AUGUST 2019 FLYINGMAG.COM | 23When a person does decide to learn
to f ly, they commit themselves to a
prolonged period of habitual effort
and study. While they are learning the
skills to command the flying machine,
they concurrently develop the habit
of managing the risks of operating
in this new environment. Perhaps
most significant, they also develop
the habit of remaining calm and in
control in stressful, even threatening
situations in this environment, until
so recently foreign to humans. These
are wonderful habits that, once devel-
oped in f lying, automatically carry
over to other realms of life.
Significantly, f lying attracts many
people who already have habits that
make them successful people and
great contributors to their communi-
ties, and they serve as wonderful role
models for the rest of us. But for all
of us, the activity of learning to fly—
and continuing to fly—develops and
strengthens beneficial habits.
As John and I have observed this,
we have developed an acronym to help
describe and remember these habits.
The acronym is P.L.A.Y. Please bear
with me. This explanation is hokey—
but John and I often strain to craft
tools to help people remember things.
The P stands for “Passion.” Flying
often introduces learning pilots for
the first time to the joy and benefits
of having a passion. People with a pas-
sion explore things deeply and tend to
persist even in times of difficulty.
The L stands for having “Lots of
Interests.” Flying develops new inter-
ests. People with lots of interests have
a habit of exploring new things.
The A stands for “Always Learning.”
Flying gets people into the habit of
learning. Habitual learners enjoy
the process of learning, and when
learning is required, as in flying,
they embrace it.
The Y stands for “Yet Again.” People
who stick with f lying have these
behaviors as ingrained habits, and
they keep circling back to practice
them over and over again.
People with these habits develop the
knowledge and intellectual resources
that empower innovation.We have another acronym that
we think explains how innovators
can best advance their ideas. The
ac r ony m i s T. N.T.
The first T stands for “Trust.” If
you aren’t perceived as trustworthy,
it is very hard to accomplish
anything through others. The
N prompts us to seek out the
“Needs” of others. The last T is a
stretch, but it reminds us that we
“Triumph” by providing solutions
to the needs of others.
Using P.L.A.Y. and T.N.T., you
have the makings of great contribu-
tion and success. As a result, like Ray
Dolby, you will wind up making the
world a better place for lots of people.
So when you have an opportunity
to encourage someone to learn to f ly,
I urge you to encourage them with
enthusiasm. It will give them great
satisfaction, help them build and
strengthen these wonderful habits,
and put them in great company.Once Ray Dolby discovered flying, it
became an all-consuming passion.