How Fighter Pilots Handle Stress Under Pressure — And How Business Owners Can Boost Revenue and Sales with Fly in Digital
As a business owner, you understand high stakes, stress, and uncertainty. Most likely, you deal with them every day. But do you thrive in chaos, or does it consume you?
The harsh truth is that 90% of startups fail within the first decade.
I won’t claim to have all the answers. I’m a startup founder myself. But I can share what I learned over a decade as a fighter pilot in the Portuguese Air Force.
Fighter pilots don’t just survive high-pressure situations; they dominate them.
And here’s how:
Constant Learning: The Key to Reducing Stress and Increasing Business Revenue with Fly in Digital
The best pilots (and business owners) never think they "know it all." The moment you stop learning, you start losing.
As an instructor, I always told my students: the ideal fighter pilot balances absolute confidence with deep humility. You trust you have the ability to face any challenge, but it doesn’t mean you know everything.
One of the most powerful tools I used was setting three specific, measurable, and challenging objectives before every flight (not more, not less). Because there’s something magical about the number 3…
At the end of each mission, we debriefed. The best pilots aren’t the ones who fly perfectly but those who ruthlessly debrief their mistakes. Because that’s what leads to flying better and better.
And this is
How It Applies to Business Growth
Define three objectives for each quarter.
Identify a key skill to improve/learn that supports those objectives.
Debrief at the end of the quarter. What worked? What didn’t? Why?
The businesses that learn and iterate faster don’t just survive; they dominate revenue and sales.
Debriefing As A Revenue-Boosting Strategy
Fighter pilots dedicate much more time to preparing and debriefing than executing missions.
We analyze how every move, every decision, and every outcome impacted overall mission success according to the defined objectives.
Business owners should do the same.
Try this.
At the end of each quarter, ask yourself:
Did I hit my objectives? (If you hit them all, you may be lacking ambition… sorry!)
And how did they impact revenue and sales?
What didn’t work, and what was the root cause?
What is the Lesson that will prevent the root cause from happening again?
When you make debriefing a habit, business growth becomes inevitable.
Learning Through Failure: The Hidden Secret to Increasing Sales
The best pilots embrace failure. Every error is a lesson that makes the next mission smoother. In business, mistakes are also inevitable, and the key is to learn faster than your competitors.
The more you iterate, the harder it is to fail long-term.
Whenever you face a challenge, ask yourself:
What’s the lesson?
What’s the blessing?
and why am I seeing this repeatedly?
By answering these questions, you will:
Have a completely different perspective on mistakes
Make sure you don’t ignore errors that keep coming up
How about the most critical aspect?
The Right Mindset: The Game-Changer for Business Success
Being a great fighter pilot isn’t just about technical skills. It’s about mindset. Some highly skilled pilots never make it as fighter pilots because they lack the mental game.
The same is true in business.
Fighter Pilots and High-Performing Business Owners Share These Traits:
A can-do attitude.
They never give up.
They understand mission success starts with preparation.
They make decisions even with imperfect information.
But here’s a secret: the best pilots visualize success before it happens.
The Power of Visualization: A Stress-Reduction and Sales Growth Hack used in Fly in Digital
In aviation, we call this chair-flying. You sit in a chair and mentally rehearse every move of the mission. As you gain experience, this expands from basic maneuvers to what-if scenarios and contingency planning.
Top entrepreneurs do this too.
They:
See their success before it happens.
Mentally prepare for best- and worst-case scenarios.
Remove imagined constraints and ask: "If nothing were stopping me, how would I solve this?"
I challenge you to try this.
Close your eyes and visualize your business thriving.
Now…
Really…
Close your eyes!
………
What does that look like? How does it feel? What does it mean to you? Who did you become? Make it real before it happens.
You don’t become a fighter pilot because you fly a fighter jet. You need to be one before you ever step foot in a fighter jet.
The Two-Ship Mentality: Why Sales and Revenue Depend on Teamwork
Remember: "You can be my wingman anytime" from Top Gun?
Fighter pilots don’t go solo. Even flying alone in the jet, they rely on a wingman to have their back. This mindset extends beyond the cockpit.
Business Growth Requires a Strong Wingman
In aviation, the wingman only speaks when necessary.
Partially as a joke, the best wingman is supposed to only say three things:
“2” (meaning I understand/will do)
“Lead, you’re on fire”
“I’ll take the fat one”
It’s the wingman's job to:
Acknowledge commands and execute without hesitation.
Provide critical information when needed.
Take one for the team, when necessary.
The Role of a Wingman in Business Revenue Growth
In business, your wingman could be:
A mentor who helps you avoid costly mistakes.
A business partner who shares your vision.
A consultant or team that supports execution, allowing you to focus on strategy.
The best leaders always start as great wingmen. They learned by supporting others, then stepped up when it was their time to lead. In business, you need both.
And great leaders never stop being great wingmen, as well.
The Role of Strong Leadership
In aviation, there’s always one leader making the final decision. But leadership doesn’t mean doing everything alone. It means:
Delegating effectively.
Trusting your team.
Making tough calls when needed.
Great business owners lead like fighter pilots with confidence, strategy, and trust in their team.
Do You Need a Wingman Like Fly in Digital?
That’s exactly what we aim to be for aviation business owners—a world-class wingman in lead generation and revenue growth.
Because at the end of the day, revenue is the mission.
Before you take off on your next business venture, remember:
Never stop learning. Growth comes from constant iteration.
Sharpen your mindset. Visualize success before it happens.
Find your wingman. Success is never a solo mission.
So, what’s your mission? And who’s your wingman?
