17. PERFECTIONISM – The Perfectionism of Joseph Whitworth
AFTERWORD Joseph’s perfectionism meant he was never satisfied with his machines’ accuracy. Because of the impracticality of the existing methods of measurements, he resisted doing things the same old way and was willing to consider new options. This was his adapt- ability . He also did things the way he thought they should be done and didn’t fear the disapproval of others. This was his individualism . With his patience , he expected far more of himself than others and pushed precision further than anyone ever had. Review his story and you will see how he thought in new combinations and aimed to achieve great things. That is to say, you will see his imagination and idealism at work. You too can use these traits together and do remarkable things. It was his sense of humor that allowed him to not be offended when people spoke of the uselessness of his very exact rulers. You will learn more about this trait in the next story.
“ Perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things, but in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” – Marie Angelique Arnauld
TO BE A GENIUS Why did Joseph not tolerate mediocrity? Why was it important to him to never be satisfied and to always strive to do better? What skills can you get better at? What can you do to improve them? What are your best talents? How can you make them even better?
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