Henry Ford’s Secrets Of Success

1.) Think optimistically

Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can, or you think you can’t, either way, you are right.” Although he only had 2 years of formal education, he believed he could make cars affordable for the average person. It was a huge dream that would take many years to achieve. With hard work, perseverance and innovation his vision ultimately became a reality. Ford not only became extremely wealthy, he also changed the world. If he wasn’t optimistic about his goals and dreams, he would have given up.

Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., author of the book Emotional Intelligence, defines optimism as “a strong expectation that, in general, things will turn out all right in life despite setbacks and frustrations… It is an attitude that buffers people against falling into apathy, hopelessness, or depression in the face of tough going.”

2.) Failure Isn’t Failure If You Learn From It
Henry Ford once said, “Failure is the opportunity to begin again—this time more intelligently.” Ford realized that failure wasn’t really failure, as long as he learned something from the experience. Although Mr. Ford went bankrupt five times, he did not give up on his dream. He also said, “We must learn that setbacks which we endure help us in our marching forward.”

3.) Preparation & Attention To Detail Is Essential
As Henry Ford said, “Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success.” One of the reasons that the Model T was so successful was that Ford and his designers paid attention to the tiniest details. Everything that they had learned from their previous models was carefully considered when designing the Model T. In his book, My Life And Work, he said, “Every detail had been fully tested in practice. There was no guessing as to whether or not it would be a successful model. It had to be.” Henry Ford’s prediction came true. Ford Motor Company ultimately produced 15 million Model T’s between October 1, 1908 and May 26, 1927.

Most preparation is done behind the scenes. It can be boring because it does not seem that much is really happening. Without a lot of visible results, it can be tempting to get discouraged and abandon the project. However, in reality, the foundation is being built. It is the depth of the foundation that determines the height of a building and the success of a project. As Henry Ford said, “Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich.”