Burned Out
09-19-2011, 11:00 AM
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined APC: Mar 2011
Posts: 29
Burned Out
I'll try to keep this short; but no guarantees! 
I'm 19 years old (turning 20 tomorrow!). I'm a very focused, goal-oriented person. Since I was little, when I got excited about something, I would do nothing but focus on that thing. Sometimes I reach the goal, and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I focus on it until something more exciting comes along and then I completely switch my focus to the new goal (leaving my parents to say "don't you like this anymore?!". Other times, I just get burned out on whatever it is I'm focusing on - I can't stand it anymore.
I think it was my sophomore year in high school that I decided I wanted to be a pilot. FYI, I have no interest in going to the airlines - my dream is to be a full-time CFI until I get married (which I hope will be in a few years), then CFI part-time. I don't care about the money; I just love flying and love teaching - so what better thing than teaching flying?
In the fall of 2010, I went off to college. I was an aviation major and an honors student (required to keep my scholarship). Aviation takes a lot of studying, as we all know; and the honors program was very difficult. Plus I was taking 18 credits. Long story short, I loved the college, loved flying, but I couldn't keep up with everything. So I left after a semester. I had about 12 hours of flying at that point. Moved back to my hometown, took flying lessons 3-5 days a week, got up to 40 hours, my instructor got too busy, went off to another state and finished my PPL in a week at an "accelerated" finish-up course. My first flying lesson was in September 2010; I got my PPL on June 1st. My parents and I decided it would be best for me to get from PPL to CFI as fast as possible, 1) to save money due to less forgetting between lessons such as when only flying 1-2x a week; and 2) so that I could be making money & supporting myself in my chosen profession (rather than waiting tables) as soon as possible.
I have some severe confidence issues when it comes to being watched while I do something - unless its something I know VERY well. So, having an instructor in the plane with me is extremely nerve-wracking. On my checkride; I actually broke down in tears once. So after I got my license, I rented a 152 for 4 days and flew around my state, building a few hours and some confidence. Then, a week later I moved to a new city and stayed with friends, working on my IR at the local FBO. I'm still here and am very close to being ready for my checkride. However.
Before school started, my friends that I'm staying with went to pool parties and did other fun things, and I always went along. It was a great break from studying; and I'd go back to my books refreshed afterwards. Another important aspect is that one of my friends... well, is the man of my dreams who I hope to marry someday (I don't think he knows that yet though). Anyway. Now that school has started, he moved to another state for college, and my other friend is very busy with college here. So no parties, no hanging out with friends. All I do is eat, sleep, study, fly, think about studying, or think about flying. And with my checkride getting close, the pressure is building. Though I've done most of the lessons in the syllabus, I'm far from feeling confident and ready for the checkride. And when I was working on my PPL, it was all about getting the license - I just wanted to pass the written, just wanted to pass the checkride, just wanted to get my license. And I felt like I just barely passed. This time, I don't want to just barely pass I want to feel really confident about everything. But I'm also starting to get sick of flying and reading about flying. And knowing my past, I can tell that if I keep pushing myself to do this when I don't like it, I'm going to start to hate it more and more. It may even get to the point that I consider switching career goals. Someone once told me "If you ever find yourself not wanting to get in an airplane, don't." He said that it needed to stay fun, and if I need a break, I need a break.
Part of me feels like well, I'm so close to my checkride, I should just push on until I complete it. But I already pointed out what will probably happen if I do that. Another part of me says, what's the hurry? I don't have a deadline to complete this by; unless I put one on myself. I really want flying to remain something that I love more than anything else.
Also, I think I need to add some things to my life besides flying and studying. But I'm not really sure what or how.
Does anyone have any thoughts or advice? I'll be glad to expand on anything if it would help.
I'm 19 years old (turning 20 tomorrow!). I'm a very focused, goal-oriented person. Since I was little, when I got excited about something, I would do nothing but focus on that thing. Sometimes I reach the goal, and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I focus on it until something more exciting comes along and then I completely switch my focus to the new goal (leaving my parents to say "don't you like this anymore?!". Other times, I just get burned out on whatever it is I'm focusing on - I can't stand it anymore.
I think it was my sophomore year in high school that I decided I wanted to be a pilot. FYI, I have no interest in going to the airlines - my dream is to be a full-time CFI until I get married (which I hope will be in a few years), then CFI part-time. I don't care about the money; I just love flying and love teaching - so what better thing than teaching flying?
In the fall of 2010, I went off to college. I was an aviation major and an honors student (required to keep my scholarship). Aviation takes a lot of studying, as we all know; and the honors program was very difficult. Plus I was taking 18 credits. Long story short, I loved the college, loved flying, but I couldn't keep up with everything. So I left after a semester. I had about 12 hours of flying at that point. Moved back to my hometown, took flying lessons 3-5 days a week, got up to 40 hours, my instructor got too busy, went off to another state and finished my PPL in a week at an "accelerated" finish-up course. My first flying lesson was in September 2010; I got my PPL on June 1st. My parents and I decided it would be best for me to get from PPL to CFI as fast as possible, 1) to save money due to less forgetting between lessons such as when only flying 1-2x a week; and 2) so that I could be making money & supporting myself in my chosen profession (rather than waiting tables) as soon as possible.
I have some severe confidence issues when it comes to being watched while I do something - unless its something I know VERY well. So, having an instructor in the plane with me is extremely nerve-wracking. On my checkride; I actually broke down in tears once. So after I got my license, I rented a 152 for 4 days and flew around my state, building a few hours and some confidence. Then, a week later I moved to a new city and stayed with friends, working on my IR at the local FBO. I'm still here and am very close to being ready for my checkride. However.
Before school started, my friends that I'm staying with went to pool parties and did other fun things, and I always went along. It was a great break from studying; and I'd go back to my books refreshed afterwards. Another important aspect is that one of my friends... well, is the man of my dreams who I hope to marry someday (I don't think he knows that yet though). Anyway. Now that school has started, he moved to another state for college, and my other friend is very busy with college here. So no parties, no hanging out with friends. All I do is eat, sleep, study, fly, think about studying, or think about flying. And with my checkride getting close, the pressure is building. Though I've done most of the lessons in the syllabus, I'm far from feeling confident and ready for the checkride. And when I was working on my PPL, it was all about getting the license - I just wanted to pass the written, just wanted to pass the checkride, just wanted to get my license. And I felt like I just barely passed. This time, I don't want to just barely pass I want to feel really confident about everything. But I'm also starting to get sick of flying and reading about flying. And knowing my past, I can tell that if I keep pushing myself to do this when I don't like it, I'm going to start to hate it more and more. It may even get to the point that I consider switching career goals. Someone once told me "If you ever find yourself not wanting to get in an airplane, don't." He said that it needed to stay fun, and if I need a break, I need a break.
Part of me feels like well, I'm so close to my checkride, I should just push on until I complete it. But I already pointed out what will probably happen if I do that. Another part of me says, what's the hurry? I don't have a deadline to complete this by; unless I put one on myself. I really want flying to remain something that I love more than anything else.
Also, I think I need to add some things to my life besides flying and studying. But I'm not really sure what or how.
Does anyone have any thoughts or advice? I'll be glad to expand on anything if it would help.
09-19-2011, 11:45 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2011
Posts: 332
Take a break. There is no reason to be rushing things. Go fly a cross country somewhere with a friend and grab a burger somewhere. Go fly somewhere and take the courtesy car and explore the town. You need to build time towards your commercial license anyways. Flying should be a joy. Sure you will have bad days but it will always beat a day job. There is nothing wrong with lessons twice a week and I would not recommend going faster than that. The instrument is the most challenging rating to add and your head needs some time off to absorb the info.
09-19-2011, 12:03 PM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 118
Keep this in mind also to help you relax. You will never ACE everything. No check ride is perfect. You are at the state where your PPL and instrument and CPL will be a license to learn and nothing else. You will learn more teaching your first student then you have during all your training.
Like said above. Take a few days off of studying and go fly for fun. It will come.
Like said above. Take a few days off of studying and go fly for fun. It will come.
09-19-2011, 06:36 PM
#4
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2010
Posts: 91
Don't rush the lessons. Just take your time and enjoy your lessons and aviation related studying as a break from everyday life. I used to instruct at a school that did accelerated ratings, and I got really tired of people get their IR after 7 days, then two month later they would call me and say "hey, the weather is pretty bad here and I'm about to take the family on a trip. Can you remind me how to fly an ILS?" If you rush through it you'll most likely find yourself burned out and not retaining the knowledge and skills required to be proficient. Also, remember your just 20. A little maturity gained over the next few years will help you put this all into perspective. Be realistic with your goals, and don't let fancy magazine adds dictate how you perceive your training should be.
09-20-2011, 06:12 AM
#5
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Student Pilot
Posts: 2,277
Search your heart and decide what it is that you REALLY want to do. After that, set your priorities and then systematically achieve each one. Life is a journey, not a race!
Oh and btw, if at all possible, try not live life by scripts; meaning that society or the culture says that at a certain age you should have completed thus and such. There are some things that should be captured by each of us by a certain age, however, in terms of marriage, academic achievements and stuff like that is as different for each of us just as each snowflake is different.
Take your time!
atp
Oh and btw, if at all possible, try not live life by scripts; meaning that society or the culture says that at a certain age you should have completed thus and such. There are some things that should be captured by each of us by a certain age, however, in terms of marriage, academic achievements and stuff like that is as different for each of us just as each snowflake is different.
Take your time!
atp
09-20-2011, 06:45 AM
#6
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2011
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 949
To echo the above, take some time off to relax. This industry is full of checkrides and checking events, and everyone has their own way of dealing with the pressure of them. (I went to the gun range and popped off rounds while reciting flows in my head)
The minute flying stops being fun for you, especially as a career CFI, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. Always enjoy what you do. Like love2av8 said, you have good days and bad days, but the bad days should be few and far between.
Enjoy it, go with the flow, we've all had that nerve-racking checkride at some point. Instrument is a whole new ballgame, especially for a relatively fresh private pilot, but it's also some of the most fun flying you'll do in my opinion.
The minute flying stops being fun for you, especially as a career CFI, you're doing yourself a huge disservice. Always enjoy what you do. Like love2av8 said, you have good days and bad days, but the bad days should be few and far between.
Enjoy it, go with the flow, we've all had that nerve-racking checkride at some point. Instrument is a whole new ballgame, especially for a relatively fresh private pilot, but it's also some of the most fun flying you'll do in my opinion.
09-21-2011, 06:39 PM
#7
Flying Farmer
Joined APC: Jul 2006
Position: Turbo-props' and John Deere's
Posts: 3,160
First off, happy belated birthday(I'm also a 9/20 b-day, but just celebrated my 30th!)
I think your situation is very simple, you have a plan, and things aren't falling into place like you had thought they should. That's a life lesson! We can prepare, but usually we need a back-up or other options to get us to our end-game. Do not take this the wrong way, but you are still young, you need to mature, you have your whole life ahead of you. Think I'm wrong, just wait another 10years(or even in a few) and look back at how you remember thinking and behaving. I feel you also need to have a little more responsibility as a person. You remind me of someone I knew during college, got wrapped into flying becuase it is neat, got bored, got out of the flight program after their soph. year, then floated until they commited to what has always been their passion.
Now onto your ratings etc.... People might say you need to have XXX done at this time or that, but the process is very individualized. If you get your IR at 100hrs, or 500hrs, who cares(as with any rating). Do it when you're comfortable and ready for it. As mentioned above, I think your age is playing a role in the being criticized when you're doing anything.
Above all else, in any line of work you have to enjoy what you're doing, even more importantly in this profession because of the sacrifices we make.. If you aren't, then it's just a job. If it's just a job, and you are teaching, then do us all a favor and back out now. You have to want, desire, push, and encourage students to succeed and challenge ourselves to do a better job(teaching and our own skills).
Best of luck to you.
I think your situation is very simple, you have a plan, and things aren't falling into place like you had thought they should. That's a life lesson! We can prepare, but usually we need a back-up or other options to get us to our end-game. Do not take this the wrong way, but you are still young, you need to mature, you have your whole life ahead of you. Think I'm wrong, just wait another 10years(or even in a few) and look back at how you remember thinking and behaving. I feel you also need to have a little more responsibility as a person. You remind me of someone I knew during college, got wrapped into flying becuase it is neat, got bored, got out of the flight program after their soph. year, then floated until they commited to what has always been their passion.
Now onto your ratings etc.... People might say you need to have XXX done at this time or that, but the process is very individualized. If you get your IR at 100hrs, or 500hrs, who cares(as with any rating). Do it when you're comfortable and ready for it. As mentioned above, I think your age is playing a role in the being criticized when you're doing anything.
Above all else, in any line of work you have to enjoy what you're doing, even more importantly in this profession because of the sacrifices we make.. If you aren't, then it's just a job. If it's just a job, and you are teaching, then do us all a favor and back out now. You have to want, desire, push, and encourage students to succeed and challenge ourselves to do a better job(teaching and our own skills).
Best of luck to you.
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