In case you didn’t know it, YOU owe YOUR car ownership ability TODAY, to the vision, self-belief, determination and persistence of a man who lacked formal schooling.

Not many people know this, but Henry Ford started out working for THE great Thomas Edison as a stark iliterate.

A testimony to the inspirational power that comes from exposure to the right environment can be seen in the fact that one day Ford (as a so called “stark illiterate”) got the idea to build an affordable car for non-wealthy masses.

This development is easy to understand when one considers the fact that Ford’s employer himself had only few months of elementary schooling, having been homeschooled by his mother.

Ford would have accurately concluded, based on Edison’s exploits, that lack of formal schooling (though useful and easily remedied) was not a fatal handicap in pursuit of success.

Ironically however, when he told his famous inventor boss about his idea, the great Edison dismissed it and instead offered him promotion to the position of Supervisor adding that he would be involved in “more important work”.

That last sentence brings me to the core message I want to pass across in this short piece that ends, below, with a link to a full narration about Henry Ford’s life and achievements.

My message is this:

As long as you believe in your dream or idea or vision and you are prepared to diligently/intelligent pursue it with persistence and faith, nothing that any other person, no matter how successful, should make you quit.

I repeat:

Nothing that any other person tells you should make you give up on your dreams. My hard-won experience from 7 years in paid employment plus 14 years (and counting) in self-employment have taught me not all great minds will see what another great minds can see.

This is why, for instance, I personally do NOT like competitions that depend on celebrities to choose people with the best business ideas, musical talents etc.

Fela Anikulapo Kuti continues in death to grow in recognition across the world, as a musical genius.

The truth is however that the kind of music Fela invented is very unlikely to have won him first prize in a reality TV show style event where judges and coaches have the final say.

We all know how contrarian Fela was, even as a young man. Yet those attributes that would have rubbed opinionated celebrity judges and coaches the wrong way in such competitions were the keys to his success in the real world.

This is why I believe the “market” for which an idea, invention or innovation is meant, should have the final say via a system that is free from manipulation.

This message is not just for you/me, but also for your/my kids.

We need to help our kids develop healthy levels of self-esteem based on the experience of doing in key areas of life that relates to nurturing their talents/geniuses towards succeeding in life.

This is important because during that journey, they will periodically come across successful others from whom they may have to learn and also accept advice.

It’s however their ability to know what NOT to learn or accept, no matter how well intentioned it is, that will help them stay on track to success in any area of endeavour.

Successful People or Great Achievers Are Not All-Knowing!

Most of them are aware of this fact, but societal pressures sometimes force them to accept to play roles that suggest the contrary.

If Henry Ford had allowed his respect and admiration for Edison to cloud his reasoning about his “car for the masses” idea, he would never have had the courage to reject Edison”s offer, and instead quit his job to invest all he had in pursuit of his dream.

If he had not done that, the revolution that took place in the automobile industry would not have happened.

Simply put therefore, vision, self-belief, determination and persistence are constant keys to authentic success in life. All other factors are variables in the success equation.

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The Henry Ford Story
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“I will build a motor car for the great multitude.it will be so low in price that no man will be unable to own one.”-Henry Ford

Henry Ford was nearly 40 when he founded Ford Motor Co. in 1903. At the time, “horseless carriages” were expensive toys available only to a wealthy few.

Yet in just four decades, Ford’s innovative vision of mass production would not only produce the first reliable, affordable “automobile for the masses,” but would also spark a modern industrial revolution.
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/197524