May 29, 2025
By Tom Console
There are many avenues to success. We may be naturally talented, spend countless hours practicing our craft, or just get lucky. These will generate wins on a decent level. But eventually, ability and practice can only get us so far, and our luck will run out. To get to the highest level of success, we must see ourselves at that level. No matter the field or industry, super high achievers reach the pinnacle of success through the practice of visualization and envisioning their performance before any big event.
Sports psychologists view visualization as a powerful tool for athletes to improve in both their physical performance and mental readiness on game day. Athletes who envision their success prior to competing see enhanced performance, reduced anxiety, and increased confidence. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration squad is a prime example of how envisioning success can lead us and our teams to new heights.
The Blue Angels are a group of fighter jet pilots who specialize in advanced acrobatic aerial maneuvers in tight formations. They fly impossibly close to one another, wingtips mere feet from touching. They execute complex rolls, turns, and other movements as one cohesive unit in six different jets. The consequences of a mishap are deadly and catastrophic; there is no margin for error.
Before every flight, the team of pilots and support staff meets in a conference room to rehearse for their upcoming mission. In the video below, you can see just how intense this preparation is and how these professionals embody the principles of Engaged Preparation, Attention to Minute Details, and Ready-to-Go Backups to envision their success.
Engaged Preparation
As attributed to General Dwight D. Eisenhower, plans are worthless; planning is everything. In the video clip you can see the level of planning the Blue Angels go through before they fly. They make note of the most likely weather patterns, wind speed, and visibility. They have a scheduled route and contingency for every emergency.
You will also notice the full engagement of every team member during this phase. Everyone is a fully involved, active listener. You see people taking notes and tracing the exact route on their maps as it correlates to how their Commander intends the flight to take place. There isn’t a single distracted member in that room, and I highly doubt any sort of disturbance would be tolerated. They are totally locked in.
If we want our team to achieve greatness, we cannot rely on just one single member to be ready. Everyone must know the plan and actively engage in the preparation phase so that they can see the vision of what the team’s overall objective is and what they are doing to play their part in achieving that objective.
Attention to Detail
One of the most amazing things in this clip is the level of detail the pilots show during the actual flight rehearsal. They sit in their office chairs as if they were in the cockpits of their jets, eyes closed, imagining what the view will be like given the projected weather and visibility.
They go through foot and hand movements, pulling imaginary levers, pushing pedals and buttons, and moving the throttle as if it were all right there with them. They perform these actions with precise timing, responding exactly to each command. They practice the tiniest details; moving their heads to exactly where they will need to look and positioning their bodies correctly to account for how turns, climbs, and dives will affect them. And most importantly, they move as one single entity.
In this moment, they are literally seeing how they will perform their tasks. They are not just practicing, they are perfecting. The attention to every detail is perhaps the most important part of envisioning success, and if we want ourselves and our teams to reach the highest level, then no detail is too small to be overlooked.
Role-Players at the Ready
You might have also noticed the individuals sitting on the periphery of the room. The primary pilots were rehearsing and practicing at the table, but who were these people behind them, and why were they there?
These individuals were the backup pilots, safety officers, and intel gatherers. If you watch them closely, they are just as prepared and locked in as the pilots who will be flying. They are essential to the team’s success. What happens if weather conditions change right before take-off? Someone is monitoring that and can relay information to the team. Did you consider fuel levels and the nearest landing site at a specific point along the route in case of an emergency? No, but your safety officer sure did. What if one of the primary pilots is too sick to fly? Back-up to the rescue!
It is not enough to rely on just a few star individuals within our organization to carry the team’s success. We are a team of teams, and as leaders it is our job to make sure every single person is trained up, knows the plan, and is ready to go should their number be called.
Envision the Future
We can all agree that to score some wins in life, it helps to be good at what we do, practice pertinent skills, and sometimes have something land in our laps. But if we want our team to achieve results at the highest level, we first must visualize that success.
Leaders accomplish this by guiding their teams through engaged preparation, attention to detail, and ensuring that role-players and backups are fully prepared to perform. If we can clearly see ourselves at the top of the mountain, we’ll reach it one day.
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