Reframing Hurry Up and Wait: How to Stay Ready in a Holding Pattern

Nicole Hargrove
Jul 22
2 min read

If you have ever been on a flight that did not land when expected, you have experienced it. The plan descends, then levels off. Minutes pass. The captain announces these infamous words:

"We have been put in a holding pattern. We will be circling until we are cleared to land."

Maybe there is weather on the ground.

Maybe there is traffic on the runway.

Maybe it is just not your turn yet.

You are still in the air.

Still moving.

But not quite there.

That is how life feels sometimes, too.

Welcome to the Holding Pattern

You did everything right.

You launched the project. Submitted the application. Showed up fully.

And then....NOTHING.

No news. No feedback. No next step.

Just silence and waiting.

This moment can feel like you are stalled.

You are NOT, you are still in flight. And how you show up during the holding pattern says a lot about who you are when it is time to land.

Keep the Engine Running

Even when the destination is not ready, you can still keep your momentum warm.

Think of this season as ACTIVE WAITING.

Revisit something you paused during the sprint.
Sharpen your skills in an area that will set you apart.
Reflect on what you have built and where you are headed.
Keep showing up..on paper, online, and in practice.

You are NOT just passing time. You are building readiness.

Run Pre-Landing Checks

Use the pause to recalibrate.

Ask yourself

Are my goals still aligned with what I want?
What would I do differently if I started over?
If I got a green light tomorrow...AM I READY?

These questions turn idle time into INTENTIONAL GROWTH!

Reframe the Silence

It is easy to let silence feel like rejection.

But silence does not mean "no." Sometimes it means "not yet."

Other times it means "not this, but something better."

Instead of filling the gap with worry, fill it with CURIOSITY!

What's unfolding that you cannot see yet?

There are Alternate Runways

The destination you had in mind may not be the only place worth landing.

Sometimes the delay give you altitude, and from up here, you can spot new paths

A different company, client, or role.
A shift in what success looks like.
An idea that only surfaced because you were FORCED to PAUSE.

You are not circling because you failed.

You are circling because something better may be LINING UP!

You are Still Flying

Here is the encouragement: A holding pattern does not mean you are stuck. It means you are still in MOTION, still PREPARING, still on the WAY! Keep the engine running. Trust the process. Stay alert for when it is your time to land. You are NOT BEHIND! You are RIGHT WHERE you need to be...ACTIVELY WAITING with INTENTION and PREPARING with PURPOSE!

Every great pilot has faced a holding pattern. What sets them apart is not how fast they land but how WELL they fly while they ACTIVELY WAIT!

So if you are in a holding pattern right now, take heart. You are still airborne. And your runway will CLEAR! Drop a comment about your holding pattern experience.

Always remember to EMPOWER through sharing knowledge, create global IMPACT, and leave a LEGACY!