Why Trajectory?

A sentence on the wall, and years to understand it.

Around 2008, I was part of a team establishing a new, technologically advanced manufacturing facility and launching the initial production series of composite fuselage sections for the Boeing 787.

One late summer evening, after a long day walking through the enormous facility, I was about to leave my temporary container office when Antonio — an experienced aerospace structures professional responsible for Change Management — called me into his office.

Despite the late hour, he insisted on sharing something. He pointed to an A4 sheet on the wall and asked me to read a sentence. As I remember it, approximately:

“If you always do things the same way, you will always get the same results.”

Wording recalled from memory

At the time, I thought the statement was obvious. I understood the words, but not their deeper meaning.

It took years of professional and entrepreneurial experience — difficult decisions, unsuccessful attempts, moments of uncertainty — to understand how hard it really is to change established habits and challenge familiar approaches.

When results disappoint, our instinct is often to do more of what we already know. But persistence and refusing to change direction are not the same thing.

The real challenge is to distinguish between a path that needs more time and one that is taking us away from our intended destination.

That experience helped shape the philosophy behind Trajectory Advisory: experience is not only about knowing how to do things, but also recognising when it is time to do them differently.

“Understanding the words is not the same as understanding the lesson.”

“Persistence is valuable. Knowing when to change course is a different skill.”