Book of the Week: An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth
05 Oct 2015
This week, I read retired Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield’s An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth: What Going to Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination and Being Prepared for Anything. You may recognize Chris from his public outreach efforts when he was on the International Space Station (ISS). If you ever wanted to know how it feels like to be an astronaut (enemas before launch), this book is for you. I’ve read plenty of books about success and happiness, but Chris Hadfield is a person who has lived it. He speaks from personal experience instead of scientific studies. Somehow it seems more real coming from him. Space Oddity Music Video [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaOC9danxNo&w;=560&h;=315] Space Burrito with Chef Traci Des Jardins w/ The MythBusters [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8-UKqGZ_hs&w;=560&h;=315] Astronaut
An astronaut is someone who’s able to make good decisions quickly, with incomplete information, when the consequences really matter.
Even if you’re selected as an astronaut, there is no actual guarantee you’ll go into space. Astronauts prepare for many years before their mission by going through lots of training and simulations. This preparations enables astronauts to respond to next thing that may kill them.
The truth is that nothing went as we’d planned, but everything was within the scope of what we prepared for.
Space is a high risk endeavor, so it is important to preparation covers all possible scenarios. In the event that something occurs that isn’t covered, you can be sure it will be added. Ladders
It’s never either-or, never enjoyment versus advancement, so long as you conceive of advancement in terms of learning rather than climbing go the next run of the professional ladder. You are getting ahead if you learn, even if you wind up on staying in the same rung.
Astronaut’s don’t have a strictly upward career ladder. It’s not like you make it to the top and you get to go to space. You need training, working in support roles, working in administrative roles to advance the space program. There is a lot more to being an astronaut than going into space. Of course, everyone wants to go to space, but the truth is that not everyone will be able to. If you have lots of skills, then you may position yourself to be the most qualified for the next space mission. Life on Earth
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.
Simulations have “green cards” that throw an unexpected wrench into the mix. Astronauts need to be able to respond to them since those events may occur during a mission. It is not just one bad thing that can happen. There are a whole spectrum of bad things that could happen. Something that looks small could actually be fatal.
My optimism and confidence come not from feeling I’m luckier than other mortals, and they sure don’t come from visualizing victory. They’re the result of a lifetime spent visualizing defeat and figuring out how to prevent it.
In order to stay alive, you need to invest the time in figuring out how to keep the next thing from killing you. You don’t panic, because you know what the next course of action to take. Aim to Be a Zero
As a minus one: actively harmful, someone who creates problems. Or as a zero: your impact is neutral and doesn’t tip the balance one way or the other. Or you’ll be seen as a plus one: someone who actively adds value.
Sometimes the best you can be in some situations is a zero. When you’re a zero, your job is to learn and absorb environment until you can be a plus one. Attitude
The whole process of becoming an astronaut helped me understand that what really matters is not the value someone else assigns to a task, but how I personally feel while performing it.
If you can’t enjoy the journey, you’re going to be miserable and are probably never going to get to the destination. Purchase An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth on Amazon.com or check it out from your local library.