You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you go, the more chance there is of stubbing your toe, but the more chance you have of getting somewhere.
Charles KetteringRead
Great steps in human progress are made by things that don't work the way philosophy thought they should. If things always worked the way they should, you could write the history of the world from now on. But they don't, and it is those deviations from the normal that make human progress.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True progress often arises from unexpected outcomes rather than from preconceived notions.
This quote suggests that advancements in human history often stem from unforeseen circumstances and deviations from expected outcomes. Charles Kettering emphasizes that if everything adhered strictly to philosophical principles or predictions, we could easily predict all future events. However, it is the unpredictable nature of reality that drives innovation and progress, highlighting the importance of embracing uncertainty and learning from failures.
Themes
ProgressInnovationPhilosophyDeviationUnexpected
In practice
Example use cases
During a motivational speech to a group of entrepreneurs about embracing failure in business.
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When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: "Leave slide rules here." If I didn't do that, I'd find someone reaching for his slide rule. Then he'd be on his feet saying, "Boss, you can't do it."
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My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.
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I often say that research is a way of finding out what you are going to do when you can't keep on doing what you are doing now.
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