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Jim's Gems

Keep Going

By Jimmy L. Smith
QM-Columnists-JimsGems-900x550.jpg
June 28, 2022

Have you thought much about failure?  Since you are human, it is definite that, at some point in your life, that failure, or fear of failure, entered your thoughts. 

Failure is not only a remote possibility, it is a certainty. If you are working on anything that is the least bit ambitious, it is a safe bet that at some point you will fail. 

We should respect failure but not fear it.  It is a natural part of life. Failure gives us the chance to prove how much we want to succeed. So...failure gives us the opportunity to grow and mature.

If we are to take advantage of failure, we must take that opportunity and run with it. We must pick ourselves up and push forward, because success is now within sight.

Failure might mean we lost a skirmish, but it certainly does not really mean we have lost the war or even the battle. It just means we are pursuing something useful and valuable.

It might seem strange to say, but we need to be thankful for failure! Thankful for the opportunities it presents.  We must take the lesson learned and the inspiration it gives us to carry it all the way to the finish line. 

With each failure, we need to learn, adapt, improve, and become more determined to succeed. As we fail we are preparing a path toward achievement, so keep going until that achievement is assured.  Remember that failure provides lessons learned, but success is the result of lessons applied.

KEYWORDS: continuous improvement manufacturing metrology process control

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Jimmy L. (Jim) Smith is quality division manager at the Caterpillar Inc. Mossville Engine Center (Mossville, IL). He also serves the Large Power Services Division as director of quality support. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

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