The Amazing story Mr. Soichiro Honda

I always love to hear and read success stories, really. Every time I read a new success story my heart is jumping  up and down for excitement. I don't know the reason why but I just did. Anyway, in this article allow me to share to you a story I just read from a book and then search in the internet to know more about this amazing guy who never allowed tragedy, problems, challenges, or the twists and turns of circumstances to get in his way. In fact, he often decided to see some of the biggest obstacles in his way as mere hurdles in the race to reach his goals. This simple amazing guy is none other than Mr. Soichiro Honda. Who doesn't know him?

The first product to carry the Honda name was this Honda A-Type auxiliary bicycle engine. With a view to achieving mass production, the company started manufacturing the engine parts by die casting. (Photograph by courtesy of Honda Collection Hall)

For the record, Mr. Soichiro Honda (November 17, 1906 – August 5, 1991) is a Japanese entrepreneur and inventor, he was born to a talented and honest blacksmith, Gihei and Mika. He was engaged in the development and industrial production of mopeds, motorcycles and cars. He is the founder of the Honda Motor Co., Inc. Corporation and automobile companies in the U.S. and Japan. Soichiro Honda is the creator of the popular models of motorcycles and cars: Super Cub, Civic, Accord, Prelude and etc. He is the owner of multibillion-dollar status. Soichiro Honda, a Japanese engineer, industrialist, and founder of the automobile giant Honda Motor Co., Ltd, 

Honda's Dream Type D model (courtesy of Honda Collection Hall)

Allow me to quote this from http://www.ideasgrp.com

In 1938, Mr. Honda was a poor student who had a dream of designing a piston ring that he would sell to any manufacture for Toyota Corporation. Every day he would go to school, and all night long he would work on his design, up to his elbows in grease. He spent what little money he had on his project, and it still wasn't finished. Finally, he hocked his wife’s jewelry to continue.

After years of effort he finally designed the piston ring he was sure Toyota would buy. When he took it to them, they rejected it. He was sent back to school to suffer the humiliation of his teachers’ and friends’ telling him what an idiot he was for designing such a ridiculous gadget. Was he frustrated? You bet. Was he broke? Yes. Did he give up? No way. Instead, he spent the next two years continuing to find ways to make the piston ring better. Finally, after two more years, he refined his design, and Toyota actually bought it! 

In order to build his piston factory, Mr. Honda needed concrete, but Japanese Government was gearing up for World War II, so none was available. Once again, it looked as if his dream would die. It seemed no one would help him. Again, did he quit? Absolutely not. He had decided to build this factory. Since giving up was not an option, he got together a group of his friends, and for weeks they worked around the clock trying different approaches until they found a new way to manufacture concrete. He build his factory and was finally able to produce his piston rings.

“But wait, there’s more…”

The story doesn’t end here. During the war, the United States bombed his factory, destroying most of it. Instead of feeling defeated, he rallied all his  employees. He said, “Quickly! Run outside and watch those planes. What they’ll do is drop their fuel cans out of the  sky. We need to find out where they drop them and get those cans, because they contain the raw materials we need for our manufacturing process!” These were materials they couldn’t get anywhere in Japan.  Mr. Honda found away to use whatever life gave him. Finally, an earthquake leveled his factory and he was forced to sell his piston operation to Toyota. But God never closes a door without opening another one, so we need to stay alert to see whatever new opportunities life presents us…When the war ended, Japan was in total turmoil. Resources were scarce in all part of the country – gasoline  was rationed and, in some cases, nearly impossible to find – and Mr. Honda couldn’t even get enough gas to drive his car to the market to buy food for his family. But instead of feeling defeated or helpless, he made a new decision. He decided he would not settle for this quality of life. He asked himself a very powerful question: “How else can I feed my family? How can I use things I already  have to find a way to get there?” He noticed a little motor he had, one that was the size and type to drive a traditional lawn mower, and he got the idea of hooking it up to his bicycle. In that moment, the first motorized bike was created. He drove it to and from the market, and pretty soon his friends were asking him to make some for them, too. Shortly thereafter, he’d made so many “motorbikes” that he ran out of motors, so decided to build a new factory to manufacture his own. But he had no money, and Japan was torn apart. How would he do it?

Instead of giving up and saying, “There’s no way,” he came up with a brilliant idea. He decided to write a letter to every single bicycle – shop owner in Japan, telling them that he thought he had the solution for getting Japan moving again, that his motorbike would be cheap and would help people get what they needed to go. Then he asked them to invest. 

Of the 18,000 bicycle – shop owners who received a letter, 3,000 gave Mr. Honda money, and he manufactured his first shipment. And then he was a success, right? Wrong! The motorbike was too big and bulky, and very few Japanese bought it. So once again, he noticed what wasn't working, and instead of giving up, he changed his approach again. He decided to strip his motorbike down and make it much lighter and smaller. He called it The Cub, and it became an “overnight success,” winning Honda the Emperor’s Award. Everyone looked at him and thought how “lucky” he was to have come up with this idea. 

Was he lucky? Maybe, if L.U.C.K. means  Labor Under Correct Knowledge. Today, Mr. Honda’s company is one of the most successful in the world. Honda Corporation now employs over 100,000 people and outsells all but Toyota cars in the U.S. – all because Mr. Honda never gave up. He never let problems or circumstances get in his way. He decided that there is always a way to succeed if you’re really committed.

Sources:
http://astrumpeople.com
http://www.ideasgrp.com
Wow! Isn't  amazing? I never get bored reading this over and over again. Did you count how many times he encounter  failure? How many times his factory burned down? Not once, not twice but a lot of times. Have you noticed his situation? It's seems that all odds are against him. Right? But he was so determined about his goals and dreams. It is so clear in his mind that whatever life may bring in front of him he will still continue to act on his dreams.  

If we will compare ourselves to this guy maybe by the first time we encounter failure we will say maybe this is not for me, we even blame God for our failure. We may say, I think this is not God's calling for me. Friends it's time to grow up GOD already gave us everything and God wants us to be a great steward for his gift to us all. 

One of my favorite quote from Mr. Soichiro Honda is..

Success can be achieved only through repeated failure. My success represents the one percent of the work that resulted from the 99 percent that was called failure.— Soichiro Honda

Do You Believe That the Rich Won’t Enter Heaven?

Most of us Filipinos are very religious by nature. Religious beliefs are so deep it rooted down to our identity. It all started from our very beginning during our childhood days. Our parent teach this to us. We follow them even if we are not aware that we are already following it because it's already in our head and we truly believe that belief. That's why religion plays a major role in determining our future.

Friends, allow me to quote this  topic from my mentor's book entitled 8 secrets of the truly rich by Bro. Bo Sanchez. This is the exact word he used. I hope you don't mind this. I just love to share this, exactly what it is written in his book because I found it very crucial in our journey and an eye opener too.

Again, I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.— Matthew 19:24 

The verse above is often quoted as proof that heaven isn't for rich people. I've got two problems with that. First of all, they don’t read the two verses right after that verse…

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved? Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible... Matthew 19:25-26

Jesus didn't say, “It’s impossible for rich people to enter heaven.” He simply said, “It’s going to be more difficult for the rich person to enter heaven.” Why is this? Because Jesus says that to whom much is given, much more will be required (Luke 12:48). Anyone who has more talents, for example, will also be judged in a different way than one who has less.

Paul even says, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1). If you’re a teacher, that means it’s also more difficult to enter heaven. So should I be terrified of severe judgment and give up preaching? Oh woe is me, what have I done? I preach 300 times a year. My goodness. Should I resign today and find myself another job? (Hmm. I wonder if I can be a male ramp model…) Wait a minute. Who then will preach if everyone says, “Don’t be a preacher. It’s so difficult to go to heaven because on Judgment Day, you’ll be judged more strictly.”

This is silly thinking. In the same way, don’t avoid wealth simply because it’s difficult to enter heaven. Because God needs godly people who will run businesses, give jobs, and bless the world with great services and great products. 

Here’s my second point: Don’t take the “camel through an eye of a needle” literally. The illustration is so out-of-this-world, no wonder people think it’s impossible. But when Jesus said, “camel through an eye of a needle,” ancient Jews would have immediately understood what He was referring to. “The eye of a needle” was a common idiom for the doorway of a camel’s home. The doorway is very small. So a camel coming home from a very rich caravan should do two things to enter into it. First, he needs to unload his bags from his back. Second, he has to stoop down and crawl inside. 

And thus we get the meaning of this passage: We now know what a rich person needs to do. First, he needs to unload his wealth either by literally giving it all away (as celibates in religious congregations do), or by spiritually detaching himself from all his wealth as all of us should do. Second, he should stoop down before God and acknowledge that all belongs to Him. A rich person must remain humble before the Lord and before others. What if Tony Tan of Jollibee responded to this particular Bible passage by saying, “Gosh, rich people can’t enter heaven? I won’t go into business…” Then, thousands upon thousands of people won’t have jobs today. I know because each year, my own Beacon light Corporate Training Team gives powerful leadership and life-management seminars to over a thousand Jollibee store managers (who love their jobs, by the way.) Where would they be if Tony decided not to get into business? Thank God, his response was very different. 

Remember: The rich can go to heaven if they’re truly rich. It’s not impossible, only more difficult. Don’t be afraid of a challenge.

There you go folks, I hope I was able to share something great in your journey. Specially towards our financial goal. By the way you can download the complete 8 secrets of a truly rich e-book here in my blog. You can click the image of that book right here on the top left side of my blog. Feel free to download it and be blessed so that you can be a blessing to others as well. You can also visit the website of my mentor for you to follow him, here is the link http://bosanchez.ph/ .

P.S. My dear friends if you want to be truly rich, I am inviting you to join Bro. Bo Sanchez Truly Rich Club. I had been a member of this club for a couple of years now and it had blessed me so much spiritually and financially. Please click this link http://bern_cadelina.trulyrichclub.com/