| Uptime By David A. Kolman, Editor Do you fear making mistakes and failing? You shouldn’t. No matter how hard we try, everyone makes a mistake and faces failure every now and again. That’s just part of life. The important thing is our attitude about mistakes and failure and how we react to them. The best attitude is to appreciate our mistakes for what they are: lessons that only can be learned the hard way. It was Henry Ford who stated: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” He established the Ford Motor Company in 1903 after two unsuccessful attempts. What They Do People who are successful understand that while mistakes and failure are obstacles, they are also opportunities. Rather than assigning blame and being afraid to try again to avoid another error or lack of achievement, successful people learn from their mistakes and failures and press on. Their attitude is: failure is a key to success because each mistake teaches something. Another mental outlook common to successful people is the desire and commitment to be successful. Consider this. One of the greatest challenges for Thomas Edison – who held a world record of 1,093 patents for inventions such as the light bulb and phonograph – was the development of a practical incandescent electric light. Over a period of close to two years of work, he tried thousands of different materials in his search for a filament for the light bulb. It is said that prior to achieving success with a filament of carbonized sewing thread, an assistant complained to Edison: “All our work is in vain. We have learned nothing.” “Oh, we have come a long way and we have learned a lot,” Edison replied. “We know that there are 2,000 elements which we cannot use to make a good light bulb.” Babe Ruth Many people know of Babe Ruth – George Herman Ruth Jr. He is a great figure in Major League Baseball and a true icon in American history. Ruth earned his fame by setting the home run record. On May 25, 1935, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, he hit his 714th home run – a record for career home runs that would stand for almost 40 years until Hank Aaron broke it in 1974. What is not well known is that Ruth also held the record for strikeouts. At the time, he struck out more times than any other player in Major League Baseball. Ruth’s remarkable career came, in part, because he was not afraid to strike out. Perhaps the greatest mistake we can make is to be continually afraid we will make a mistake or fail at something. There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative. Attitude is everything because it drives behavior. It is important to keep your attitude about mistakes and failures positive. FAILURE is often what leads to the greatest successes. The Roulette Wheel Case in point. My friend Willis was in Las Vegas for the first time attending a business convention. That first night, he decided to spend some time observing the casino floor at his hotel. Never having been to a casino before, he was fascinated by all that went on at the gaming tables. Tempted by the opportunity to win some money, he placed a $5 bet at the roulette table. He was stunned when the number he played won. He played another number and won again. He continued to bet, each time wagering more money, and each time winning. Within a short time, he had accumulated $5,000 in winnings. Feeling on top of the world with his good luck, and his small fortune, he made his way to the casino’s cashier station. But before getting to the cashier window, he felt an urge to bet one more time. He returned to the same roulette table where he had been playing. He wagered his entire earnings – the $5,000 – and watched, with great anticipation, the wheel spin. When it stopped, he saw that the ball did not land on his number. His entire winnings were lost. With that, Willis left the table and returned to his hotel room. Shortly thereafter, his wife telephoned. “Did you do any gambling?” she asked. “I sure did,” he replied. “How’d you do,” she wanted to know. “I only lost $5,” he told her. How’s that for a positive attitude? Perspective Positive people keep success and failure in perspective. Thomas Edison Courtesy of Wikipedia.org They tend to remove the word failure from their vocabulary. Words such as experience, results, challenge, temporary setback, an unsuccessful attempt are preferred. Just a matter of semantics? No, it is a process of conditioning the mind to use failure as a stepping stone to success. The next time you make a mistake or fail at something, think of it as an opportunity for learning. Also, keep in mind that the process of failing or making a mistake, when you are willing to pay attention, is frequently what leads to the greatest successes. Tune in to this exclusive bi-weekly newscast featuring Fleet Maintenance Editor David A. Kolman at: VehicleServicePros.com/ media-center/newscasts. 6 FLEET MAINTENANCE ❚ APRIL 2016 ❚ VehicleServicePros.com
Fleet_Maintenance_April_2016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above