Yep. It is worth taking that glance backwards to find out whether something is coming up on you. Failure to look could mean that you will never even know what took you out. Let me say that as a teacher in a classroom who turns to write something on the board, I can tell you exactly what is happening behind me. But that is not really what I am referring to here.

When something comes at you from the front, you can take the necessary steps to avoid it. But what about from behind? There is a reason that we have three mirrors in a moving vehicle to see what is coming from behind us.

Airplane pilots used the term to communicate where they spotted enemies. Place a clock directly over your head with the 12 to the front and you can announce fairly accurately where someone else should look. Six O’clock is considered completely behind you.

I play a game with this title where you fly WWI fighter planes. Usually there are 6 to 8 other players all flying their own airplanes into this battle. As we approach the middle, the enemy is in front of us, so it is easy to see what they are doing as we plan our next flight pattern. Then, we reach the middle together and all heck breaks loose. My favorite move at this point is either a climbing or a diving u-turn. If they flew mostly forward, I end up right behind them. gaining the advantage. The reason this it is an advantage to get behind an opposing plane is that they have to tell you what type of maneuver they are making before you determine your own. That way I can plan to be right there for the shot.

Ever be on the one side of a bird or a lizard and their one eyeball is looking at you? Amazing concept that they can watch you while the other eye sees something entirely different. People are not like that, and, we don’t think that way either. Starting a new project at work, watch your six. That can simply mean know what others think of you doing this project. It is worth asking. Check into some of the details before you get into a situation.

Know what is coming up on you keeps you driving the direction that you want to go.

Have a Happy Friday.