Everything we do in aviation is really about planning for failure. We plan every takeoff with an engine failure in mind. We do regular training with all manner of failures, from pressurization to electrical to instruments, navigation, etc. Being a pilot is all about handling events when Plan A doesn't work out. We'll go entire training events when we're continuously having some kind of abnormal condition, failure, or emergency; so much so that we hardly fly with everything working, in training, ever. Only during initial training. After that, it's all about preparing for something to occur. It's about all we train for, really...depressurization, flight control problems. electrical, landing gear, automation, engine fires, cargo fires, smoke in the cockpit or cabin, etc. We meticulously plan every takeoff with such in mind, and brief how we'll handle it when things do go awry.

It makes little sense to approach a career with any less vigilance. The old saw about santa clause and the faa rings true, albeit with fewer reindeer and no shotgun. We know we're gonna lose an engine. We know there's gonna be a downturn. We know that furloughs will occur. We don't get to choose when. Plan accordingly.