--- id: flying-free-24-new-objectives title: Chapter 24 – New Objectives category: Life Lessons predicted_narrative_arc: Adversity to grounded stability sentiment: Resilient emotions: - grief - determination - faith - resolve keypoints: - Faith and Family as sole stable foundations enduring crisis - Prepare for change through flexibility not worry - Father's sudden death shifted family security and responsibilities - Attack problems or they attack you; suck it up - Tests as disguised opportunities for progress summary: Dean Rush emphasizes preparing for life's inevitable changes by identifying stable landing zones, specifically Faith and Family as the only enduring foundations through crises. He recounts his father's sudden death in his teenage years, which forced immediate economic and emotional shifts on the family farm and thrust unexpected responsibilities onto him. The chapter stresses proactive flexibility, attacking problems rather than being attacked by them, and viewing tests as opportunities to fly free. tags: - family - faith - work - testing - warmth - conviction - faith-and-family - crisis-preparation - life-change - personal-resilience - flying-free - personal-loss - resilience sycophancy: 1 truth_score: 9 entropy: 4 updated: '2026-09-08T20:49:31Z' vault_stage: 07_CODEX headwaters: COMPA prefix: COMPA enrich_status: ok enrich_blockers: [] enrich_method: llm pipeline_filename: COMPA_2026-09-08_chapter-24-new-objectives.md proposed_topic: Stories lane: Stories description: Change is inevitable. Dean teaches that the two firm foundations that survive every crisis are Faith and Family — and that preparing for change is the surest way to protect them. routing_source: carbon corpus_topic: Stories --- # Chapter 24 ## New Objectives – Change Your Landing Zone **Full book:** https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md --- ### Context for the Reader This chapter reinforces that the final phase of recovery requires a deliberate change of landing zone. Dean’s simple but profound statement — “there are only two stable, firm foundations that endure crisis: Faith and Family” — is one of the clearest takeaways from the entire book. --- Change is a reality of life that always comes to us because we live in an ever-changing world, an unstable society, and within an environment that we do not control. Since there is going to be change in life, we should prepare for that likelihood. You cannot prepare for the unexpected by worrying, but you can prepare for change by training yourself to be flexible. Determining the landing fields that are within range of your problem as you go through life can save you great discomfort. A good pilot is constantly surveying the horizon for a safe landing zone. Have you experienced those times in your life that were not static? In fact, I would rightfully depict most periods as exciting but certainly not static. My guess is that your life is pretty much like that as well, or you would not be reading this book. In nearly every one of the crises Vickie and I have endured during our marriage, we did not foresee the impending transformations in our lives. Each of those afore described incidents, however, resulted in an immediate change in the lives of my wife, my family, and me. We determined that if our family was to establish a firm foundation for our lives and have some security in our home, we should prepare for the unexpected. We established a basic philosophy that has worked and decided that we should share it with others. Our philosophy is that there are only two stable, firm foundations that endure crisis in our lives. Those essential ingredients for living a secure life are Faith and Family. If you use those as the primary elements for security you will have a head start on determining a safe place to land. It is imperative to protect faith and family no matter what is occurring. That is the surest way to protect yourself in a tough circumstance. I remember as a teenager when my father died very suddenly, how quickly my world changed. It was not only a change economically but more importantly, it was a change of my very existence. I missed the camaraderie and my father’s contribution to my life. I missed him and could not figure out how to fill the hole I felt in my heart. For our family there was no longer confidence in there being food on the table or a roof over our heads. We lived on a farm that we suddenly had to pay for and then also to rely on to feed the family. We had taken Dad for granted because everything was always where it was supposed to be. He worried about paying the bills and keeping us fed. My father took good care of our group. The insecurity resulting from his absence created a new awareness that I had never before experienced in my life. My younger brothers began asking me for my opinion about everything. My mother searched for answers about how to take care of the family and, as a teenager, I was not prepared to handle the responsibility of answering those questions. Nothing in life seemed secure for us. I had to stop, evaluate who I was, and how I was going to approach the rest of my life. All of those untimely experiences had a significant effect on my approach to problems today. I learned that you either attack problems in life or they attack you. I am aware that the statement may strike you as an egotistical approach, but think about it: there are times when you must act. We must be ready to endure hardship if it comes, no matter how unpleasant. In simplified terms, “Suck it up!” Sometimes we find ourselves relaxing and thinking everything in life is perfect. When crisis strikes, confidence can very quickly turn to mush. The tests occur at varying ages and in different situations, but those unexpected events become significant and unforgettable experiences that affect our lives. The secret ingredient in being ready for tests is often simply preparation. We must understand that change will occur and be ready to accept that it can be an opportunity for progress. Your test may be an opportunity in disguise to change the direction of your life. It is a chance to fly free of those encumbrances that slow us down. Those tests are great opportunities. My father’s death was hurtful and forced me to look forward. Your test may be the death of a loved one, a job change, or a lost relationship, but you too can make it through the event just as I did. God is with you. --- **Next chapter:** Share Your Experience – Help Others Land Safely **Full book:** https://deanrush.net/downloads/flyingfreebook.md