Whatever was making that noise didn’t sound familiar.

What is it?

There it was again…what on earth is that?

He thought he heard a strange sound coming from the back of the plane a short time after takeoff. He decided to investigate…

He had no idea the series of events that would then occur to forever change the course of his life. Henry Dempsey was about to experience terror beyond what anyone could imagine.

Henry was piloting a commuter flight from Portland, Maine, to Boston. When he heard the strange sound coming from the rear of the play he turned the controls over to his co-pilot and went back to check it out.

As he reached the tail section, the plane hit an air pocket, and Dempsey was tossed against the rear door. He quickly discovered the source of the mysterious noise. The rear door had not been properly latched prior to takeoff – it flew open.

He was instantly sucked out of the jet.

The co-pilot, seeing the red light that indicated an open door, radioed the nearest airport, requesting permission to make an emergency landing. He reported that the pilot had fallen out of the plane, and he requested a helicopter search of that area of the ocean.

After the plane landed, ground crews discovered something utterly astonishing. What they found was not only remarkable, it was unbelievable. It bordered on the miraculous.

They found Henry Dempsey holding onto the outdoor ladder of the aircraft.

Somehow after being sucked out of the aircraft, while falling to his death, he had caught the ladder. He held on for ten minutes as the plane flew 200 mph at an altitude of 4,000 feet, and then, at landing, kept his head from hitting the runway, which was a mere twelve inches away.

It took airport personnel several minutes to pry Dempsey’s fingers from the ladder.

Henry was holding on with everything he had – and probably more than he knew he had.

This is a phenomenal example of what I would call conviction. I don’t know what Henry’s convictions were, but I know he had them. He definitely didn’t want to die, perhaps because he wanted to continue loving his wife and children, continue contributing with his life, who knows, but he had convictions.

He believed that if he hung onto that ladder with every ounce of strength he had, he would live. “If I hold on I live – if I let go I die.” A simple, yet profound conviction.

When the going gets tough, what keeps us going are our core convictions. What do we hold onto in the midst of trials and tribulations? What are those rock-solid beliefs we stand upon when everything else around us seems to be shaken?

As leaders we need to know what our convictions are. We need to know the core beliefs that we carry. What do you believe that enables and empowers you to get up and enter the fray every day?

Do you believe that you have something of value to contribute? Do you believe that you can make a difference? Do you believe that it matters what you bring to the table? Do you believe that if you keep persevering you will ultimately be successful? Do you believe if you work harder and smarter things will improve? Do you believe that you need other people to be the best you can be? Do you believe that people are the most important asset of your organization?

There are myriad convictions we can carry about ourselves, others, leadership, organizations and the world in general. Many of these are indeed the powerful and positive convictions that will see us through difficulties in life and leadership. Only by holding onto these types of convictions can we lead and live courageously to create a profound impact. Convictions and courage go hand in hand.

Let’s take a lesson from Henry Dempsey and hold fast to convictions that enable us to be courageous. But, let’s also learn to let go of those convictions that do not serve us well – those that don’t ‘encourage’ us.

What convictions do you carry? What do you need to continue to hold onto, and what limiting beliefs do you need to let go of once and for all?