??? Jolted awake, 36,000 feet over Panama - we're going down

I was jolted awake at 4am, 36,000 feet above Central America, on a flight from Buenos Aires to Dallas. Suddenly, the captain of the American Airlines 777 announced, “Sorry to wake everyone up.

Our left engine is on fire. We’re going to be making an emergency landing in Panama City, Panama.”

As we approached the runway, I could see ambulances with lights blazing and fire trucks ready for action.

This high-adrenaline airplane adventure was just one of many for me:

1. Diverted landing from Chicago to Austin due to a passenger bleeding out next me in First Class.
2. Sudden aborted take-off in Cancun because of a funnel cloud.
3. Aborted landing at 100 feet in Sydney due to runway interference.
4. An electrifying journey to Barbados when lightning struck the plane.

Through these experiences, I realized something profound: A business is like an airplane. There are a lot of moving parts that have to work together to keep it afloat, and you always need to be ready for mayday.

Like in business, I always do my homework. Before I fly in Africa, Russia or parts of Asia where aviation safety is more questionable, I always minimize my risk by checking the website Plane Crash Info. But wanderlust is in my blood.

Life is fleeting. It’s hard to remember that this day will never come again. The time is now and the place is here. There are no second chances at a single moment.

You won’t have a second chance to have the kind of life and business changing experience you’ll have with the BDSS Dream 100 at Market Masters in Austin.

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