Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company, was an interesting man with smarts. The American industrialist became a business magnate and was also the chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production.
Henry Ford was outspoken and he offered us many inspirational life lessons. Here are three examples:
Do not abandon ideas, instead use them as future inspiration.
Henry Ford, born July 30, 1863, lived in the country near Detroit, Michigan. His father, a frugal farmer, often required the help of young Henry Ford to run the farm. Ford pitched in but was not interested in farming for his career. Curious about how things worked, he took apart more than 1,000 clocks and watches. He thought it might be a cool idea to make many watches, all of which were alike. This idea of mass production would later come to fruition with his building of the automobile.
Follow your interests, even if the purpose at the time is unclear.
By the time Ford reached 21 years of age, he had created a farm locomotive mounted on cast-iron wheels that were taken from a mowing machine. Story has it that the farm tractor he created served no genuine purpose, but Ford enjoyed running it up and down the meadow, even though it terrorized the cattle. His desire to pursue his interests became part of his formula and would ultimately help drive his later success.
Believe In Yourself, Even When Others Fail To Do So.
In 1893, Ford made what one would call a wagon driven by gas. It was technically the first Ford automobile, and he made it using “nothing but junk.” It ran but was not considered a success, and the public made fun of him for his invention.Per the book Modern Americans, a biographical school reader for the upper grades copyrighted in 1918 and 1921, “Henry Ford does not know the word discouragement, so after his first failure he built another car, and in 1898 he placed it on the road.” While it performed better than the first one, there were still problems. The book shares, “People laughed more than ever, and Detroit thought him mildly insane on the subject of ‘little buggies driven by gas,’ as the newspapers called them.” Yet Ford remained undeterred by public reaction.
I guess we all know who got the last laugh, for, in 1903, Ford Motor Company sold its first Ford Model A. It is interesting to read about America’s hardworking industrialists, such as Henry Ford. As a man who was fond of helping others, he was known to teach and help youth prepare for life and future careers. He also greatly promoted the art of invention and enjoyed caring for birds. He is said to have built 200 birdhouses on the grounds of his home, which were heated with electricity in the winter to prevent the bird’s water from freezing. He also brought 380 non-native songbirds to the US from England in hopes that they would increase in numbers.
The many inspirational life lessons he has contributed further prove that he is an incredible figure in the US history. Many of his Inspirational life experiences can serve as a basis for our own growth and success. So when you stare into the face of adversity think how would Henry have reacted in this situation and persevere.