(Week 7) Reading Reflection No. 1

Week 7 Reading Reflection
1) You read about an entrepreneur: The Wright Brothers, By: David McCullough

·         What surprised you the most?

I was most surprised at how smart Orville and Wilbur were. I know aeronautics is not easy, especially since they were the first to be successful with maned flight. Much of how they constructed their prototypes, gliders, and planes came from scratch and the use of scientific research.

·          What about the entrepreneur did you most admire?

I most admired Orville and Wilbur’s calmness. Here they were about to show man that flight is possible and they are so humble about it. The book mentions others who have tried and failed and some competing with the Wright Brothers, but they do not seem fazed by the competition. In fact, they respect their competition which shows just how well-mannered the Wright Brothers were.  

What About the Entrepreneur Did You Lease Admire?

I find it hard to find something I to least admire about these guys. I believe in a balanced life and that can mean different things to different people, but the thing I least admired about the Wright Brother’s was their workaholic mentality. Sometime it can get in the way and more often than not I found the Wright brothers to choose work first.

·           Did the entrepreneur encounter adversity and failure? If so, what did they do about it?

Yes, most definitely, the Wright brothers faced many challenges and failures. Like many of their predesessors and rivals they had failed experiments. Sometimes the glider or plane would malfunction or the weather would be too aggressive. I believe their entire process from start to flight was full of adversity. The majority coming from mother nature it seemed, because the social acceptance or unacceptance did not seem to bother or inspire the Wright brothers.

To conquer the adversity and overcome failure the Wright brothers had to study and basically create science to work for them. They also made light of strenuous situations when life was almost unbearable at Kitty Hawk. Orville and Wilbur also raised their money through their family bicycle business. The Wright brothers were always working and learning.

2) What competencies did you notice that the entrepreneur exhibited? 

The Wright brothers were smart, creative, had a vision, a passion for their vision. Nothing was going to get in their way. And this was for both Orville and Wilbur, neither one gave up on their dream of man in flight. They had thick skin and a bit hard headed sometimes.

3) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

I did not understand how Octave Chanute could speak to others about the Wright brothers as his pupils. In fact, it was the opposite in most cases. I do not understand how people can take credit for other people success. I also found the beginning of this book to be a little confusing and some of the writing seems to be off a little. After the first part the book opens up and the pictures starts to come together and the reader begins to become involved in Orville and Wilbur’s experiences.

4) If you were able to ask two questions to the entrepreneur, what would you ask? Why?

    --Was there ever going to be a point where you two would have quit?
I may already know the answer, no! But any one with common sense would have rush back home from the swarm of mosquitoes. I'm curiousif there ever was going to be a tipping point at Kitty Hawk.

    --Since they were brothers, if Wilbur did not have Orville, would the airplane have been invented when it was?
It could go vice a versa too. Did one need the other. I know it helped, but was would flight have just stayed a dream?

5) For fun: what do you think the entrepreneur's opinion was of hard work? Do you share that opinion?

The Wright brothers seemed to live for hard work. It did not matter the situation either. Family adversity, weather or flying adversity, it did not matter the Wright brothers were going to see the task to the end. I do believe in hard work, but after reading the Wright brothers story I am not sure my struggles can match up. I also believe working smart is the better way to live. Sometimes hard work just drains a person out.