Ep 237 Just Keep Swimming: Navigating Uncertainty Without Losing Sight of the Dream

Ready 4 Pushback

Nik Fialka

Business, Careers, Leisure, Aviation

4.8 • 716 Ratings

🗓️ 17 April 2025

⏱️ 10 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode of Ready for Pushback, host Nik Fialka reflects on a recent conversation with a close friend who’s battling the fear and uncertainty of possible failure. Nik draws parallels to his own leap of faith into aviation later in life, offering powerful encouragement to pilots (and dreamers) everywhere who are navigating tough transitions and real-world responsibilities. This episode is all about perseverance, pragmatism, and planning your pivot without abandoning your passion. Whether you're chasing a career in aviation or building your own path, this episode is a must-listen for anyone at a crossroads.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: Why taking big risks can feel terrifying — and why they’re often worth it How to navigate career transitions when you have a family depending on you How to create a strategic plan for your career and prepare for potential pivots What it looks like to pivot without abandoning your long-term goals Why planning ahead with “if-then” scenarios can provide peace and confidence How to manage fear and anxiety during uncertain seasons The difference between giving up and adjusting your flight path Why regret can be more painful than short-term struggle How resilience and pragmatism go hand-in-hand when chasing a dream

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, pilot, welcome back to Ready for Pushback. I'm Nick Fialca. You've found me here today on a solo show because it's Motivation Thursday. Here we go.
0:16.1	Most pilots don't understand what career opportunities are available in the world of aviation.
0:22.4	They're making career decisions based on advice from friends or posts on internet forums,
0:28.1	meaning they are taking huge risks with their livelihood without having all the details.
0:33.2	This podcast was created to help you understand the aviation industry so you can find your dream job.
0:40.2	Let's get ready for pushback.
0:42.4	Here's your host and my dad, Nick Fialca.
0:46.5	This morning I was taking my kids to school.
0:50.3	And as I was dropping them off, I saw a buddy of mine whose kids also go to the same
0:59.0	school. And we seldom get a chance to hang out with one another because we both have a
1:07.1	truckload of kids and we both have life that gets in the way.
1:11.0	And it's frustrating in this little aviation industry, especially when you're junior, right?
1:18.6	Like, I'm a junior captain.
1:19.8	I've been to the company for a while.
1:21.6	But as far as being in the left seat, I'm pretty junior.
1:25.2	I'm extremely junior.
1:33.2	So what that usually means is that I am flying every single weekend, which is fine.
1:35.2	It's just kind of a life adjustment we've made.
1:41.2	But one of the shortcomings of that is the fact that I don't get a chance to hang out with people on the weekends because most other people like work during the week and have the weekends off. And so it's a bummer. But I saw my buddy and I, he and I called each other on
1:52.8	our drive home. And I said, man, we just need to hang out. We spend some time together. How's it going?
2:00.0	And let me tell you what.
2:01.7	He's having a hard time. He is having a really hard time. He is not a pilot. He's in another
	...

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