My wife doesn’t like to fly. She hates turbulence. I used to be the same way. Her energy would easily put me into a panicked state as the plane would flip-flop all over the place.

I think there’s something to be learned from turbulence.

Expect turbulence on every flight you take.

When you set out on a new adventure, plan to start a new business, prepare to roll-out a new marketing campaign, set optimistic revenue goals, decide to get your real estate license, buy a dog, have a baby, start laying a hardwood floor, hope for the best – but expect it to get bumpy.

A positive attitude is important, but too much of a positive, nothing-can-go-wrong type of attitude, and you’re walking on the edge of naivety.

Of course, you need to plan for some “what-if” situations, but you can’t possibly plan for all of them. Do everything you can to plan in advance, but be ready for anything.

If pilots and airlines waited for the perfect conditions to fly, we’d never get anywhere. They anticipate turbulence in advance and take the appropriate steps to ensure a smooth flight. But when the shit hits the fan, the true professional uses her skills and knowledge to deal with it accordingly.

Do the same.