You can not operate in this room unless you believe that you are Superman, and whatever happens, you're capable of solving the problem.
Interpretation
Confidence and self-belief are essential for overcoming challenges.
In this quote, Gene Kranz emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself, akin to possessing the extraordinary confidence of Superman, when facing challenges in high-pressure situations. It suggests that a strong mindset and unwavering self-assurance are fundamental to solving problems effectively.
In practice
In a motivational speech to inspire upcoming engineers who are worried about their projects.
There's an awful lot of future out there, and what you got to do, is you go to out and grab it, wrestle it to the ground, accept the challenges, and then decide. You've got the skills. You've got the knowledge. You've got the love, and you're capable of moving forward and making a great life yourself.
I did everything by the numbers. I had checklists upon checklists. If I wasn't ahead of everybody on my team, I didn't feel I was doing my job.
No way can you ever, ever, ever evidence confusion, concern, lack of understanding. You have to be in charge. You are the guy. You have to be cooler than cool, smarter than smart.
I was the most emotional of the flight directors. Space really got me all honked up.
I just felt that space was the next thing coming in aviation. It was higher, faster. It had the risk.
We've never lost an American in space, we're sure as hell not gonna lose one on my watch! Failure is not an option.
I'm just trying to work hard every day, trying to be a better player and one day, to be right there with them, one of those special hitters.
The biggest thing for me is the passion that I've always had for hockey. I remember growing up, no matter what I did in life, my parents always told me to try to do my best at it and be my best. I can say going through different things that that passion is the most important part. It's not skills or talent or any of that stuff.
Dream big. Start small. But most of all, start.
Delay is the deadliest form of denial.
You are not judged by the height you have risen, but from the depth you have climbed.
If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail, If you can't be the sun, be a star; It isn't by size that you win or you fail- Be the best of whatever you are.
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