Charles Franklin Kettering Quotes

A collection of quotes by Charles Franklin Kettering.

Charles Franklin Kettering (1876-1958) was an American inventor, engineer, and businessman. He was born in Ohio and gained fame for his numerous technological contributions, especially in the field of transportation and electrical equipment. Kettering held over 140 patents and was the co-founder of Delco (Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company), which developed the electric starter for automobiles. He also played a pivotal role in the development of the first practical high-compression internal combustion engine. Kettering's innovative ideas paved the way for advancements in automotive engineering and his inventions greatly impacted various industries.

If you want to kill any idea in the world today, get a commi

If you want to kill any idea in the world today, get a committee working on it.

Charles Franklin Kettering

Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.

Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail.

Charles Franklin Kettering

Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.

Thinking is one thing no one has ever been able to tax.

Charles Franklin Kettering

There is a great difference between knowing and understandin

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

Charles Franklin Kettering

If a fellow wants to be a nobody in the business world, let

If a fellow wants to be a nobody in the business world, let him neglect sending the mail man to somebody on his behalf.

Charles Franklin Kettering

In America we can say what we think, and even if we can't th

In America we can say what we think, and even if we can't think, we can say it anyhow.

Charles Franklin Kettering

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has br

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

Charles Franklin Kettering

People are very open-minded about new things. As long as the

People are very open-minded about new things. As long as they are exactly like the old ones.

Charles Franklin Kettering

If you have always done it that way, it is probably wrong.

If you have always done it that way, it is probably wrong.

Charles Franklin Kettering

The opportunities of man are limited only by his imagination

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

Charles Franklin Kettering

There will always be a frontier where there is an open mind

There will always be a frontier where there is an open mind and a willing hand.

Charles Franklin Kettering

The future can be anything we want it to be, providing we ha

The future can be anything we want it to be, providing we have the faith and that we realize that peace, no less than war, required blood and sweat and tears.

Charles Franklin Kettering

Problems are the price of progress. Don't bring me anything

Problems are the price of progress. Don't bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me.

Charles Franklin Kettering

You can't have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about y

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

Charles Franklin Kettering

My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the

My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there.

Charles Franklin Kettering

We need to teach the highly educated man that it is not a di

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.

Charles Franklin Kettering

When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a prob

When I was research head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: LEAVE SLIDE RULES HERE! If I didn't do that, I'd find some engineer reaching for his slide rule. Then he'd be on his feet saying, Boss you can't do that.

Charles Franklin Kettering

You will never stub your toe standing still. The faster you

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.

Charles Franklin Kettering

We often say that the biggest job we have is to teach a newl

We often say that the biggest job we have is to teach a newly hired employee to fail intelligently... to experiment over and over again and to keep on trying and failing until he learns what will work.

Charles Franklin Kettering

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will stumble on something, perhaps when you are least expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling on something sitting down.

Charles Franklin Kettering

Success & Failure