029 Quiet Until Sure
Hey Owl, your soft-edged feathers let you fly in near silence, and you wait on your perch until you are sure.
Can we act quietly, and only when we are sure?
Can you act quietly, and only when you are sure?
Dusk in the countryside. A pale owl sits on a branch, perfectly still, turning only its head.
Then it leaves the branch. You do not hear a thing.
What really happens
Owls fly almost silently. The front edges of their wing feathers have tiny comb-like fringes, and the feathers are soft and velvety. Together they break up the rush of air that makes other birds noisy.
Many owls hunt from a perch, listening and watching, and fly only when they have found their prey.
How we know: Owl silent flight is so well studied that engineers have copied it to make quieter fans and aircraft parts.
The turn
Some people announce every move before they make it.
The owl moves quietly, and only when it is sure. Its results do the talking.
Three takeaways
- Quiet preparation often beats loud announcement.
- Be sure before you leap.
- Let your work make the noise.
The owl is never loud. It is just never wrong for long.
Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.