Tip: May the force be with you!

Tip of the Week
05/13/13

Tip: May the force be with you!

Recently I heard a pilot talk about what was involved in flying an airplane.  Since I spend so much of my life traveling on airplanes, you would think that I would have been interested in learning how a plane actually flies a long time ago!  Nevertheless, I was interested in what this particular pilot had to say.  Though I am not a pilot myself and do not pretend to be, let me see if I can sum up in simple terms what I learned.

The pilot explained that in order for a plane to fly successfully, there are four components that are involved in the process: lift, thrust, weight, and drag.  Each one is different, but each one is necessary in order for the aircraft to fly properly.

First there is lift.  That is the aerodynamic force perpendicular to the relative wind.  In other words, that is the force that allows the plane to get off the ground and stay in the air.

Next is thrust.  Thrust is the force produced by the engine, whether by propeller or jet, in order to push the aircraft forward and keep it in motion.

Weight is the force of gravity directed downward from the center of the plane toward the earth.

And finally, drag is the aerodynamic force that opposes an aircraft’s motion through the air.  It is the air resistance that pulls against the forward motion.  That is one reason planes fly better at higher altitudes.  Usually, the higher a plane flies, the less wind force or drag it has while moving through the air.

Now, I am not trying to give you flying lessons.  In fact, I am not even sure I just stated all of the above correctly!  It is just that as I was listening to those four components, I couldn’t help but see how each one of them relates to life.

A person who is full of lift will always encourage you.  They will be a blessing to you and will make your life better.  After spending time with them, you will seem to have a “lift” in your step because they have made life a little lighter for you.  This is the kind of person who knows how to elevate your spirit when they give you a compliment or say something nice to you.

A person of thrust is one who motivates you and inspires you and points you in the right direction.  They know how to push you along by doing things that encourage you to take action.  Although true motivation comes from within, their inspiration makes you want to be better, do better, and accomplish more in your life.

While the first two forces are positive, unfortunately the last two are not.  A person of weight is someone who pulls you down.  They tend to be negative and often say or do things to discourage you.  They are always “nit-picking” and trying to find fault with everything you do.  When you are around them, you feel beaten up and beaten down.  In order to keep from “crashing,” you need to avoid them!

Finally, drag represents someone who always has a sad story.  Their goldfish just died.  It rained cats and dogs and they got bitten by one with rabies.  It rained soup and all they had was a fork.  They consistently want you to cheer them up and make them feel better.  If you see them coming, it would be better to hide…especially if you see them before they see you!  They are a drag to your life.

I’m not trying to be unkind in any way.  We all have been a weight or a drag to other people at some time in our life, but we need to focus on being a person of lift and thrust, instead.  Having those two traits will cause others to be blessed by our lives and we will be blessed in return as well.  We will be full of love, joy and peace as we interact with other people and cause them to be lifted because of their encounter with us.

My purpose in this Tip is to encourage you to fly in life, not to teach you how to fly an airplane.  So, may the force be with you – the positive kind!  This week, cut loose the weight and the drag from your life.  Add the lift and the thrust and do all you can to look for ways to encourage, motivate and inspire others.  You will be glad you did, and they will, too!

Tip: May the force be with you!

Have a great week!  God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm