I love this quote. For all my failures and my perceived failures, quotes like this inspire me. I can leave my failure behind and it’s okay.
What I love more is that Henry Ford said this. We all know about the Ford Motor Company and the giant it is today. We all know some of his successes, but here are some other things I found out.
- In 1915, he funded a pacifist political expedition to Norway with 170 men to seek peace during WWI, without government assistance or backing. The war lasted 3 more years after he came back.
- In 1918, he ran for Senator and lost in an unfair battle. Because of the slimy practices of his opponent, the Congress now has Federal Corrupt Practices Act, of 1925. He still didn’t ever get to serve in office.
- He started and lost two previous auto companies before Ford Motor Company was started. The first one was lost to bankruptcy and the second over a banking dispute.
Although the quote is two sentences long, it’s nice to know that he had a lifetime of failures – BIG ones – to back it up. Inspirational quotes are great, but the greatest come from those with a story.
Another one I like?
“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan
