Nobody who gets too damned relaxed builds up much flying time.
Interpretation
Success requires effort and dedication; becoming complacent can hinder progress.
Ernest K. Gann's quote emphasizes the importance of diligence and constant effort in achieving success. It suggests that becoming too comfortable or relaxed can lead to stagnation, hindering one's growth and development, particularly in skills that require practice and persistence. The metaphor of building 'flying time' illustrates that one must actively engage and push oneself to reach new heights in any endeavor.
In practice
This quote could be used in a motivational speech for young entrepreneurs.
The men in this book are fictitious characters but their counterparts can be found in cockpits all over the world. Now they are flying a war. Tomorrow they will be flying a peace, for, regardless of the world's condition, flying is their life.
You can make all the excuses you want, but if you're not mentally tough and you're not prepared to play every night, you're not going to win.
The biggest challenge in business is not the competition, it's what goes on inside your own head
My parents said to us, practically on a daily basis, that we were as good as anyone else on this earth, and that we would simply have to work harder in order to show that.
When a gifted team dedicates itself to unselfish trust and combines instinct with boldness and effort, its ready to climb.
Dreams and actions are not so different as usually thought, as all actions of men are founded upon dreams, and their end - is a dream too.
A man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder - never likely to reach home port. To us comes the signal: chart your course, set your sail, position your rudder, and proceed.
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