Reading Reflection No. 1

The Wright Brothers

1.    I was very surprised to see how close the brothers were, even before their plane success. They lived together, worked together and even shared bank accounts with one another. Although it seemed like Orville and Wilbur complemented each other very well, you would think that at some point it could hinder their professional relationship in the future. That was not the case, the two kept defeating adversity and working as a team in order to become successful. Their perseverance and passion they had for this project is what I admire the most about the Brothers. They did not have this success handed to them, they actually came from a poor lifestyle, and they were still able to rise to the occasion despite the difficulties that were thrown their way. Time after time the Brothers faced failure and had to go back to the drawing board to figure out went wrong. The plane was a trial and error process and their faith is what led them to continuing to work at it until it was perfect. While it’s undeniable the Brothers were hard workers, I found it least admirable how it their only priority were the planes. Personally, my job is a high priority, but with that being said, so is a home life and my personal relationships. Neither of the Brothers married, and that’s not the way I would enjoy to live my life.

2.    The competencies I noticed that the Brothers exhibited were their vision for the finish line. They knew what they wanted, and they didn’t stop until that’s what they got. I think the says a lot about their character; how they don’t buckle under pressure and they are able to remain calm and remember the bigger picture. Personally, I think after a few failed attempts I would become frustrated and not as motivated. I commend them for their passion and drive.

3.    In this reading, I thought it was confusing how the story began, jumping back and forth describing the two brothers. It wasn’t until a little in until I was able to differentiate one from the other, just because it was all thrown at you in the beginning. I enjoyed the descriptions they gave, but I wasn’t fond of the execution. It has also made me question a few things though, because from what I knew previously to this reading, is that both Brothers were calm and almost emotionless.

4.    Do you think partnering with your brother is more or less difficult than someone else with a strict professional relationship?

Do you believe this was worth missing out on the other aspects in life such as relationships with other people?

5.    I think the both Brother’s had the same opinion in regards to hard work: work is life. They both lived, breathed and dreamed work and it definitely affected their personal lives. I personally do think work is a priority because we all have to make ends meet, but at the same time I do value my relationship with people. I feel like if that was the lifestyle I chose, I would be very anxious and flustered all the time. I also would feel like I missed out a lot in life if I didn’t get to experience a family and things like that. With that being said, I do understand that I do not share the same passion that they had.