What is your New Year's resolution? Have you set a (flying) goal for the new year? Many of us make various resolutions, whether it's to reduce wing loading or to fly further. However, these goals often fall short.
Is there a better approach than a goal?
A goal is the end point of an effort. In other words, a measurable objective or a geographical location in the future. A goal leaves little or no room for maneuver, either it is achieved or not. Having a goal is tempting and obvious, especially when flying where you are advancing geographically.
50 kilometers.100 or even over 200. An FAI triangle. From Fiesch to Chur. These are all goals. Sometimes we reach them, often we don't.
And then we are frustrated. We're sitting on the flower meadow in the valley in the most beautiful sunshine, surrounded by a breathtaking mountain panorama, and we're frustrated because we've been forced to land.
On my many flights, I notice that distance flying, measuring yourself in kilometers, is becoming more and more important. We want to optimize ourselves as much as possible, to achieve the 100 in order to achieve fame and glory in the XC contest. Performance distance flying has become the measure of all things in the perception of many pilots. This performance-oriented attitude sometimes leads to missed opportunities and uncertain experiences. This is because most pilots are not yet in a position to meet these high demands on their own flying experience.
The other side of the coin
Another downside of measurable goals is that the path should be as straightforward as possible. We are focused and want to achieve something. This can be very satisfying and instructive. But in return, we miss out on all the exciting things along the way. In aviation terms, we forgo following the eagle that crosses our path and flies in a different direction just to reach our destination, perhaps missing out on the most beautiful flying experience of the year.
Having a goal can motivate us, reaching a goal can make us happy. Landing after reaching a destination is incomparably good. But the unavoidable flip side of the coin is that not achieving a goal can also be quite frustrating. And even an achieved goal leaves a certain emptiness afterwards, you have to reorient yourself and look for something further and higher and become driven by your own aspirations.
Curiosity and play
Goals are things from the adult world. Children still have almost no goals that go beyond the playful achievement of immediate satisfaction. Children play and learn with curiosity and do not follow a straight path. Nothing has to be achieved and everything is still possible.
This is exactly what I want to experience more and more when flying in recent years. Above all, flying should be fun and playful. It's my free time and my own freedom, it's just a few hours of my life and I want it to be fulfilling. And, if possible, also on the way to a destination. And the same goes for the sometimes forced deviation from the destination.
The setting
This is where a word comes into play that is now much more important to me than a measurable end point. If you like, it's an attitude to life that works both with and without concrete goals and, above all, gives short-term goals real meaning.
This word is called intention or attitude. It is the HOW and not the WHAT. It is the “I am” and not the “I will do”.
An attitude is a basic mindset that defines how we want to behave and show ourselves in life. Only what is within this range comes into question. It therefore serves as a decision-making aid and guide. It also defines how we experience something. And thus allows for many more possibilities than the one end point of an endeavor or a geographical location.
An attitude should not be confused with a goal. A destination is a point or state in the future. An attitude involves the present. Attitudes are born from intuition and serve as a guide on the flight. Without a clear attitude, the goal is like flying with a wing that is too big, it is no fun and you are steered in unwanted directions by wind and turbulence. You often end up in the proverbial lee or at the bottom of the valley.
In an environment that changes within minutes and can never be completely planned, such as a paragliding flight, the flying intention or attitude is much more important and satisfying than the goal measured in kilometers or time. After all, the goal leads to expectations that are very quickly disappointed in this environment. In addition, expectations make thinking narrow because the situation usually does not offer exactly what we have set ourselves up for and narrow thinking quickly leads to dangerous situations when flying.
A clear attitude helps us to perceive possibilities and formulate short-term goals. Examples of sensible attitudes when flying could be: “I am a safe pilot” or “I am curious and enjoy every moment” or “I am prepared”. All future decisions are then made on the basis of these values and therefore have a firm foundation.
How would you like to experience your flying year? - The paraworld.ch team wishes you lots of fun in finding your attitude to flying. And many more safe adventures, big and small!