I am an astronaut hopeful – one of thousands of people who somehow never outgrew our childhood dream of going to space. Anyone can hope to be an astronaut, but to be an “astronaut hopeful” one must make a commitment to the goal and proactively work towards becoming an astronaut. The road is long and the outcome is uncertain, but it is in trying to achieve this lofty ambition that we learn to become our best selves.
Astronauts train to be some of the most focused, resourceful, healthy and dependable people on the planet. Striving to be more like them can help any person to be more effective in life’s pursuits. Making the decision to do everything one can to actually become an astronaut means learning from astronaut role models and making incremental decisions throughout your life that get you closer to your dream.
This week NASA began accepting applications to recruit another class of astronaut candidates (ASCAN’s). More than 6,300 people applied during the last opportunity, from which they chose eight new recruits. A 0.1% chance of selection makes the NASA ASCAN program more selective than almost any college or career. At least the odds are better than winning the lottery. You can improve your prospects through hard work and a bit of luck, but the only way to ensure you’re not chosen is by not applying at all.
For the fortunate ones who are chosen, though, it’s the realization of a lifelong dream.
Here are the eight top things that I learned over the years by interacting with astronauts and astronaut hopefuls.
Astronauts train to be some of the most focused, resourceful, healthy and dependable people on the planet. Striving to be more like them can help any person to be more effective in life’s pursuits. Making the decision to do everything one can to actually become an astronaut means learning from astronaut role models and making incremental decisions throughout your life that get you closer to your dream.
This week NASA began accepting applications to recruit another class of astronaut candidates (ASCAN’s). More than 6,300 people applied during the last opportunity, from which they chose eight new recruits. A 0.1% chance of selection makes the NASA ASCAN program more selective than almost any college or career. At least the odds are better than winning the lottery. You can improve your prospects through hard work and a bit of luck, but the only way to ensure you’re not chosen is by not applying at all.
For the fortunate ones who are chosen, though, it’s the realization of a lifelong dream.
Here are the eight top things that I learned over the years by interacting with astronauts and astronaut hopefuls.