The Most Important Problem

I skipped SAM last week

I was running around on set being a production assistant

After working in this industry for over a decade

It was my first experience working on a set as a non-actor

I had a ball

Driving talent around

Moving lighting equipment

Getting everyone their coffee orders (and mucking it up repeatedly)

At the end of the day, I had to drive one of the performers home

We were talking about other interests

“I’ve spent the last 6 years studying to become a pilot” they said…

My head swivelled slowly to face them

“TELL ME EVERYTHING” I replied

I’ve always had a fascination with pilots

Because of the stakes 

The requirement for keeping a cool head under pressure

The responsibility they have for people’s lives 

He then proceeded to tell me story after story

About all the mistakes, miscommunications and close calls he has had

I listened (with sweaty armpits)

This is the second conversation I’ve had with a pilot in the last few years

They’ve both said the same thing

Being a pilot is all about managing problems

Problems happen on every flight

The better the pilot

The better their ability to decide which problem to work on

Bottom line: Indecision is death to a pilot

The second those lights start flashing

Decide

Decide what the most important problem is and get after it

It doesn’t even matter if its right or wrong

To simply work on one problem is better than staring at two

This stung for me a bit

How many times have a sat staring at problems and not worked on anything due to indecision 

How many times have I thought myself out of making a decision and ended up doing nothing

Mmm 

What I took from the conversation:

Decide what my most important problem is

And get after it

Whether it is actually the most important one or not is irrelevant

Repeat: To simply work on one problem is better than staring at two

Curious

What’s my MIP?

What’s my most important problem? 

Decide

And go…

Hope this helps

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