With an endless supply of inspiration online, it seems like there’s something new I want to chase or experience every day. While I’ve toned down the shiny object syndrome I used to be so susceptible to, there are still things that rise to the top.
I experienced this shortly after we moved to Montana. The house we rented was right down the street from the municipal airport. I watched planes take off and fly around our neighborhood all day. My grandfather had a plane and I remember flying with him when I was young. Since then, I’ve always wanted to get my pilot’s license. The problem was that I either didn’t have the money or didn’t have the time. Now I found myself living close to a good flight school and being somewhere halfway in between having the money and the time, not enough of both.
After having to go into the flight school to test to renew my drone license certification, I talked to a flight instructor who just happened to be there. He suggested I take an introductory flight. I knew if that happened, I would be hooked and have to complete this dream.
After talking to my wife about it, she suggested I take the flight and find out what it would take for me to get my license. I did just that and then worked out how I would fit studying and student flying into my busy schedule.
With the school so close, it was easy for me to schedule an hour lesson once or twice each week, almost like taking a break to go to the gym. I knew that I would need to schedule it and that it would have to happen during my work day because we had too many activities going on as a family for me to use evenings or weekends. Sometimes I would drop my kids off at school, head over to the airport for an hour flight, and then to my office to start my day.
It worked because I scheduled it. I was able to get my private pilot’s license in just under eight months.
I was able to schedule my dream during time my kids were at school because I have schedule flexibility. I don’t assume everybody has that ability. But we all do have downtime, and we spend it on something. The question is: are you using your time intentionally toward something meaningful, or are you letting it drift away?
If I hadn’t worked my dream into my schedule, it would have never happened. Instead of sitting in frustration, never having tried at all, I chose to use my available time well.
I was then able to share my love of aviation with my children as they were some of the first people I took flying. They also got to see me chase a dream without trading time with them for the dream.
You may not have the same flexibility I do, but you have some time. Early mornings, lunch breaks, time currently spent scrolling social media. Whatever it is, treat your dreams like appointments. Schedule them. Protect them. Make progress, even if it’s slower than you’d like.
A fulfilled father who pursues his dreams serves his family better than a frustrated father who abandons them.
What dream have you been putting off that you could start scheduling into your week?