Power
There's power in controlling the skies (much like Zeus), but it's not something to gloat over. Any little goof can result in a loss of lives.
Furthermore, air traffic controllers work as a team and with other air traffic controllers. They form a network with the National Airspace System (NAS). Each individual plays a part in organizing air traffic to prevent collisions and minimize delays. It's not all in towers coordinating landings and takeoffs, either. There are teams of air traffic controllers that direct planes flying in designated airspaces.
Within the United States, there are twenty air route traffic control centers that maintain their own air space. When a plane goes from one zone to the next, the facility guiding the plane changes. It's sort of like a giant relay race in the sky. The prize for winning the race? Landing safely. Alright, so it may never be an Olympic event, but still.