It’s incredible to ponder the immense power of a jet plane. The sheer brilliance of being able to step on board, buckle in, and travel at incredible speed around the world.

Now suppose someone gave you the controls—the power of a sleek jet all your own, the ability to fly anywhere you wanted, anytime. Oh, the places you could go.

Except the cockpit overwhelms you. Lights blink, buzzers buzz, and the whole mess is so confusing that you can’t focus long enough to taxi down the runway, much less lift your plane into the sky.

So what do you do? You’ve got a few options. You could ask a professional. You could read the instruction manual. Or maybe you push random buttons until the right thing happens and then you make a note of it for next time.

Above all, you find a way to get that jet off the ground, to dim the lights and silence the buzzers, because you know how far it can take you. You’ve seen other people enjoy the benefits and you want to discover them too.

Yet time and again, when it comes to our phones and laptops and tablets, we choose the opposite. We climb into the metaphorical cockpit and steer the plane in random circles, cursing the distractions as the lights keep blinking and the buzzers keep buzzing.

After several years of helping people with their tech, I’ve heard the same complaints over and over. I can’t find my apps! My phone pings constantly! The notifications are so annoying! This thing is running my life!

If the frustration sounds familiar, this might help: think of your phone as a jet plane. Arguably one that’s much easier to learn, and with almost endless resources to help you figure it out. 

Whether you’re just learning to turn it on or are struggling with more complex tasks, there are YouTube videos, discussion forums, user manuals, tech sites, community classes—ask the question and someone is sure to have the answer.

The same goes for every piece of tech that’s ever been invented, from mechanical clocks and VCRs to jet planes and smartphones. The ability to harness its power takes a certain effort, and sometimes a steep learning curve. 

But the effort is worth it, because once you know how to fly it the sky’s the limit.