Innovation and Insight: Charles F. Kettering's Wisdom in Quotes

Charles F. Kettering (1876–1958) was an American inventor, engineer, and businessman who made significant contributions to the fields of automotive engineering and industrial research. He was born on August 29, 1876, in Loudonville, Ohio, and passed away on November 25, 1958, in Dayton, Ohio.

Key aspects of Charles F. Kettering's life and contributions include:

1. Automotive Innovations: Kettering was a key figure at General Motors (GM), where he played a crucial role in the development of the electric starter for automobiles. Before the electric starter, cars had to be started with hand cranks, which could be dangerous and physically demanding. Kettering's invention made it much easier and safer for people to start their cars, contributing to the widespread adoption of automobiles.

2. Delco: In 1909, Kettering founded the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO), which later became the Delco Electronics division of General Motors. DELCO was responsible for several innovations, including advancements in automotive electrical systems.

3. Ignition System: Kettering also developed the high-tension ignition system, which replaced the magneto system in cars. This innovation greatly improved the reliability and efficiency of internal combustion engines.

4. Lead Additives: Kettering was involved in the development of leaded gasoline, which was designed to reduce engine knocking and improve fuel efficiency. However, concerns later arose about the environmental and health impacts of leaded gasoline.

5. Kettering Foundation: In addition to his work in the automotive industry, Kettering was involved in philanthropy. He established the Kettering Foundation in 1927, which focuses on research related to democracy and the role of citizens in American society.

6. Research and Development: Kettering was a strong advocate for the importance of research and development in industry. He believed that technological innovation was crucial for economic progress and societal well-being.

Charles F. Kettering's contributions to automotive engineering and his emphasis on research and development had a lasting impact on the automotive industry and technological innovation. His inventions played a significant role in making automobiles more accessible and convenient for the general public.

50 Quotes attributed to Charles F. Kettering:

1. "Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail."

2. "High achievement always takes place in the framework of high expectation."

3. "My definition of an educated man is the fellow who knows the right thing to do at the time it has to be done."

4. "People are very open-minded about new things, as long as they're exactly like the old ones."

5. "Keep on going and the chances are you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it."

6. "There is a great difference between knowing and understanding: you can know a lot about something and not really understand it."

7. "The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress."

8. "We should all be concerned about the future because we will have to spend the rest of our lives there."

9. "A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved."

10. "The opportunities of man are limited only by his imagination. But so few have imagination that there are ten thousand fiddlers to one composer."

11. "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."

12. "The only time you mustn't fail is the last time you try."

13. "It doesn’t matter if you try and try and try again, and fail. It does matter if you try and fail, and fail to try again."

14. "In every success story, you will find someone who has made a courageous decision."

15. "The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress."

16. "A man must have a certain amount of intelligent ignorance to get anywhere."

17. "You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time."

18. "The world will step aside for nearly anyone who has the courage of his of her opinions."

19. "The key to economic prosperity is the organized creation of dissatisfaction."

20. "We are all your children in the laboratory."

21. "In America, every one is of opinion that he has no social superiors, since all men are equal, but he does not admit that he has no social inferiors."

22. "Don't be afraid to stumble. Any inventor will tell you that you don't follow a plan far before you strike a snag. If, out of 100 ideas you get one that works, it's enough."

23. "You can be sincere and still be stupid."

24. "We need to teach the highly educated man that it is not a disgrace to fail and that he must analyze every failure to find its cause. He must learn how to fail intelligently, for failing is one of the greatest arts in the world."

25. "The world is all gates, all opportunities, strings of tension waiting to be struck."

26. "A problem well stated is a problem half solved."

27. "The research done during the war years has been the greatest fortune to mankind. Much of this research has never been published, and its benefits could be made available to us through permitting the large and small laboratories to do the research work that is now being done in Washington. This lies in the field of research and education, for in no other field has so much new knowledge been acquired that could so well be thrown open to the world."

28. "You have one asset that no one else has. You have me for a grandfather. I'll be around a lot longer than most of your friends."

29. "People think of the inventor as a screwball, but no one ever asks the inventor what he thinks of other people."

30. "I've never known a man worth his salt who, in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn't appreciate the grind, the discipline."

31. "No one would have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm."

32. "My definition of an educated man is the fellow who knows the right thing to do at the time it has to be done. You can be sincere and still be stupid."

33. "An inventor is simply a fellow who doesn't take his education too seriously."

34. "One fails forward toward success."

35. "Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas and progress."