Get-there-itis is a phenomenon known in aviation to be a pilot-killer. The technical term is plan confirmation bias.
Once a goal is set or in the case of flying, once a destination is set, we tell ourselves, that all will be okay once we will get there. We rationalize that it’s okay to cross boundaries that we had previously considered as set in stone and uncrossable, because
– we’re almost there
– it really isn’t that bad
– yes we may have said we weren’t going to cross that particular boundary, but really when you look at it, it’s by a small amount only, so you know, it’s not that bad
The result is often a set of bad decisions that each one in and of itself would be easy to recover from. Taken in combination however they produce a one-way ticket to disaster.
Simply put, our brain becomes a one-track mind. We don’t stop to wait and see what’s around us anymore. We don’t question what other options are available to us and whether they would be safer and make more sense.
Maybe it’s better to:
-choose an alternate destination (literally called “alternate” in flying)
-turn around
-stop and pause (make a precautionary landing and reevaluate, maybe it’s just a temporary interruption and it will be fine to continue when the weather clears up for example)
Can you see how this may apply to your journey with your dog?
That’s what this podcast episode is all about.
Need someone to help you re-evaluate the path you're on?
Jump on a call with me to see what alternates are available to you
