Let me tell you about a man who had seven career changes during a 63 year span.


His name was Eddie Rickenbacker. If anyone had reason to become discouraged and live on yesterday’s glories it was Eddie Rickenbacker, especially in his early years.


I got to thinking about his story last week as I was working on a speech and I decided to use a quote from him that has been under the plastic cover of the desk pad on the computer table next to my desk for many years. It is a quotation that I’ve used in my speeches for decades and even though the United States Postal Service issued a stamp honoring him as an aviation pioneer in 1995, his name usually elicits the “who is he?” stare from many members of the audience.


It says simply, “I can give you a six word formula for success: Think things through—then follow through.”


For those of you who don’t know much about him let me tell you a little bit about this remarkable man. Born in 1890 to Swiss immigrants, he went to work at age 20 in the emerging automobile industry. Because of his driving abilities he was selected to drive racecars manufactured by his employer. Then World War I broke out and he became a member of the newly formed Army Air Corp. Rickenbacker became a true American hero during his tour of duty with 26 victories over German pilots. This earned him the distinction of Ace of Aces, as well as the Medal of Honor.


When the war ended, Rickenbacker founded an automobile company specializing in technologically advanced vehicles. Unfortunately, the times and economic conditions resulted in a lack of demand for the cars and in 1927, using the funds he had left he purchased the Indianapolis Speedway (which he sold 15 year later because he couldn’t afford the cost of renovation).


During the time that he owned the speedway he purchased controlling interests in Eastern Airlines. During the Second World War, Rickenbacker was asked by the military to tour some of their bases. While on a tour of Pacific bases in 1942, his plane crashed into the ocean. He and six other survivors spent 24 days on a life raft before being rescued.


Following World War II, his innovative style and willingness to accept calculated risks helped turn Eastern Airlines into the most profitable airline of the post-war era. But in the late 1950’s changes in the industry resulted in Eastern’s profits falling and in 1959 he was forced out as CEO, although he continued as Board Chairman until 1963. At age 73, most of us would have simply accepted our pension and enjoyed a comfortable retirement, but not Eddie Rickenbacker! He began making speeches and became a highly sought after platform speaker, a career path he followed until his death in 1973.


Let’s review: working in an automobile factory, racecar driver, Army Air Corp pilot, owner of a car company, owner of a speedway, owner of an airline and professional speaker. Seven career changes in 63 years!


There are several lessons we can learn from this extraordinary man’s life. Let me share a few of them with you.


Think The Right Kind of Thoughts. Rickenbacker’s advice to “think things through” will only work if we think the right kind of thoughts. We’ve all known people who, when faced with adversity thought things through using the wrong kind of thoughts. Their approach always seems to revolve around questions like “Why is this happening to me?” and “What am I going to do?” Such thinking often conjures up worst-case scenarios which leads down mental paths of doom and gloom, increases tension and blocks the minds ability to think clearly. To men like Eddie Rickenbacker thinking things through meant asking questions like “What’s the next step?” or “What can I do next?” Such thinking tends to lead the mind toward paths ending in creative solutions or exciting new opportunities.


Think Forward. Full of hopes and dreams following World War I Rickenbacker merged his love of cars with his interest in advanced technology and started an automobile company that was ahead of its time. When it became obvious that there wasn’t a demand for such vehicles he could have simply given up and joined the many other pilots who flew around the country hoping to make a few dollars as a stunt pilot. But instead he thought of the future of automobile racing, marshaled his resources and bought the Indianapolis Speedway. Instead of resting on the money he was making there, he again demonstrated his forward thinking and invested in Eastern Airlines. Later, when circumstances ended his relationship with Eastern, instead of retiring he focused on the future and a new career direction.


Thinking About Next Steps. The second part of Rickenbacker’s formula tells us to “follow through”. This simply means that once we have thoroughly thought things through and arrived at a course of action, we have the courage to take the steps necessary to persist in the face of setbacks until we have achieved what we set out to do. Someone once said that talk was cheap, to which I would add thinking is free! We can think the right kind of future focused thoughts all day long. We can conceive goals and develop strategies designed to turn our thoughts into reality. But until we have the courage to act on our thinking and follow through on it, all of our thinking is nothing more than creative daydreaming.


Rickenbacker’s simple formula for success “Think things through, then follow through” provided him a life filled with exciting new horizons. And it can do the same thing for your business or career. Of course, those new horizons often mean confronting the unknown, which can create fear. So, let me close with something else Mr. Rickenbacker said, “Courage is doing what you're afraid to do.”