"We weren't built to fly. We can do it, but we shouldn't be surprised if it feels a little unnatural"
About this Quote
The intent is grounding. Street isn’t anti-innovation; she’s anti-denial. That middle clause, "We can do it", grants the modern boast. The punch comes in the second half: don't act shocked when your stomach drops, your ears pop, your nerves spike. The subtext is that "unnatural" isn’t a moral judgment; it’s a calibration problem. Technology can extend us faster than it can rewire us.
Culturally, it pushes against the clean, corporate version of achievement - the TED Talk sheen that pretends growth is seamless if you "believe". Street smuggles in an athlete’s realism: progress includes discomfort, disorientation, and the body’s stubborn veto. It’s also a quiet critique of the way we sell risk. We market flying (or any high-speed upgrade to human life) as convenience and mastery, then treat fear as personal weakness rather than an expected response.
The line works because it gives you permission to feel shaky without surrendering the ambition. It makes room for awe and nausea in the same breath.
Quote Details
| Topic | Embrace Change |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Street, Picabo. (2026, January 17). We weren't built to fly. We can do it, but we shouldn't be surprised if it feels a little unnatural. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/we-werent-built-to-fly-we-can-do-it-but-we-77481/
Chicago Style
Street, Picabo. "We weren't built to fly. We can do it, but we shouldn't be surprised if it feels a little unnatural." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/we-werent-built-to-fly-we-can-do-it-but-we-77481/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"We weren't built to fly. We can do it, but we shouldn't be surprised if it feels a little unnatural." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/we-werent-built-to-fly-we-can-do-it-but-we-77481/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.












