Failure is Part of the Path to Success
I like to think of each New Year as a brand new opportunity for success, both personally and professionally.
After all, why are resolutions made if not to grow and achieve? No one sets a resolution with the intent to fail. But failure is sometimes part of the path to success.
As Henry Ford put it, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”As the mastermind behind Ford Motor Company, Henry Ford became one of the richest and most well known individuals in history. But, he had many failures along the way.
Take alternative fuels, for example. With each newly developed alternative fuel technology, there is a process of continuous engineering, building, testing, revising — and engineering again.
But even as we move forward, we overcome setbacks. We adapt to changing safety and emissions standards, cost of production, operation challenges and consumer skepticism.
Alternative fuel technology isn’t successful unless it can meet stringent safety standards and prove economic and environmental benefit to the customer to make it worth the investment. Now with nearly 11 million alternative fuel vehicles[1]on the roads in the U.S. today, I’d say we’re making excellent progress.
So here’s your fuel for thought: As you set your New Year’s resolution, plan on failing first. What have you got to loose? Only the chance to succeed.
