Imagine taking on one of humanity’s oldest desires: flying. After the initial start, you accelerate, take off, and with every mile of altitude you enjoy the expanding view — along with the calmness that comes from perspective and a clear horizon.

Once you reach optimal altitude and speed, the flight becomes steady. The air is calm, almost monotonous. Gradually, you reduce your full attention, shifting focus away from the act of flying itself toward other needs and thoughts.

However, when something unexpected happens, you suddenly realize how limited time is. It becomes crucial to respond immediately, drawing on both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to make fast decisions and readjust.

For me, this unexpected engine failure mid-flight forced me to execute rather than reflect. There was no time to think through what I would usually do — only to act. I relied on my existing competencies, even though I was not always able to fully adapt to every responsibility at once.

This year, my strong need to take responsibility and ownership pushed me into uncomfortable situations. Through them, I learned multiple new facets about myself. I realized how pressure reveals not only strengths, but also limits — and how growth often happens in moments where control feels reduced.

Based on my aims, I can confirm that this year I deliberately stepped out of my comfort zone: returning to academic studies and challenging my professional career by maneuvering through unexpected situations rather than avoiding them.

Despite experiencing an engine failure, some of this year’s key learnings were about accepting reality, continuing smoothly without unnecessary noise, and knowing when not to overcorrect by constantly fine-tuning the engine. Not being able to control all aspects — or learning to live with the consequences — became part of the journey.