30 tips for successful cross-country flying
#17: No fear and no deadlines
From my own experience I know that two things really hamper a long XC flight.
1. The fear of bombing out… i.e. if I am already thinking of bombing out when I am still flying. People talk of a self-fullfilling prophecy. If you think about bombing out, you’re already half-way there. Better to turn that around and persevere and think about all the low saves you achieved in the past! You’ve only landed when you are standing on the ground with both feet. Until that moment you always have the chance to get up again.
2. Evening commitments are a killer for XC flights. If you are already worrying about getting home on time, if there will be public transport, how long it might take you to hitch back to your car … you are really increasing your chances of a short flight.