The flight that never took off - A reflexion about the weight we carry

What’s the heaviest burden you’ve ever carried? - For General José Sanjurjo, it was a suitcase—and it cost him his life.

On July 20, 1936, General José Sanjurjo, a key figure in the military uprising that led to the Spanish Civil War, tragically lost his life in a plane crash in Portugal. The reason for the crash holds a powerful lesson: Sanjurjo insisted on carrying a heavy suitcase packed with his full military uniform, despite the pilot’s warnings about the risks of overloading the aircraft.

It is worth reflecting on the life he had led up to that moment. Sanjurjo was a veteran of the Moroccan campaigns, a celebrated general, and a leader whose name was closely tied to Spanish history of the time. Yet his career was far from smooth. He had been imprisoned, sentenced to death, and later exiled after a failed coup. Despite his pardon and return to Europe, he remained a figure in the shadows, far from the authority he once wielded.

On the day of the flight, he was on his way to rejoin the rebellion, prepared to take a prominent role in the military uprising. The uniform in his suitcase was no ordinary outfit; it likely represented years of service, survival, and a claim to leadership in what he must have seen as a defining moment.

Still, even symbols have their weight. Sanjurjo, a man who had endured so much, now faced an unforeseen consequence of his decision. The suitcase, heavy with meaning and belongings, prevented the plane from gaining the altitude it needed. It was a small miscalculation in the grand scale of his life—but a fatal one.

The plane couldn’t take off. Quite literally, the weight he carried kept him grounded, leading to a fatal outcome.

Had Sanjurjo trusted that he was enough—his leadership, his experience, his authority—he could have made history. Instead, he placed too much importance on symbols, believing his uniform defined his worth. This burden cost him not only his flight but his life.

Just as Sanjurjo’s suitcase kept him grounded, we all carry invisible burdens packed with perfectionism, fear, and the need to prove ourselves. Brené Brown, in her book Daring Greatly, explains that these weights often stem from a fear of not being “enough.” She describes vulnerability as a willingness to show up and be seen, even when we cannot control the outcome. Yet so often, we pile on layers of “armor,” believing that to be worthy, we must carry more, achieve more, or prove more.

Like Sanjurjo and his uniform, we sometimes cling to symbols or ideas we think are indispensable to our identity. But that “armor,” as Brown puts it, can weigh us down, keeping us from the freedom to move forward.

Packing for Success: Preparing for the Big Moments

When I think about my first flight in an A320, I remember the weight I carried—not just the technical responsibilities, but the pressure to prove myself, the fear of making a mistake, and the desire to be perfect. It wasn’t just a flight; it was my first step into a world of great responsibility, where every decision mattered.

But while my story is unique to aviation, the weight of stepping into a big moment is something we all carry, no matter the field or context. Doctors performing their first surgeries, CEOs making their first major decisions, soldiers facing their first real conflict—all these moments are marked by vulnerability and exposure. The stakes are high, the responsibility is immense, and the fear of failure can be overwhelming.

Even outside of these professions, we encounter these defining moments: a teacher stepping into their first classroom, an attorney′s first trial, a parent making a life-changing decision for their child, an artist sharing their work for the first time. The specifics may differ, but we all share the experience of stepping into the unknown, carrying the weight of our expectations and fears.

Today, I speak as a professional pilot, but aren’t we all sometimes faced with moments like this? Moments where we feel exposed, where success feels fragile, and the road ahead feels uncertain? The question is: What works? How do we prepare for these moments and give ourselves the best chance to take off successfully?

Here’s what I’ve learned—and what I continue to remind myself:

• What Am I Carrying That I Don’t Need? In moments of high responsibility, we often overpack. It’s not just the knowledge and skills we’ve earned, but also the invisible weight of external expectations, fear of failure, and the need to prove ourselves. These don’t serve us—they only weigh us down. On my first flight, I carried self-doubt and the desire for perfection. Looking back, I see how unnecessary they were. Embracing imperfection is not about lowering your standards; it’s about freeing yourself to perform at your best. For others, it might be the weight of worrying what others think, or the constant pressure to outperform. Letting go of these burdens isn’t easy, but it’s essential for moving forward.
• Am I Allowing Myself to Be Vulnerable? Progress doesn’t require perfection; it requires authenticity. Whether it’s a surgeon making their first incision or a soldier stepping onto the battlefield, vulnerability is about accepting that you may stumble but showing up anyway. In the cockpit, I had to trust that I’d prepared enough, even if I didn’t feel infallible. Vulnerability meant admitting to myself that I might not be perfect, but that I was ready to learn. It’s not a weakness—it’s the courage to say, “I’m here, I’m trying, and I’m ready to grow.” For a teacher, it might mean acknowledging the nerves that come with stepping in front of a classroom. For a parent, it could be trusting their instincts in an uncertain situation. Vulnerability is what lets us connect with the moment and perform authentically.
• Am I Focusing on What Truly Matters? Like Sanjurjo and his uniform, we often cling to symbols or ideas we think are indispensable to our identity. For me, it was the idea of being flawless in my execution. But often, our greatest strength comes not from perfection but from letting go of what no longer serves us. For a CEO, it might mean releasing the fear of making an unpopular decision. For a doctor, it might mean accepting that not every case will go perfectly. For anyone stepping into a moment of responsibility, it means focusing on the essentials—the things that actually move us forward—and leaving behind what weighs us down.

The Flight of Our Lives

This is a shared journey. Whether you’re stepping into a cockpit, an operating room, a boardroom, or any major responsibility, these moments are rarely smooth, and the stakes often feel enormous. But they’re also where we grow the most.

These moments aren’t about proving yourself to others; they’re about proving to yourself that you’re capable of taking the next step, even when it feels hard. And that’s where the weight we carry—both visible and invisible—can make all the difference.

From my experience, I’ve learned that what we choose to carry can shape our ability to move forward. I’ve also learned that even small choices—what to let go of, what to hold onto—can have a profound impact. This is what I would tell yesterday’s Ana as she sat in the cockpit of the A320 for the first time:“Trust the work you’ve done. Trust the preparation that has brought you here. Let go of the fear and the self-doubt—they’re just extra weight. You are enough.”

As Brené Brown reminds us, “Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” That’s been my greatest lesson.At the end of the day, we all want to soar. For me, it’s been about finding the courage to let go of unnecessary weight, the wisdom to trust in my preparation, and the clarity to focus on what truly matters.

How do you prepare for those defining moments? What has worked for you when the stakes felt high, and the road ahead was uncertain? What helps you take flight?