(Life) Lessons from Space: Mike Massimino at Nerdio’s SKO

During our SKO in Orlando, Florida, we had the privilege of hearing from Michael Massimino as our keynote speaker on day two. From repairing the Hubble Space Telescope, in charge of the Atlantis Space Shuttle, recording the longest spacewalk at the time to writing the very first tweet from space, a special story for sure.

After his talk, Mike did a book signing. Nerdio made sure there was a copy of his book (Moonshot) for every employee. I read it from start to finish on the flight home. It’s a combination of lessons learned, life hacks, anecdotes (the ones only an astronaut can tell), fun facts, and inspiring stories in general.

One story that stood out, for me at least was when he asked Neil Armstrong for advice on the first ever Tweet he was about to send from space. They were waiting in line at a banquet, and Mike turned to the first man on the moon for help. What did he ask? How Neil came up with the phrase "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind", and what he thought he should tweet from space.

Well, that pretty much beats every story I have ever told at a BBQ.

Ohw, and btw, Neil was not amused.

Most of what he shared on stage though, or shares in his book is applicable to real-life as well, or Nerdio for that matter.

Mike emphasized the importance of teamwork. In space, it’s never about one person—it’s about the crew. Every role matters, and even small improvements can make a big difference. He shared an example of saving one minute of spacewalking time, which might not sound like much, but it’s huge considering the circumstances. That mindset translates perfectly into what we do, or should do every day as well—finding ways to make things (or yourself) better, one step at a time.

Another story he shares is about a NASA swim test during astronaut training, which he didn’t know about when signing up. Mike wasn’t a great swimmer (understatement). But instead of panicking, he leaned on his teammates (who stepped up). The stronger swimmers helped coach the weaker ones (during the weekend), and by working together, they all passed. Nobody gets out of the water unless we all pass the test, is what they agreed upon.

Or as Confucius, my old pal used to say… "He who asks is a fool for a moment; he who does not ask remains a fool for life."

Mike didn’t shy away from talking about (his) mistakes, either. Mistakes will happen, but how you handle them is what counts. His advice? Take 30 seconds to regret it, call yourself every name in the book, and then move on—slowly. Rushing can make a bad situation worse (remember, you can always make things worse). The bigger the problem, the slower you respond, oversee what the issue is, get a plan together and take action. It’s a big deal in the book as well, almost a separate chapter even. Having a problem to fix is one thing, rushing into things and potentially doubling your challenges is a nightmare in the works and lowers your chances of success drastically, especially in space. That’s a lesson we can all relate to, whether we’re in space or tackling issues here on Earth.

Persistence. Mike didn’t get into the astronaut program on his first try—or even his second. He kept applying, improving each time, until he finally made it. This whole process took close to ten years. Even then, he faced challenges like the swim test mentioned, but he never gave up. Even a 0.00001% chance isn’t zero. It’s always worth trying.

He also touched on the importance of how we see others. If you don’t like someone or find them difficult to deal (or work) with, it’s probably because you don’t know them well enough. Try to find a positive thought or experience about that person before judging or responding. It’s a small thing, but it can change the way we interact, live and work together. Easier said than done, perhaps, but I liked his positiveness and how he “grew” into his leadership position using these kinds of “hacks”. Having said that, he had some great mentors along the way as well.

What a great guy! Thank you, Nerdio (and Mike) for yet another wonderful experience. One of the many we had last week.