If you dream of becoming a fighter pilot in the air force, navy or marines, building your integrity is an essential element in your preparation… Let me explain and share a story from my life that demonstrates the point.

So, Being a Fighter Pilot and having integrity; What do those two things have in common?

Well, to start off with, the word integrity, as defined by people smarter than I am, is the state or condition of being whole and complete; perfect; sound; lacking no component parts.

So this goes back to the basic component of someone’s word. What does your word mean to you?

I recently discovered that my word meant everything, and without my integrity, things simply didn’t work out smoothly. This goes as far and as simply as calling someone back when you said you would, being honest about not getting an assignment done, or telling the truth when you mess up.

A few weeks ago, I told my adorable niece, who’s four, that I’d take her to get ice cream, and then we’d go play at the park.

Well, that day I woke up tired from the night before, and called my sister to tell her I wasn’t going to make it.

Later she told me how devastated my niece was and that she had cried thinking I didn’t love her anymore. Holy cow! I had no idea that my word had meant everything to her.

I felt like the most terrible person on the face of the earth!

So what does this have to do with becoming a fighter pilot?

The United States Military is always looking for people that uphold the values of integrity. When you say you’re going to do something, DO IT.

You know those people who are constantly saying they are going to do something, and then two years later, are STILL saying they are going to do the SAME thing? I sure do! Guess what?

When you don’t stick to your word, your word becomes cheap. When you become a person of action, people respect you and know they can count on you in any situation. Sound like someone the US needs to fly their planes? When we break our word, even to ourselves, things don’t work.

For example, in the midst of trying to apply for a Warrant Officer slot in the Army to become a helicopter pilot, I realized I needed to get my butt in shape fast!! I needed to keep my word to myself, and the minute I stopped, things stopped working.

My eating went down the tubes, I stopped studying as hard and lost motivation overall. Turns out when you don’t keep your word, you stop acting with forward momentum.

Now, it’s pretty obvious we will all slip up on occasion. That’s ok, not to mention totally normal! However, when you get back on track, you’ll not only feel better about yourself, others will see you as a person of action that they want on their side.

If you’re working a business deal, who would you want on your team? A person who says something but never follows through, or someone who sticks to what they say, and gets the job done? I know who I’d pick!!

Moral of the story, becoming an aviator takes a lot of work and a LOT of dedication. That work and dedication needs to start at the personal level. You are the most important person, and YOU are the only one that can do the work to get to your dream.

If you can stay honest with yourself and keep your word, everything around you will reflect that, and things will WORK!

Keep on going! If it were easy, everyone would do it!

See You in the Air,

Ed

P.S. – For more tips on becoming a fighter pilot check out this article on our blog: http://www.becomefighterpilot.com/fighter-pilot-bios/the-top-ten-characteristics-that-every-good-fighter-pilot-emanates/