the moon ,” he recalled . “ However , we understand that people were not just cheering for three guys but for what we represented . That , by the nation and the world coming together , we had accomplished the impossible , and the true value of it is the amazing story of innovation and teamwork that overcame many obstacles to reach the moon .”
Every entrepreneur knows all too well that you can only renegade and bootstrap your business to a point . If you truly want to grow , you need to build a team that can work together , despite differences in personalities , agendas , and preferences . You , as the leader , are the person responsible for setting the goal and direction , then putting the right team together who can work together , despite differences , to accomplish that goal .
As Buzz said , “ Apollo is the story of people at their best , working together for a common goal . With a united effort and a great team , you too can achieve great things .”
On this same topic , I appreciated what 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 ; some days , not even getting out of bed . 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 .
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