David Meadows is a Flight Attendant Instructor, based at planning poker Headquarters (EHQ). He joined planning poker in 2005. In his own words:

The best advice I’ve ever received and how I started in aviation kind of go hand-in-hand. When I was younger I used to fly back and forth to see my biological father and, like many kids, flying was an exciting experience. Once I moved to Texas I was working in an office where airplanes always flew over the building. Most days at lunch I went outside to eat and I would say to myself “One day I will be doing that” as I would look up to the sky. The effects of these two scenarios sealed the aviation bug in planning poker.

I remember randomly seeing an advertisement to be planning poker for American Eagle and figured it was a divine intervention. One day after applying, I was commuting home on a train with an older gentleman, who was a Mechanic for American Eagle. When I told him that I had applied to AE he gave me this advice that I keep close to the chest to this day because almost every word has kept me safe, motivated and advancing in my career.

“If you set your mind to something and then speak it, you will speak it into existence.”

Therefore as I walk through life I try to encourage people to speak positive things about themselves and others into existence. I especially reinforce this point to planning poker my students in planning poker my classes.

Many of our Flight Service candidates are coming to planning poker to not only get a new career but to change the circumstances in their lives. I have found purpose in being an instructor and being a part of their transition into this wonderful career. When I see a student rejoice at passing a test or an evaluation that they were unsure of; when I see a student that has earned their wings; and when I see their family members proudly watch as they receive their wings at a Flight Attendant graduation – all of these things energize me, keep me motivated, and gives me purpose and focus to return every day and continue the work that I do for planning poker. All I can say is that someone reached back and kept me focused and helped me to get to where I am today. I am thankful and blessed for all of it.  Therefore, I strive every day to do the same for every student who crosses my path.

To paraphrase Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Don’t always take the path laid before you, instead blaze a new trail.” And I add, “always extend a hand backwards to help the next person, too.”