Why I’m Learning to Fly — And How It’s Changing the Way I See Everything

by Shannon Sanborn

From Ground School to a Higher Perspective


Some dreams just won’t let go. They follow you through seasons of life — sitting quietly in the background until one day, you realize it’s time to stop ignoring them. For me, that dream was learning to fly. I started ground school last year not because I had a clear roadmap, but because I finally reached a point where I was done making excuses. I wasn’t chasing a new career or a midlife hobby — I was answering something deeper.

Aviation always represented more than wings or altitude. It symbolized freedom, perspective, and a reminder that faith often starts where comfort ends. I didn’t fully know it then, but starting this journey would change the way I saw everything — from how I approach work, to how I view time, trust, and the world below.


Why I’m Learning to Fly

This journey isn’t about getting away from life — it’s about moving deeper into it.

I’m learning to fly because I want to live wide awake.
Because I believe life’s too short to ignore the things that stir your soul.
Because I want my future to include not just a profession — but passion.
Because I want to someday take a client up over North Georgia during peak fall and say, “This is why we call this home.”

More than anything, I’m doing this because God put it on my heart — and I’ve learned not to ignore that nudge.


What Aviation is Teaching Me (So Far)

Ground school wasn’t just a return to textbooks and charts — it was a return to discipline.
Flying is teaching me things I didn’t expect:

  • Trust the process — there are no shortcuts worth taking

  • Clarity matters — in the cockpit, small missteps matter

  • You’re never fully in control — and that’s okay

  • Preparation builds peace — and that applies to life, too

Every pre-flight checklist, every weather report, every airspace classification reminds me that clarity, not speed, is what keeps you safe.


Faith, Flight, and Letting Go

I used to think that faith meant sitting still and waiting on answers.
But I’m learning that sometimes, faith means starting ground school when you can barely afford the time.
It means taking one small step toward the runway, even if your budget, your schedule, or your confidence says not yet.

Flying is teaching me to let go — of the illusion of control, of fear, of needing to have it all mapped out.
God’s plan might not always look efficient, but it’s never without purpose.


What This Has to Do with Business and Real Estate

You might wonder how learning to fly connects to real estate or anything practical.

Here’s how:
I’m not in the business of transactions — I’m in the business of transformation.
Helping people find home. Helping people move with purpose. Helping them step into what’s next.
Aviation is expanding how I think, how I lead, and how I serve.

I don’t want to just sell homes. I want to live my message — that freedom, clarity, and calling matter, and that the life you dream about is worth pursuing.


Final Thoughts: Start the Journey, Even If It’s Slow

I’m still a student pilot. Still learning. Still grinding through weather charts and flight theory.
But already, this journey has reshaped my mindset.

I see obstacles differently. I see time differently.
And most of all, I see that it’s okay to start small — because the view gets better the higher you go.

If there’s something pulling at you, something you’ve put off for years… maybe now’s the time.
You don’t need all the answers. You just need the courage to say yes — and the faith to take off when the time is right.


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My business is built on grit, fueled by faith, and committed to home — on the ground and in the air.

Click here to learn more.

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Shannon Sanborn

+1(706) 969-4210

chattahoocheehomepartners@gmail.com

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