11/26/2023
The field of science and engineering is always learning and evolving. Last week’s launch of Starship (SpaceX’s revolutionary rocket), was considered a success, even though the 370 foot tall rocket exploded as it entered the precipice of space 150 km above the earth.
That said, I’m reminded of a moment in my physics education. It was my junior year at UIC and my Quantum Mechanics midterm was just returned to me…18/100.
Imagine my reaction at receiving an 18%. It would be the same as yours. Because like you, i was young and had my eyes set on the wrong goal. I was outcome focused; always worried about the next A/B grade.
That experience taught me something high school didn’t. If you focus on the wrong thing, bad experiences can be misinterpreted as failure. But if you flip your mindset, and focus on the endgame, every experience, good and bad, serve as a step for you to your goal.
SpaceX just had their billion dollar rocket explode into a billion pieces, and they are referring to the entire test launch as a success. Why? Because they got better.
The world you’re growing up in needs resilient problem-solvers who can learn from the good and the bad, who can evolve their thinking to meet unique problems, and who can work with a team. Natural raw ability is the tiniest piece of a larger puzzle. It’s easy to say “I’m not smart and I’ll never get it”. But the people at SpaceX who just had their rocket explode are solving problems never encountered because they use the word “yet”.
We aren’t there, yet.
We haven’t gotten it, yet.
The power of yet will help you realize the true potential you have.
The question is, do you want it bad enough?
It was Starship's second test after its first attempt to reach space ended in an explosion.
