Daily opportunities

Some people make some unbelievable statements. These are experts in their particular fields or individuals using “market research” to arrive at their decisions. Here are a few from an article entitled, “Wisdom of Experts!!!” in the July, 2007 issue of Senior Lifestyle Digest magazine:

* “Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances.” By Dr. Lee DeForest, “Father of Radio & Grandfather of Television”
* “There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom.” by Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1923
* “Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.” in Popular Mechanics, 1949
* “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” by Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
* “This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” in a Western Union internal memo, 1876
* “The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” by David Sarnoff’s associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920s.
* “The concept is interesting and well-informed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.” – a Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith’s paper proposing overnight delivery service (Smith went on to found Federal Express).
* “I’m just glad it’ll be Clark Gable who’s falling on his face and not Gary Cooper,” by Cary Cooper on his decision not take the leading role in “Gone With The Wind.”
* “A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make.” in response to Debbi Fields’ idea of starting Mrs. Fields’ Cookies.
* “We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” by Decca Recording Company in rejecting the Beatles, 1962

There are many more of these, but it goes without saying that all of these people were wrong in their assessments concerning the matter that they were addressing. They based their decisions on some false assumptions. Hindsight and Monday morning quarterbacking is usually better than when you find yourself in the thick of things. “If I had only known then what I know now …” so goes a popular phrase.

And so it goes … life presents so many opportunities that go unfulfilled because we operate out of a set of false assumptions concerning the people involved and/or the situation. The opportunities that we have today will never be there again. We should take hold of every chance because we have no guarantees for tomorrow!

Quote for today: "You know its been a rough week when the receipts in your wallet outnumber the cash!” from the Born Loser