanta International Airport this week, and it was taking a really long time. We were originally told we were third for take-off, but 20 minutes had passed on a bright, blue day and we just kept rolling down the tarmac. Finally, the captain came on, “Sorry for the delay folks, but as you can see we are still taxiing. While we were waiting, the wind unexpectedly changed direction. Airplanes always take off into the wind so, we’ve all had to move to get back in position.”

We took off shortly after that but I kept thinking about that statement, “airplanes always take off into the wind.” If you’d asked me, I would have said airplanes could take off no matter the wind direction (as long as it wasn’t too strong) or, if I had to give a split-second guess, I would have said ‘with the wind.’ Why? Because our language is full of ‘with the wind’ positivisms: ‘our project has a good tailwind’ or ‘the wind is at your back now.’ But when you think about it, it makes sense. You might need a little more thrust at first, but once you are in the air, the wind under your wings lifts you up.

Of course, I kept thinking about it because it’s a great analogy for business and life in general. When you are new in your career, just starting your business, new to an industry or just starting something anywhere in your life, your first inclination is to go with the strongest wind that blows you. What is ‘follow your passion’ but another way of saying ‘go with the strongest wind.’ So, we take the first job offer, jump at business deals, or take on easy partnerships. While it might all work out, in my experience those wins don’t work out in the end. You’ll likely go fast—the wind is at your back—but it might be in the wrong direction. To have growth (altitude), you often need to go into the wind; you have to take the time to learn the hard skills, have the tough meetings, pass up easy deals in favor of the right ones, and use a little more thrust to push through. Because if you do, it’s those hard fought ‘into the wind’ actions that will help lift you higher and eventually keep you aloft.