Nothing typifies this attitude better than an agricultural and horticultural show like the Royal Adelaide Show (I was photographing there the other day).

People can go there to enjoy the entertainment, to find out about various products and to savour those special show delicacies like fairy floss, toffee apples and hot cinnamon donuts. However, one important aspect of the show is competing, whether it’s in cooking, crafts, wood cutting, showing livestock or show jumping.

It’s a time to “show off” what you can do and how well you can do it. You may also be able to win a prize or be the champion on the day.

For some people it takes great courage to show the rest of the world what they (or their animals) can do. They know that they can’t all be winners but at least they’re “having a go”. I have my own take on winners and champions. A champion doesn’t always have to win to be a champion but a winner isn’t necessarily a champion because of winning. It has a lot to do with the right attitude.

It takes a lot of effort, commitment and attention to detail to win a prize at the show, particularly when it comes to livestock. As I was wandering around the cattle and sheep pavilions and the horse stables, there was a hive of activity as people were preparing themselves and their stock for judging.

Even though I lived in the country for twenty years, I didn’t realise what went into agricultural show preparations.

In the paddock, stock can be covered in dirt, manure and feed. However, when it comes to show judging, the animals have to be perfectly groomed.

Roaming around the horse stables and exercise area was a real eye opener for me.

There were horses being put through their paces in the exercise yard.

Another area was set aside for horses to be washed down.

In the stables, some horses were keeping warm with their own tailor-made blankets. Others were given the ultimate beauty treatments of having their mane plaited by their riders or having their whiskers shaven.

Even in the cattle pavilions, livestock was washed clean, dried with blow driers, powdered and shaved. Some cattle were given the whole body shave including the tail and others were left with a fashionable Mohawk along the backbone.

The end result was everybody looking their best to do their best (animals included).

One other thing that was very noticeable was the number of competitors who were smiling (not just at the camera). Competing (or participating) is also about enjoying what you do and living life to the full whether you win a prize or not. Be a participator in life, not just a spectator.

So, my next tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Have a go.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Determination/Persistence/Perseverance
Personal development

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

The schedule I set myself was extremely hectic and I was travelling from early morning till later in the evening while it was still light.

When I did pass an airport it was either too late in the day or the weather was unsuitable for flying. I was beginning to think that I’d missed out on a flying experience because opportunities never seemed to present themselves.

With only a few more days before I departed back home to Australia, I was then resigned to sightseeing and photographing only. However, while I was in Scotland I had a pleasant surprise (apart from the unusually sunny day). In the morning, I’d driven through the Cairngorms National Park and then stopped to visit Balmoral Castle (below).

Then, as I was heading towards Aberdeen, I spotted an aircraft in the sky up ahead. As usual, I was running behind time because I was enjoying the scenery and kept stopping to take photographs. I had to think quickly (a bit hard for me at times!) and make a decision. Do I keep driving until I find the airfield and see if I can go for a scenic flight in a glider, or do I forget about flying and keep going as planned and visit Glamis Castle? Very hard decision. Castle or flying, hmm!

In the end, I didn’t have to make any decision at all. My car just turned off the road and headed towards the airfield’s office and clubhouse. I’d arrived at the Deeside Gliding Club just out of Aboyne.

I met a friendly bunch of flying enthusiasts and asked if there was any possibility of going for a scenic flight. Obviously I’d have to wait for some time because students had already booked their flying lessons and had first preference. Nevertheless, the instructor was very accommodating and after waiting for over an hour another glider became available to fly. The call sign was FYL – Foxtrot Yankee Lima or for my way of thinking FYL – Fran You’re Lucky (to have this unexpected opportunity).

When I’d been gliding before in Australia, the glider was launched with a winch and cable but here at the Deeside Gliding Club there was a plane which towed the glider into the air. After reaching a suitable height, I pulled the cable release to set the glider free. The tow plane then headed off with the cable trailing behind and the glider was left to search out the thermals and soar. My pilot, Dave Pirie, was an excellent instructor, finding the slight thermals around the area so I could take photos and also take the controls of the glider.

We weren’t able to stay in the air for very long because of the lack of really strong thermals but at least I had a small dose of flying over some lush Scottish countryside in the valley of the River Dee.

All in all, a memorable day of Cairngorms, castle and gliding. However, I did have to alter my route to arrive at my hotel in Kinross, near Loch Leven, at a reasonable hour.

The next day, when I had planned to go gliding near Kinross, was pouring with rain and not exactly ideal conditions for flying and photographing. So I’m glad that I took the opportunity to go gliding near Aboyne, otherwise I would have missed out on my flying altogether.

By being flexible, weighing up the options and consequences, and making a decision, I took the opportunity to indulge my passion. In other words, I “seized the day”.

Now, a word of caution. The following tip is a generalisation because not every opportunity is a good opportunity. Sometimes, if an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

So, another tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Take every opportunity that comes your way.
There’s no “Rewind” button for life, only “Play”.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Success
Follow your dreams (at any age)

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

Nevertheless, I did set off around Australia’s coast, flying over the ocean about a mile out to sea and at about 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the water. This provided an excellent oblique angle for the photographs and the Cessna 172 was the right speed aircraft for photographing under the high wing.

Reflecting back on the flight and the past 12 years has been good for my own reminiscence therapy. Life certainly has changed for me.

Even though I had no team, partner, manager or thousands of dollars of sponsorship behind me, I still achieved my goal. However, I did receive help from people along the way. Members of the Australian Women Pilots’ Association and members of Soroptimist International Service Organisation, in particular, provided me with accommodation and local knowledge when possible. I’d also like to thank again the series of friends and strangers who flew with me on different parts of my journey. From them I learnt a lot about flying, myself and life in general.

I had a dream to fly around Australia’s coast and photograph while I was flying and I actually did it. The best advice I can give to people is that if you have a burning desire to do something, no matter how big or small, then just do it! Stop stuffing around and get on with it! You’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t at least have a go.

Because I had a dream and did something about it, I set in motion a sequence of events which has led me to where I am now. On the return from my flight, I started speaking to people about my experiences. People then wanted me to write a book, which I did, Plane Reflections, and that led to collaboration in several academic publications. After that, I put my photos on CD and then progressed to movie presentations of the photos on DVDs. That in turn led me to producing DVDs for aged care and dementia patients as reminiscence therapy.

It hasn’t been an easy path. In between times I suffered injuries in a head on collision in a car which further forced me in the direction that I’m now heading. Strange how my dream has now turned from me doing something solely for myself to me helping others.

Life is an adventure, so make the most of it.”

This passage was taken from my blog post on 3rd July 2011.

More regular snippets about the flight and other travels are on http://franwest2.blogspot.com so please subscribe or follow the blog (it’s free).

So, my best tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Decide on your future heading.
What are your goals?
When do you want to achieve them?
How are you going to achieve them?

Two of my presentation topics are:

Follow your dreams (at any age)
Setting and achieving goals

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

“Rules aren’t always meant to be broken
There are more rules up in the air than on the ground. You don’t just jump in a plane and take off because you can get into a lot of trouble if you don’t read your charts properly.

There are a lot of Prohibited, Restricted and Danger Areas (PRDs), some of which need to be avoided if they are active, and there is also civil and military controlled airspace.

Some areas are for training or transitting and this applies to planes, helicopters, gliders, float planes, military jets, parachuting, aerobatics etc. Other areas need to be avoided when active for bombing, flares, rifles, lasers, gunnery, blasting, high velocity gas discharge etc.

Quite a lot of things end up in the atmosphere and planes don’t want to be in the air at the wrong time. If you read the documents and obtain weather reports with the PRDs before flying, then safety is assured.

Controlled airspace is one place where you don’t do your own thing without obtaining a clearance (asking permission) first. Planes etc. need to be kept separate from one another to avoid collisions. This is easier in airspace where the control tower has aircraft on radar but in other areas it’s up to the pilot to keep watch and maintain separation.

Along the coast there are military areas where planes can transit by set routes. This suited me in many instances because the routes flew over the ocean anyway.

On one occasion I obtained a clearance to fly along the coast at 1,500 feet. I was on radar, transmitting the designated transponder code, and while I was flying through the area I must have been concentrating on the camera and not on the altimeter and I had gradually descended. The control tower promptly told me to climb back to 1,500 feet. Just as well I did because not long after, a military helicopter came in from the ocean and flew beneath me towards the land.

Imagine what would have happened if I had kept descending and the helicopter had been climbing! A good lesson learnt that day!

So every time you come across a rule which you consider unnecessary, think very carefully before you break it. The rule may well have been designed for your own protection!”

So, another tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Rules aren’t always meant to be broken.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Turning negatives into positives
Determination/Persistence/Perseverance

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

During my time in Utah in 2009, I visited several of the spectacular national parks in the state’s south. One that I visited was Zion National Park which has plenty of trails to hike along.

I caught the shuttle bus up to the last stop in the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, the Temple of Sinawava, in the southeastern section of the park. This stop is the trailhead for the Riverside Walk which leads deeper into the narrowing canyon beyond the end of the road.

It’s an easy trail winding its way past the Virgin River at the base of the canyon walls and finishing at the Zion Narrows. People can continue through the Narrows if they choose to but they have to wade upstream through the river, bearing in mind the possibility of a flash flood.

Because the trail is fairly easy, it’s very accessible to walkers of varying abilities and consequently it’s extremely busy and crowded.

The noise made by too many people can often scare away wildlife and it sometimes drowns out the sounds of nature, like a running river, bird songs and animal antics.

To escape the endless number of noisy hikers, I left the trail to have a closer look at the river and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. Very relaxing to just soak up what nature was offering.

On my way back to join the trail, I heard this commotion in a fenced off clearing. I thought it sounded like a rattle (I may have been mistaken though). However, when I looked closer I saw a squirrel and a snake having a go at each other.

The snake definitely didn’t like the squirrel in its patch and there was dust flying everywhere with the squirrel artfully dodging the snake’s strike. However, it didn’t matter how angry the snake was, that squirrel was determined to stand its ground even if it meant being bitten.

I took several photos (without telephoto lens unfortunately) before the snake finally gave up and retreated from the dust bath created by the squirrel. I’ve always thought squirrels were cute and quick but this particular one was a feisty little critter as well!

A couple of observations:
• if you’re going to enjoy nature en masse, then keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut
• watch where you’re walking (as an Aussie, part of bushwalking is watching out for snakes on the trail anyway)
• cute and cuddly doesn’t necessarily mean weak and lacking courage (perceptions can often be wrong)
• make sure you’re fast on your feet if you’re facing a deadly opponent
• even if you think you’re facing insurmountable odds you can sometimes achieve success through sheer determination

So, my next tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Never give up.
Be persistent and very determined to achieve success no matter what the odds.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Turning negatives into positives
Determination/Persistence/Perseverance

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

The flight path went past all these places but they just weren’t worth photographing, except to illustrate the poor visibility. Fortunately, I’d seen all these places from the ground before and in beautiful sunny weather.

However, as compensation, I saw huge manta rays flying through the clear blue water as I was coming in to land at Broome and I also saw whales and their calves edging into the cliffs along the Great Australian Bight.

I was even in the right place at the right time on several occasions. While the plane was being serviced in Broome, it was the time of the Shinju Matsuri Festival, the Pearling Festival. To me, Broome is undeniably the Pearl of Western Australia – a vibrant Outback town with its natural beauty, historical background and mix of cultures.

And I was in Geraldton at the time of the wildflowers and witnessed Western Australia’s magnificent floral show. We even found the unique wreath flowers which people had carefully made easier to see by surrounding them with twigs – rather odd really, but it did work!

I was disappointed that I couldn’t fly around Tasmania in October 1999 because of fatigue and the forecast of more bad weather.

However, by delaying the rest of the flight until February 2000, I had much better conditions. As we were flying over Devonport I could see two bumps in the distance. They were Mount Roland and Cradle Mountain, my favourite spot in Australia. I couldn’t believe my eyes.

About half an hour later we were in the Cradle Valley area. The crème de la crème, the icing on the cake, the highlight of the whole trip for me was flying around Cradle Mountain with no clouds covering it.

I was absolutely blessed because this mountain (above) is totally visible for only a few days a year. There was still smoke in the valleys from the bushfires (I think I must attract smoke like a magnet) and the sky was overcast, but I still managed to take some magnificent photos.

When I returned to Adelaide, my home city, after completing both flights around the mainland and Tasmania, once again, the unexpected has happened. I’ve embarked on a career as a motivational speaker, author and DVD producer. I’ve won the prestigious Lores Bonney Trophy and I’ve received a Spirit of Adventure Award from Australian Geographic.

So you have to believe that sometimes when you don’t get what you want, God has something better in store for you, something of which you hadn’t even dreamed. As it’s often said, “When one door closes, another door opens”.

So, my next tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
When one door closes, another door opens.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Turning negatives into positives
Determination/Persistence/Perseverance

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

I love my country, Australia.

I love travel, taking photos, doing adventurous activities, meeting new people and I particularly love flying.

All these things that I have a passion for I managed to combine in the goal that I had set myself, flying around Australia’s coast in a light aircraft.

During my trip, Oz Flight ’99, people could sense that I was passionate about and committed to the journey that I was undertaking.

They wanted to be a part of it too by helping me, giving me good information and advice, providing new experiences and having a lot of fun together.

Like with Leedham Walker, pilot extraordinaire, clowning around
on Preservation Island, Bass Strait.

If you aren’t enthusiastic about or don’t believe in what you’re doing, then other people won’t waste their time with you either.

When people read my book, Plane Reflections, or hear me speak about my flight, they can relate to what happened to me because of my enthusiasm. I can make them feel that they’re in the plane with me experiencing the same highs and lows.

And with the photos, they can see what my eyes saw.

But best of all they realise that I’m just an ordinary person who made a dream reality and that they can also do that for themselves.

They too can achieve their full potential.

It’s truly amazing that we have the power within us to motivate other people and to change lives merely because of what we do.

So, my next tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Be passionate about what you do.
Your passion and enthusiasm will also inspire others,
not only for your benefit but also for theirs.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Follow your dreams (at any age)
Success

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

“A few weeks after completing the flight around Tasmania, I was invited to go flying with a friend. On this occasion, I was sitting in the right hand seat, the passenger’s seat. Even though I took control of the aircraft for a short time, I was not pilot in command. I didn’t have the responsibility of making any major decisions, taking off or landing.
Basically, I just relaxed and enjoyed the flight.

Amazingly, I seemed to hear the radio better and I was also able to spot the aerodrome sooner than the pilot who was more familiar with it. All I had to concentrate on was looking at the scenery and listening.

On my coastal flight, as pilot in command in the left hand seat, I was quite busy. Feet worked the rudders. Hands worked the control column, throttle, flaps, trim, fuel tank selector, radio, camera and pencil (to mark the maps). Eyes scanned the instrument panel, checked the GPS, watched out for other flying objects, looked for potential landing spots in case of emergency, compared the map with the terrain below and checked the time etc. Radio calls were received and transmitted and conversation was held with the passenger (when there was one). Even the nose got into the act, sniffing for different smells like fuel and smoke.

In other words, all the senses were working at once. No wonder I had problems with seeing and hearing sometimes – I was in overload. For people who fly a lot or are professional pilots, all this comes naturally, but I had to really work at it. So, my perspective changed when I swapped seats and responsibilities.

Passengers have a different perspective to pilots. Pilots who fly for a living have a different perspective to pilots who are not commercial. Instrument rated pilots who are able to fly through bad weather have a different perspective to pilots who must see where they are going at all times.

We all view life differently, each person having a unique perspective, so be prepared to be tolerant and patient and not too quick to judge. In other words, try and put yourself in the other person’s place. You never know, it just might be a better place to be!”

Here’s a photo of Muttonbird Island (foreground), near Loch Ard Gorge, Port Campbell National Park, Victoria. Some people perceive it to be like a question mark or a seahorse, others see it as the top part of a coat hanger. What’s your unique perspective of this coastal landmark?

So, another tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

Look at everything from a different perspective
Lateral thinking, imagination, creativity, thinking around the square,
all help you to see things from another angle.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Setting and achieving goals
Personal development

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

This event in her life reminded me of the following passage from my book, Plane Reflections.

“You’re never too old

My dear friend Ken, from Perth, who accompanied me from Port Hedland to Perth, last year celebrated his 70th birthday by doing a tandem sky dive.

Ellen, from Launceston, had her own milestone by logging her 1,000th hour of flying in gliders and powered aircraft. Ellen was 75 at the time.

So if you think that growing older is any excuse to stop living life to the full, then forget it. If you keep on keeping on, then you’ll more than likely keep on keeping on. Just have a go!

Growing older is obviously something to look forward to!”

Ten years on and Ellen is still going strong (though not piloting herself) and at 80, Ken has just remarried.

In addition to the road trip up North, I went trekking in South America, heliflying over the Iguazu Falls, ballooning and air boating in Florida, renewed my pilot’s licence, spoke at aviation events in Orlando and Seattle, did more filming in Sydney and tackled the blogosphere and social media. Not bad for a senior!

When I go trekking, I’m slower than others in the group because of my car accident injuries from years ago. However, I follow Ken’s and Ellen’s examples and just keep on keeping on.
My goals for 2011 reflect that philosophy.

So, my next tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

If you keep on keeping on,
then you’ll more than likely keep on keeping on.
Just have a go!

Two of my presentation topics are:

Determination/Persistence/Perseverance
Follow your dreams (at any age)

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos. Products can be ordered from this website as well.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.

Earlier in November I was photographing and filming at the Australian International 3 Day Event, a premier event for equestrian sports in the heart of Adelaide’s beautiful parklands.

This event appealed to me, not only because it was an excellent example of teamwork in action, but it also highlighted my philosophy – have a go, follow dreams and ADD value to life by having the right Attitude, making Decisions and being Determined to follow them through.

I attended the Saturday’s Cross Country event where riders had to negotiate a course with different terrain and numerous jumps. One series of jumps which caused a lot of problems for some riders was located around the Rymill Park Lake.

This one particular rider certainly embodied my philosophy.

She and her horse cleared the first jump without a hitch but the horse baulked at the water jump.

Turning the horse away from the brush and water, she headed off to have another go at the jump. The horse refused the jump again. Not wanting to give up, she spurred on the horse to make a third attempt and was successful.

What followed was quite amazing, not only for the rider but also for the spectators.

After succeeding on the third attempt, she almost fell off her mount.

Not wanting to give up and retire from the competition, this plucky young rider not only hung on for dear life but managed to right herself in the saddle. Great relief for the rider and applause and cheers from the crowd.

After that narrow escape, she continued on over the next jump into the other side of the lake.

Showing the qualities of great courage, endurance and athleticism required for a cross country event, this young equestrian certainly ADDed value to her life during this competition.

She had the right attitude that she was not going to give up, even though she’d incurred several penalties from the horse’s refusal and time taken for three attempts.

She made the decision that she was not going to fall off her horse and incur further penalties or elimination and she was very determined to manoeuvre herself into an upright position in the saddle and continue on the course. The expression on her face said it all.

So, my next tip for how to pilot your life (personal or business) is:

ADD value to your life by
having the right Attitude,
making Decisions and
being Determined to follow them through.

Two of my presentation topics are:

Teamwork
Maintain the right attitude

For another close up view of horse power, email me at fran@franwest.com and I’ll send you a photo which you can use as your desktop wallpaper.

You can read more in my blog http://franwest2.blogspot.com. There are plenty of stories, photos and videos.

While you’re waiting for the next newsletter, “Plane Reflections: about life and a flight around Australia’s coast” is available in book and CD format for $20.00 plus postage and packaging.
“Australia’s Coast from the Air” DVD, with over 260 photos and soundtrack, is available in PAL and NTSC for only $25.00 plus postage and packaging.
To preview the DVD visit www.youtube.com/ozdragon52.

Bye for now,

Fran West

Australia’s Life Pilot
Speaker, Author, Adventurer

For the full illustrated and unabridged version of the Pilot your life newsletter (emailed monthly) contact Fran through the website links.