For the Love of Lists

Engineering life one step at a time

How Failure Can Make Me an Astronaut

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How Failure Can Make Me an Astronaut

In celebration of National Engineer’s Week, I’d like to share a recent story with you about my first application to the astronaut program.

For those who don’t know, astronaut applications typically open up every four years or so and accept between 8-14 candidates. This year had a record number of 18,300 applicants (the previous record was 8,100 in 1978). This puts my chances for selection around 0.08%. And yet, even knowing I just meet the minimum qualifications, I applied because 0.08% is still higher than 0%.

I’ve wanted to apply to be an astronaut since I was eight years old. I always had this dream of filling out the “perfect” application, repeating as necessary until I finally got my chance. But when it came time to submit my first application I froze, realizing I didn’t know what I really had to offer. Sure I have the necessary degree, but what makes me stand out over those other 18,299 people?

I started to let myself get so discouraged that I nearly didn’t submit anything at all. Here was a job I had always wanted, and I felt like I had nothing to show for it. If it weren’t for my husband’s gentle nudging (who, as it happens, also applied for the program), I may have let that first opportunity I had longed for pass by. I managed to put together the best application I could muster at the moment, and now I’ll play the waiting game with everyone else over the next few months.

I’ve been going over this process again and again in my head the past week, and I realized that I have two ways to look at it: I can either let myself be discouraged or I can use this as an opportunity for growth. Every time I’ve submitted an application, interviewed, or even started a new job, I’ve been filled with anxiety over the qualifications and skills I’ve felt I lacked. And it’s all too easy to start focusing on others and letting envy creep in over their success. But why? Sitting before me now is a list of recommended traits and qualifications, along with a 50+ year history of examples who have been accepted by the program. In fact, I know that most likely four years from now the same position will open up again. So what can I change in the next four years to feel more confident in my application?

This is a challenge before me, one with objectives already laid out, ready to be met. I started by considering skills that most of the current astronauts possess. While they are no guarantee of future success, they are a great stepping stone to pursue a wider variety of abilities. Here is what I came up with:

* Advanced Degree(s)
* Subject Matter Expertise
* Published Works
* Hands-On Mechnical Experience
* Leadership/Project Management Experience
* Multiple Languages (Russian, Japanese, etc)
* Public Speaking/STEM Outreach
* General Health & Fitness
* Swimming/SCUBA Skills
* Flying Experience

Each of these translates in a series of attainable goals to pursue, with a timeline in which to complete them. Now it’s up to me to create cohesive strategies for personal development. There’s nothing stopping me from learning new foreign vocabulary each day or spending time reading up on upcoming aerospace research. And yet the biggest piece of this career puzzle isn’t even on this list: the set of skills that will set me apart from the other applicants. I need to set aside some time to brainstorm what it is that I can uniquely offer. Therein lies the confidence that I need to put forth a successful application. So, while I may not be there yet, I have a plan set in motion for the next four years that will bring me closer to my dream job.

I realize that not everyone reading this has had the lifelong goal of traveling into orbit (or perhaps you have and you’ve just never taken action on it). But this lack of confidence affects nearly anyone who’s ever applied for a job. When we read those job postings and the list of qualifications, we’re provided with a template for success. We may not have everything we need just now, but those skills are worth taking note of because they’re the ones that will get us further in the future. The best way we can approach failure is to use it as feedback on what we can do to improve ourselves.

I wish you the best of luck with your current and future endeavors!

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

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How to Stay the Course: OpenCourseWare and Independent Study

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OCW Motivation
Ever wanted to learn a new language?  Pick up some computer skills?  Perhaps brush up on some world history?  It’s never been easier with the wide availability of open courses and online education.  The world of knowledge is literally at your fingertips 24/7, merely a click away.  But even with a resolution to expand your mind, it can be difficult to stay motivated when there is no external pressure to push through the work.  For some it even brings back memories of groaning school days and exam stress.  Yet, it doesn’t have to feel that way.  In this age we are given such an opportunity to learn anything we’ve ever wanted to learn from scholars and experts all around the world.  With a few tips and tricks you too can stay the course.
OpenCourseWare (OCW) lessons deliver educational content typically published by universities and posted free or at low-cost online.  They include course notes, example problems, videos, articles, and more designed for independent study.  A quick search will yield results from the likes of Harvard, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Tufts, and many others.  In addition, stand alone learning sites have been established to provide general education on a variety of topics.  Subjects range from personal finance to advanced robotics, with everything in between.  Here are a few of my favorite sources:
So now that you’ve chosen a course, how do you approach it?  Check out these ten tips to keep you on track:
1) Set a (SMART) goal
     Before jumping into a course, you’ll be most successful if you understand what you want to learn and when you want to learn it by.  For example, “I’d like to complete this course on introductory physics within three months in order to understand the fundamentals of mechanics.”  Framing the goal will help you plan out the best way to achieve it.
2) Understand your motivation(s)
     It’s not always enough to just want to do something without knowing why you want to do it.  Ask yourself what you to gain by taking an online course: maybe studying up on personal finance will help ease the stress of tax season/family budgeting or perhaps learning to code will enhance your resume.  Make a note of the reason and post it somewhere visible so it won’t be forgotten.
3) Set short-term milestones
     Some of these courses are based on material that can be covered within a week, while others are built around semester-long college syllabi.  Don’t let the longer ones discourage you!  Break up the course into smaller chunks (i.e. units) and set a timeline to complete each of them.  Mark the dates in your calendar so you have deadlines to meet.
4) Plan a reward
     While the satisfaction of completing a course may be enough for some, it always helps to dangle an extra carrot at the end of the road.  Choose a reward (or multiple small ones for short-term milestones) that you can look forward to at the end of the course.  Share your reward idea with friends or family to help you stay accountable.
5) Dedicate a routine time block
     In busy schedules it’s difficult to squeeze in time every day for an extra task.  Look at your average week and find a routine time you can focus on your education.  This may be 15 minutes per day or an hour twice a week; whatever works for you consistently.  Try to pick a time when you can be free from other distractions.  Sticking to a routine will get you a lot further than simply logging in now and then.  Speaking of distractions, make those time blocks social media-free!
6) Choose a study space
     Some people need complete peace and quiet in order to study, and others don’t mind a bit of background noise.  Try both and see what works best for you.  Noise-reducing headphones or white noise sites (like Coffitivity) are your friends.  Whichever you choose, have a clear workspace and equip it with whatever tools you may need (notebooks, pens, highlighters, post-its, etc).
7) Dedicate a notebook/binder/folder
     Speaking of supplies, it’s best to keep your course notes in one location.  This can be a notebook and folder with a set of printouts or a comprehensive binder.  Doing this keeps you focused on one subject at a time and lets you organize your thoughts for review.
8) Set reminders
     Even with a routine, it’s easy to put aside personal development when there are plenty of other tasks to complete during the day.  Set reminders for your study blocks and put your sessions in your calendars as standing appointments.  Make them motivational, functional, or authoritative: whichever will get you back on the computer.
9) Keep a running list of questions to answer
     Retention is always optimal when we are engaged in what we are learning.  If you get stuck on a concept or you don’t understand an example, make a note of it and search out the answer.  Allow yourself time to review your notes and clear up any confusion.
10) Supplement with real-world applications
     Course material can often get dry, so make it a point to read interesting related articles or practice what you’ve learned.  If you’ve been studying Spanish, try to have a conversation with a fluent speaker.  If you’ve been studying finance, create a sample budget.  If you’ve been studying engineering, read up on some of the incredible inventions being released.  Tying everything together will help solidify the material in your mind.
I hope these tips can help keep you motivated as you pursue your independent study.  If you haven’t explored OpenCourseWare before, now is a great time to try it.  There is literally a course out there for everyone.  Best of luck!