Learnings from Space: NASA Astronaut Cady Coleman
In this interview I speak to Cady Coleman, a former NASA Astronaut & Retired US Air Force Colonel with more than 180 days in space including two shuttle missions and a six-month…
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In this interview I speak to Cady Coleman, a former NASA Astronaut & Retired US Air Force Colonel with more than 180 days in space including two shuttle missions and a six-month…
In this interview I speak to Victor Vescovo - one of only two people ever to have stood at Earth’s highest peak, descended to its deepest trench, and looked back at the…
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I told them, 'My mom is visiting from Ohio today. If you can look her in the eye and tell her it's impossible to build a place for me to stay on the space station during my mission, then we're done here. If not, we have more to discuss.' They suggested my mom come to dinner instead, and we ended up going to Home Depot together.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
Think about how that feels when you're told that for this essential skill that is part of the astronaut job, you're not needed. It's as if they were saying, 'You don't bring anything essential and we won't miss you.' That encouragement pushed me to show up to spacewalking meetings I wasn't initially invited to.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
I believe that a mission can be something grand, but it doesn't have to be. Many people say, 'I'm just busy living my life, and I don't have time for some grand mission.' But I think a mission is present for almost everyone if they take the time to look for it. I think that if you care about something, then you have a mission.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
Everyone has important skills and likely unique skills, but they may not always be as confident in those skills as they should be. We need to challenge the notion that if you don't feel like a superhero, then you must not be the right person for the job. Being underestimated in that way often brings out the best in me. For me, it's not just about overcoming insecurity but leveraging it as a catalyst to ensure that I bring everything I have to the mission.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
Mental resilience is supported by practice and preparation, but it also comes from knowing, deep down, that you're supposed to be where you are. Confidence in your purpose is crucial. By focusing on the next step, and then the one after that, while keeping the big picture in mind, you can effectively accomplish the mission.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
STS-93, the mission where we launched the Chandra telescope, was conceived 25 years before we launched it. Someone had that vision long before it became a reality. This long-term perspective is essential.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
I think that if you care about something, then you have a mission. Knowing that, and that your specific set of skills and experience brings something special to that mission, are key.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
Mental resilience comes from knowing, deep down, that you're supposed to be where you are. Confidence in your purpose is crucial. By focusing on the next step while keeping the big picture in mind, you can effectively accomplish the mission.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
We need to challenge the notion that if you don't feel like a superhero, then you must not be the right person for the job. Today's most important challenges are met by teams of people, as opposed to a single superhero.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist
Being underestimated often brings out the best in me. It's not just about overcoming insecurity but leveraging it as a catalyst to ensure that I bring everything I have to the mission and that I muster the courage to show people who I really am.
— Cady ColemanNASA Astronaut & Space Shuttle Mission Specialist