NASA Quote by George Alec Effinger
““Just because your electronics are better than ours, you aren't necessarily superior in any way. Look, imagine that you humans are a man in LA with a brand-new Trujillo and we are a nuhp in New York with a beat-up old Ford. The two fellows start driving toward St. Louis. Now, the guy in the Trujillo is doing 120 on the interstates, and the guy in the Ford is putting along at 55; but the human in the Trujillo stops in Vegas and puts all of his gas money down the hole of a blackjack table, and the determined little nuhp cruises along for days until at last he reaches his goal. It's all a matter of superior intellect and the will to succeed. Your people talk a lot about going to the stars, but you just keep putting your money into other projects, like war and popular music and international athletic events and resurrecting the fashions of previous decades. If you wanted to go into space, you would have.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: "The Long Tomorrow" (fictional), 1985
Technological superiority does not guarantee success; perseverance and efficient resource use can outpace faster but wasteful approaches.
In simple terms: Persistence beats speed when resources are used wisely.
Key Takeaway
Focus on consistent, purposeful effort.
Themes
perseverance
resourcefulness
humility
technology
Mood
motivational
reflective
Type
practical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- business competition
- personal goal setting
- space exploration
- budget management
Key Concepts
economics
psychology
strategy
Questions to Reflect On
- What habits can you adopt to stay the course?
- How do you balance speed and frugality?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all contexts value the same goals and resources.
