Buzz had to say during an interview about dealing with tough situations and accepting help from others . He said , paraphrased :
“ Take a good , long , honest , positive look at what good can come out of every situation you ’ re in . Wherever you are , that ’ s where you are . This is your history you ’ re living right now , so do what you can to make the most of what comes along . And please , don ’ t try to do everything on your own . There are a lot of people out there in the universe who wish you well and want to be your friend . Let them help you . You don ’ t have to carry it all on your own .”
Lesson No . 3 : Failure Is Always An Option .
In the book “ No Dream Is Too High ,” Buzz said , “ Some people don ’ t like to admit that they have failed or that they have not yet achieved their goals or lived up to their own expectations . But failure is not a sign of weakness . It is a sign that you are alive and growing .”
Everyone at NASA , including Buzz , knew of the high risks involved with their mission : the Saturn V liftoff , the lunar module ascent engine firing , landing on the moon , re-entry , and splashdown . Even at NASA ’ s famous 99.9 % reliability standard , much could still go wrong .
Yet Buzz and the entire NASA team moved forward , relying on the technical competency of the people working to make the mission happen . They focused on removing as much risk as possible , with every system and component having the “ living daylights ” tested out of it . They thought through every “ what if ” scenario they could to make even the explosion of an oxygen tank survivable .
In business , there ’ s always a risk of failure — and that risk stops a lot of people from going all in , setting big goals , or taking action . They focus on what could go wrong instead of what might actually go right , and because of it , they inherently fail to accomplish their dreams .
High performers understand the risks but work to mitigate them — and move ahead despite them . They know that most failures are rarely fatal , unless you give up and use them as an excuse to hold back , not take action , or not try again . All businesses require constant course-correction , cleaning up messes , righting the ship when it ’ s gone off course , setbacks , and disappointments . You ’ re never going to get everything perfect , and waiting until there is no risk before moving ahead is the only surefire way to do nothing .
Lesson No . 4 : Always Have A ' Next .'
After returning from the moon landing , Buzz ’ s life was filled with ticker-tape parades , interviews , meetings with heads of state , and speaking tours . But despite all of his newfound fame , he felt unfulfilled . He had accomplished an enormous dream , an incredible goal , but what was next ?
" I wanted to resume my duties , but there were no duties to resume ," he wrote in “ Magnificent Desolation .”
“ There was no goal , no sense of calling , no project worth pouring myself into .” As a result , he sunk into severe depression and started drinking , not even getting out of bed some days . He nearly destroyed his marriage by having an affair . He worried about the mental health issues that ran in his family , with both his mother and grandfather committing suicide .
“ Simply put , I was without a career , and I was feeling the aftereffects of it all . As always , I was standing by , ready for liftoff , but I needed to realign my direction and find a new runway .”
Encouraged by his then-girlfriend , Buzz sought help , checking himself into alcohol rehabilitation . It was a start to a longer journey of recovery . But after hitting rock bottom when he was arrested for smashing in the door of his girlfriend ’ s apartment , he finally got disgusted enough with his behavior that he gave up the bottle for good . Fortunately , his story ends well . More than 50 years after our galaxy ’ s most famous walk , Buzz has refused to let that achievement be all he leaves behind . With the lessons he learned , as well as the funding , research , books , and collaboration he continues to do with experts in space travel and technology , he ’ s built an empire . And at 91 years young , he ’ s actively and passionately involved in a project he calls “ Get Your Ass To Mars ,” a project that benefits his ShareSpace , Aldrin Family Foundation . n
5 Fascinating Facts About Buzz Aldrin
We dare you to name a more fascinating human than Buzz Aldrin . From leaving footprints on the moon to exploring the depths of the ocean to influencing future space travel and exploration , Buzz has lived the past 91 years of his life to the fullest . Here are just five of our favorite facts about the man who defines what it means to truly live .
No . 1 : Buzz Is His Legal Name , But Not His Birth Name .
Buzz was actually born Edwin E . Aldrin Jr ., but the name he would become most known for is credited to his sister , Fay Ann . According to family lore , Fay Ann struggled to pronounce the word “ brother ” and instead called Buzz her “ buzzer .” The name stuck , and in the 1980s , Buzz legally changed his name to Buzz Aldrin .
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