Finding Your Way in Aviation and Beyond

As a journalist and writer, I hate to admit it, but I don’t read nearly enough. I always seem to be too busy, too distracted, or simply too tired to sit down and enjoy a good book after spending my days editing other people’s work or writing my own.

That said, if you’re looking for a worthwhile read, I have one to add to your list.

Some of you may recall my interview with Darren Pleasance, former president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), during the Valdez Fly-In last month in Alaska. It was there that I learned more about Pleasance’s story, heard his perspective on his sudden departure from the organization, and simply got the chance to spend time with a genuinely good guy—a pilot’s pilot, if you will.

What I didn’t know at the time was that Pleasance is also an accomplished author.

His book, True North, offers an aviation-inspired perspective on finding purpose and direction in life. It explores the importance of staying adaptable, recognizing opportunity when it appears, and having the courage to take that first step—or leap of faith—in the first place.

Over the course of several years, Pleasance interviewed top performers across a variety of fields, including aviation, searching for the common thread that connects people who consistently excel at what they do. What allows some individuals to live such fulfilling lives? Why do certain people seem to find their purpose while so many others struggle to discover their own path?

The result is a compelling and thoughtful book that felt, at times, like a guide I didn’t know I needed. As we move through life one day at a time—and for every one of us, believe it or not, it’s our first time doing so—it serves as a valuable reminder to follow our own path and live as authentically as possible.

That brings me to a related point, particularly within aviation—the comparison game.

I see it all too often, and social media has only amplified the problem. As the saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy, and I couldn’t agree more.

Aviation is a long journey, and it rarely comes easy. Whether you’re in the middle of flight training and taking on student loan debt, saving for your first airplane, or wishing you had a newer or better one, it’s important to remember that every pilot is on a different path.

There’s no single road map to becoming a pilot. Whether you fly strictly for recreation or aspire to a career in the airlines, every journey in aviation—and life—is unique.

I encourage you to take a moment to look at your own accomplishments and allow yourself to be proud of them. This road is long, challenging, and often demanding. The progress you’ve made deserves recognition.

If you’re having trouble embracing your own path, consider picking up True North. It offers one aviator’s perspective on how to navigate this life we’re all experiencing for the first time.