How a Recent Trip Reminded me that Mindset is Everything

Recently, I went back to New York (my place of birth) and where my mom and sister reside. My brief visit lasted a few days, and although I love my family very much, I also missed my wife and daughter and was eager to return home.

I changed my flight to leave on Sunday, which meant a 6 AM takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. LGA is the little brother airport in the New York City area for the uninitiated.

For various reasons, it has long been the worst of the 3 NYC airports (Kennedy and Newark Liberty are the others). We can start with horrible logistics (LGA is not directly accessible by subway or rail), even worse parking (though that has improved), and tiny runways with very little room for error.

It’s never been a fun experience.

For years, LGA needed an upgrade which finally began a few years ago, and I will admit it looks much nicer and brighter. You still have to walk a country mile to get to your plane, and there is no airport shuttle.

Anyway, back to my story:

I arrived at the terminal at 4:30 AM, admittedly later than I should have to make my flight. Honesty, I’m glad I did not oversleep.

I walk into the terminal and stand in line. A Southwest employee instructs me that I have to…