Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Soichiro Honda (Japanese Inventor)

Soichiro Honda (1906–91) was the founder of Honda Motor Co., one of the world’s most innovative automotive companies.

Honda was born to a poor family in 1906 in Komyo, a small village 200 miles southwest of Tokyo. He had little formal education. At age 15, Honda left his village to become an automotive mechanic in Tokyo. His first job was to care for the boss’s infant baby. Along with attending to the baby, Honda strolled around the garage, watched the mechanics, and offered suggestions on rebuilding engines. He returned to his village six years later to open his garage and soon started manufacturing engine parts for the Japanese navy during World War II.

Honda started the Honda Motor Company in 1948 with only $3,300 in capital. His first products were bicycles with motors to cater to the need for a reliable form of transportation in post-war Japan. In 1958, Honda introduced a lightweight motorcycle called the Super Cub, which became popular all over Asia in the 1960s. Honda Motor introduced its first car in 1957 and started producing the Civic in 1975, the Accord in 1976, and the Prelude in 1978. The superior fuel efficiency and an environmentally-friendly reputation of the Honda vehicles have persisted since. Honda retired in 1973 and died of liver failure in 1991.

Honda’s friend Masaru Ibuka, co-founder of Sony, wrote a biography of Honda. Masaaki Sato wrote The Honda Myth: The Genius and His Wake (2006.)

More: Wikipedia READ: Works by Soichiro Honda

If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don’t particularly like.
Soichiro Honda

There is a Japanese proverb that literally goes ‘Raise the sail with your stronger hand,’ meaning you must go after the opportunities that arise in life that you are best equipped to do.
Soichiro Honda
Topics: Passion

I happened on the idea of fitting an engine to a bicycle simply because I did not want to ride crowded trains and buses.
Soichiro Honda
Topics: Motivation

Each individual should work for himself. People will not sacrifice themselves for the company. They come to work at the company to enjoy themselves.
Soichiro Honda
Topics: Motivation

We only have one future, and it will be made of our dreams, if we have the courage to challenge convention.
Soichiro Honda

Many people dream of success. To me success can only be achieved through repeated failures and introspections. In fact, success represents 1% of your work that results from the 99% that is called failure.
Soichiro Honda
Topics: Reflection, Success

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