Jackie Cochran

Overcome sexism and discrimination by proving through exceptional performance that stereotypes are false. Let results speak louder than prejudice.

In the 1940s, Jackie faced intense sexism when trying to ferry bombers and establish the WASP program. Rather than arguing about fairness, she proved women could handle heavy aircraft through exceptional flying. She let her capabilities demolish the narrative that women could not perform at the highest levels.

“In order to prove to U.S. and British officials that women could handle such heavy aircraft as bombers.”

One positive person early in life can redirect your entire trajectory. Seek out mentors and remember their impact.

Miss Boswick, a teacher who showed Jackie affection and care for just two years, became the greatest positive influence in her early life. She taught Jackie how to take care of herself and showed her that a different world existed beyond poverty. Jackie never forgot her.

“She became the greatest positive influence on my early life. From her, I learned how to take care of myself.”

Remember where you came from. Keep a tangible connection to your origins to maintain humility and gratitude.

Throughout her life, Jackie carried food with her everywhere, a habit born from childhood hunger. When she encountered a starving German mother after World War II, she immediately shared her supplies. Her poverty never left her; it shaped her compassion.

“I never go anywhere without some food. I guess it's a hangover from my childhood.”

Find a spouse who shares your core values and ambitions. The right partnership multiplies what you can achieve.

Jackie married Floyd Oldham, who shared her drive for security, power, and success. They both worked hard and supported each other's schemes and dreams. She credited this 40-year partnership as one of the most privileged aspects of her life.

“When it came to knowing what we wanted out of life, security, power, and a certain kind of fame we were very much alike.”

Money is a tool for independence and freedom, not an end in itself. Earn it to control your own destiny.

Jackie's primary motivation for earning money was not material goods but independence. She wanted the freedom to make her own choices, pursue her own adventures, and not rely on anyone else. This drove her business decisions throughout her life.

“Money. The money made me happy because of the freedom I knew it could buy.”

Determine what you want early and maintain laser focus on that goal, never taking your eyes off it until you achieve it.

As a young girl working in cotton mills for six cents an hour, Jackie declared to her coworkers that she would be rich, wear fine clothes, own a car, and have adventures around the world. She never wavered in this vision, and while others laughed, she pursued it relentlessly.

“I'm going to be rich. I'll wear fine clothes, own my own automobile and have adventures all over the world.”

Learn everything you can about anything important to you. Deep knowledge prevents fatal mistakes and opens opportunities.

Jackie insisted on learning how to repair her Model T Ford engine herself, and later became obsessed with understanding every aspect of flying. She understood that ignorance in complex endeavors could be deadly. This commitment to mastery became her competitive advantage.

“If I relying on this car to get me around, I need to make sure I can fix it.”

When told something is impossible, recognize it as an obstacle to overcome, not a final verdict.

When told a greaseless night cream was impossible, Jackie dismissed the advice and developed Flowing Velvet, one of her most successful products. She did not recognize the word impossible in her vocabulary.

“I was told that a greaseless lubricant was clearly impossible. I knew they were wrong and I never recognized the word impossible.”

Aggression combined with guts is necessary to get what you want. Confidence alone is insufficient without action.

Chuck Yeager observed that Jackie's success came from being aggressively determined while also being intelligent and practical. She did not wait for permission or perfect circumstances. She moved forward with force.

“You've got to be aggressive and you've got to have guts to go out and get exactly what you want.”

Speak the truth about your abilities and accomplishments. If you don't promote yourself, no one else will.

Jackie did not wait for others to recognize her talent. She openly told people she was a great pilot, a talented hairdresser, and a skilled businesswoman. What others called boastfulness, she called accurate self-assessment. She understood that modesty would not advance her career.

“I can fly as well as any men entered in that race. I didn't see it as being boastful so much as speaking the truth.”

Adventure is a state of mind and spirit, not just physical activity. It requires faith and the absence of fear.

Late in life, Jackie reflected that adventure was not limited to flying or travel. It was a mindset, accessible through faith and courage in facing life and death. True adventure comes from spiritual conviction, not just external circumstances.

“Adventure is a state of mind and spirit. It comes with faith, for with complete faith, there is no fear.”

Create your own identity. You are not bound by the circumstances of your birth or the labels others assign to you.

Jackie never knew her real family name. She chose the surname Cochran herself, literally creating her own identity. This was both literal and figurative: she refused to let her origins define her and built herself from scratch.

“I wasn't going to let things outside of my control define me.”

Happiness is relative. Understanding how far you have come prevents you from taking your current circumstances for granted.

Because Jackie had lived through hunger and extreme poverty, she could appreciate luxury and comfort that others took for granted. Her childhood deprivation gave her a unique ability to find satisfaction in what she achieved.

“Because of where I came from and where I went, I ended up understanding intimately one very sustaining line of life.”

Live without risk is to live half alive. Embrace adventure and challenge as the source of a meaningful life.

Jackie's fundamental life philosophy was that avoiding risk was equivalent to death. She sought out challenges, pursued dangerous flying achievements, and lived expansively. She believed adventure was not a luxury but a necessity for authentic living.

“To live without risk, for me, would have been tantamount to death.”

Pursue excellence until your body physically cannot continue. Do not retire from your purpose, even in old age.

Jackie was setting aviation records in her late 50s and early 60s, breaking the sound barrier as a woman near age 60. She continued pursuing excellence until seizures and heart trouble made flying medically impossible. She approached physical limitation only when facing biological reality.

“Breaking the sound barrier and being the first woman to do it was the greatest thrill of my life.”

Start at the top. Aim for the best position, the best people, and the best compensation from the beginning. Don't negotiate down.

When looking for work in New York, Jackie walked into Charles of the Ritz demanding 50% commission and refusing to cut her hair. When rejected, the owner called her back the next day and agreed to all her terms. She repeated this pattern throughout her career: always ask for what you truly deserve.

“Start at the top, Jackie. I said to myself one morning out job hunting.”

Build enterprises from the ground up with clear objectives. Start with nothing and systematize rapid growth.

When tasked with founding the WASP program, Jackie had no facilities, no instructors, no aircraft. She built the entire program from scratch while processing 25,000 applications and training approximately 1,000 female pilots, ultimately releasing male pilots for combat duty.

“We needed everything, aircraft, instructors, a field, sleeping and eating facilities for the young women.”

Cultivate self-sufficiency in all critical areas. Do not rely on others for your security or capability.

Jackie learned to repair her car, mastered every aspect of flying, and built her own business rather than relying on her beauty salon position. She had a pathological need for independence that drove her to be competent in every area that mattered to her.

“I never lost my compulsion to be totally self-sufficient.”

Poverty provides a survival advantage: you develop unshakeable confidence because you know things cannot get worse than they already were.

Growing up with no shoes, no food, and no education, Jackie developed a cocky confidence that propelled her forward. She understood that no matter what challenges she faced, she had already survived worse. This became her greatest asset.

“I could never have so little that I hadn't had less. It took away my fear. It pushed me harder than I might have ever pushed myself otherwise.”

When your body can no longer do what you love, find a way to adapt and continue. Do not accept defeat.

When doctors told Jackie she could no longer fly high-performance jets due to health issues, she did not accept this as the end. Instead, she applied for a permit to fly gliders, aircraft without engines, adjusting her passion to what her body could physically handle.

“If I couldn't fly in high performance jets any longer, then I'd take up soaring, flying airplanes without engines.”

Rejection and opposition intensify determination. Use 'no' as fuel rather than a stop sign.

When told women could not be military pilots and that the WASP program was not needed, Jackie became more determined. Opposition activated her, making her work harder to prove doubters wrong. The first 'no' made her all the more resolved to succeed.

“She had been told no. Women couldn't do it. We weren't needed. And that first no made her all the more determined.”

Sales and persuasion are core skills for any endeavor. Whether selling products, services, or ideas, presentation determines belief.

Jackie built her entire life on sales and promotion. She understood that if you can present something well, people will believe you. This skill applied equally to cosmetics, aviation ideas, and military programs.

“I've always been a very good salesman. My whole life has been built on promotion and sales.”

Take chances by jumping at opportunities that scare you. Trust that you will figure it out along the way.

When offered the opportunity to operate a permanent wave machine in Montgomery, Alabama for a big contract, Jackie immediately accepted despite being unfamiliar with the city. She found elegant housing, built a clientele, and thrived by acting decisively when opportunity presented itself.

“There I am am the person he needs to make that sale in montgomery a permanent wave expert.”