July 20, 1969, just eight years after President Kennedy made one of history’s most ambitious declarations – the US would send a man to the moon and back – Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first people to set foot on the moon.
Today, Buzz is a philanthropist, author and renowned speaker who shares what being a space pioneer taught him about life on Earth: no mission is completed alone, failure is a crucial milestone of success and to never stop envisioning your next impossible dream.
Lessons From “The Moonman”
Dream The Impossible
Aldrin remembers President Kennedy’s announcement in 1961, and although he wasn’t sure how they’d do it, he said, “We did have a leader with that determination, the courage and the confidence that we can get there.” Without a leader brave enough to share an impossible vision, ideas never get off the ground. In business, it’s crucial to give your team a meaningful vision to rally around, something they want to be a part of.
Behind Every Successful Mission Is A TEAM
The “backroomers” – software engineers, secretaries and even the tailors who manufactured spacesuits – were all necessary to Apollo’s safe launch and return to Earth. When Apollo 11 landed, the world cheered. “People were not just cheering for three guys but for what we represented,” Buzz recalled in a speech. “That by the nation and the world coming together, we had accomplished the impossible, and the true value of it is the amazing story of innovation and teamwork that overcame many obstacles to reach the moon.”
Success is rarely the story of one person. Rather, it’s often the story of many people working together. “There are a lot of people out there in the universe who wish you well and want to be your friend. Let them help you,” Buzz said. “You don’t have to carry it all on your own.”
Failure Is A Mark Of Growth
In the book No Dream Is Too High, Buzz explains how everyone at NASA knew the risks involved in their mission. Only by planning for failure and testing every system, component and spacesuit zipper could they improve design and functionality – failure was part of the process. “Some people don’t like to admit that they have failed or that they have not yet achieved their goals or lived up to their own expectations,” Buzz wrote. “But failure is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign that you are alive and growing.”
Know What’s Next
What happens when you accomplish what you set out to do after all the cheers and high-fives? After Apollo, Buzz wrote in the book Magnificent Desolation, “There was no goal, no sense of calling, no project worth pouring myself into.” He sunk into severe depression for years, finally realizing, “I needed to realign my direction and find a new runway.”
Today, he’s a speaker, author and philanthropist for STEAM-based education to help get the next generation of heroes to the moon – and beyond. Perhaps the key to lifelong fulfillment is never to “land” for too long – to keep learning, growing and achieving impossible things.
