What The Wright Brothers Would Advice Entrepreneurs
“If birds can glide for long periods of time, then… why can’t I?”
Without doubt, while everyone did not support the ideas of Bill Gates or Elon Musk at first, I think we can all agree that the Wright Brothers had the most absurd idea that made the entire world laugh at them.
Humans can fly. How absurd can that sound? At least, it was back in those days. Anyone without an open mind would laugh at them, mocking them that they have lost it.
However, that didn’t stop the Wright brothers to build a successful plane until they prove it to them that they can fly.
Today, their legacies continue as more aircraft are created for people to fly from one place to another, freely and faster. No obstacles, no mountains to climb, just with a plane and fly to the open sky.
I was researching whether the brothers have any two cents for us. I guess back in those days, they weren’t really hot on that kind of thing, especially since they are in the era of the Industrial Age. There are quotes from them, but there weren’t ones where there were conversational like today where we can get more insights. Here is an example:
But people, especially motivational coaches and leaders, would make them an example of success. Neil Armstrong brought the fabric of the first plane they successfully flew with him to space, he said that it is his ‘personal preference kit’ since they are the first people to ever fly, as he is the first man to land on the moon. So, not only did the brothers revolutionize the transportations world, but they are still able to inspire people of the next generations from their creation.
So, based on my findings of the brothers, had they live in this era, this is probably what they would say:
1) Your mind is the most powerful
Know that your mind is very important, it is the very thing that keeps us functioning. If we are still alive but our mind isn’t functioning, then we are the same as dead. Here is a quote I found from one of the Wright brothers, Wilber Wright:
“It is possible to fly without motors, but not without knowledge and skill.”
In other words, the reason why the Wright brothers were able to fly is that they knew that their most powerful asset to building a successful plane is their mind. Itis where you get all your creativity and knowledge & skills from as they are stored inside. Our mind controls our emotions and the way we think, which is why if we think a certain way, it will control our body to think the same way and do the action.
In order to unlock that creativity and knowledge we want in our mind, one must think out of the box, leading to my next point.
2) Open your mind
In a way, be creative and let your mind wander and fly. You will see that the world is actually full of opportunities. Put your imaginations first before knowledge because it is the very thing that helps you fly, then how to fly comes later.
The Wright brothers were fascinated with the idea of flying when their father flew a toy helicopter plane across the room. The toy glided swiftly until it hit the ceiling and fall. That was their first spark of inspiration to create a plane.
At some point, they decided to test it in an open field. In an open field, there are no walls to crash nor ceiling to bump to. That way they can test how far and high they could go without many limitations.
Just like them, open your mind to expand your reality. Think outside of the box, don’t be stuck to one reality, your imagination is a wide-open field where you can explore with no limitation. As Albert Einstein once said:
“Imagination is more important than knowledge”
If the Wright Brothers thought of the opposite, someone else may have thought about it sooner than them or, even worse, we won’t have any flying airplanes at all today.
3) Believe in yourself
In our reality, it’s obvious that we cannot fly. We have no wings to do such a thing unless we have certain help to do so. However, the Wright brothers believed that humans can fly and take off to the skies like the birds one day. Keep in mind that no one has ever flown before in those days.
If we were to live in the Wright Brother’s era, some of us would probably laugh at them (unless you are willing to expand your mind as they did). The Wright Brothers were probably dissed, laughed at, telling them that it’s impossible, and to give up on their absurd dream.
But the Wright Brothers didn’t believe them, they believe in themselves. They believe that their vision can reach something greater than anyone could ever imagine. Even when they failed 200 times, they still believed that they will be able to reach the skies. And thus, their success has helped all of us.
Keep believing that you will able to reach your dreams. Robert Kiyosaki said that if you live in a reality where you believe it will be, then that will happen.
As Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones once said to Jon Snow:
“Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you.”
4) Don’t quit
No doubt that they had a lot of struggles getting their plane to finally fly. At their first attempt, taking turns to navigate, the glider plane only stayed in the air for 3.5 seconds before it crashed. Their second attempt lasted a solid 12 seconds.
After designing 200 airplanes, their glider plane finally took off. Their hard work of trial and error paid off as it flew up high, just like their dreams.
So no matter how many times you fail, don’t quit. You may be knocked down, but not forever.
The take
No doubt that the Wright brother has left behind a long-lasting legacy and a valuable lesson for us all. Although these words are preached a lot, the Wright brothers took it to another level.
They literally proved mankind that we can fly higher than birds, the very thing that man has ever dreamed of. If they were alive today, they’d say this based on their achievements:
- Your mind is the most powerful.
- Open your mind.
- Believe in yourself.
- Don’t quit.
I hope you learn something from here.
