A few times on the interwebs, I’ve seen something titled, “10 Star Trek quotes to get you through your work day.” But recently, when I came across this particular list:
…and felt I needed to comment on them. Do they actually help me get through my workday? (I initially posted these, one a day, on LinkedIn, but felt the need to re-post here.)
If you don’t already know, I’m a huge Trekkie. Trek is responsible for my love of space exploration and desire to work in the aerospace industry. So I’m wondering if the quotes that others have put forth… to “get you through your work day” makes sense.
Starting today and for the next 10 days, I’m going to take one a day and see they really having meaning or applicability at work.
1. “Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end.”
~Spock (From the movie STVI:The Undiscovered Country)
In present day, engineers aren’t taught logic explicitly — not the way philosophers were. I believe when Spock talks about logic (as he did in this quote from the movie STVI:The Undiscovered Country), he’s talking about philosophy.
However, I think the sentiment still applies to engineering and any career field. Spock is trying to tell his mentee to have a more open mind and YES — that’s 100% necessary in engineering.
Thumbs up to this quote helping me get through the workday.
2. “Live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.”
~Picard (From the TNG episode “Inner Light”)
While this quote is more about life in general, and possibly life outside the office, appreciating what you have in the moment at work can make some sense, too
People think that engineering is all about the application of science and the resulting technology. While that’s a big part of it, engineering is equal parts project management, which includes cost and schedule management.
So, maybe this quote is about schedule management and some zen surrounding it (if we apply it to work).
Or, maybe it’s for those moments when we get stressed out and wonder if we should be looking for another job. The grass is always greener and all.
Yeah, I’m going with one of those.
So while I love the quote and love the episode it came from, this one is probably not one on the top of my own list to get me through the work day, but I’d use it on a list for getting through life in general.
3. “It’s not safe out here. It’s wonderous, with treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross, but it’s not for the timid.”
~Q (From the TNG episode “Q Who?”)
I’m going with the direct applicability to the fact that human spaceflight is still a dangerous and risky venture. Many of us, even if unawares, have lived through a launch or spacecraft failure (or two or three or four). It is not the safest way to fly.
Not yet.
But, the rewards will be immeasurable.
So yeah… completely applicable, at least to my career in aerospace!!
4. “… the prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other.”
~Kirk (TOS episode “Elaan of Troyius”)
A clearer diversity and inclusion statement there is not!
And D&I belongs in any and all workplaces, not just engineering — although as someone who has spent most of my career as the only STEM woman in the room, we still have a long way to go in STEM, although I’ve seen great improvements in the last few years.
I’m almost never the only woman in the room, but minorities are still woefully under represented.
So a good quote for any situation needing some D&I… which is essentially anywhere and everywhere.
5. “They used to say that if man was meant to fly, he’d have wings. But he did fly. He discovered he had to.”
~Kirk (From TOS episode “Return to Tomorrow”)
…and then we went to space.
Though obviously related, taken out of context of Kirk’s longer speech, it loses something.
Because shortly after he utters this, he also says “risk is our business.” That couldn’t be more true about aerospace (if not other domains). We’re pushing the envelope and doing new and potentially dangerous things. So this goes along with the quote from Q from Day 3 where we were reminded just how dangerous space exploration can be.
Thumbs up to the quote and completely relevant (in context).
6 .”Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome. You remove those obstacles, without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die.”
~Kirk (From the TOS episode, “Metamorphosis”)
This is really interesting if you pull it apart because it seems to be the opposite of something Jean-Luc Picard said a couple of decades later in ST:TNG.
Picard said, “we work to better ourselves and the rest of humanity.” Of course, he said that immediately after stating, “the acquisition of wealth is no longer the driving force of our lives” which is not the kind of obstacles Kirk was referring to. Or was it? I mean, most of us endure hardships at a job, to acquire wealth for our basic needs. Somewhere between Kirk’s time and Picard’s time (or maybe it started before Picard’s time… I think there’s some debate on that matter… humanity moved into what is called a “post-scarcity society.” One where everyone’s basic needs of food, shelter, medical care have been met.
There’s been a few books written on that topic, by the way. (And I wrote a semi-related blog post… link in the comments… too)
Anyhoo… back to the original quote and figuring out if it’s related to my day job. I’m going to say yes. Engineering is inherently all about problem solving — which could be another way of saying that it’s about overcoming obstacles. Thumbs up to this quote as one that gets me through my work day!
7. “Things are only impossible until they’re not.”
~Picard (From the TNG episode, “When the Bough Breaks”)
Perfect for engineering! Seriously. This should be the motto of engineering. Remember that as an engineer in the aerospace industry, that’s the lens I’m using to evaluate these quotes, and this couldn’t be more perfect.
Did I say it was perfect? Engineering is problem solving. What once was impossible is now possible. I use a lot of modern technology as an illustration. Can you imagine telling someone 200 years ago that there was a way to instantly communicate with someone on the other side of the planet, not to mention the next town over? You’d be tried as a witch! Okay, maybe the witch thing was done 200 years ago, but you’d certainly be known as the town kook.
It’s similar to the quote from Arthur C. Clarke that’s often cited: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
So big thumbs up to this one getting me through my day — and any rough spots in that day!
8. “I am pleased to see that we have differences. May we together become greater than the sum of both of us.”
~Surak (From the TOS episode “The Savage Curtain”)
And IDIC was born.
Hopefully, if you’re a Trekkie, you already know what IDIC is.
If you’re not, IDIC is a Star Trek term that means “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations.”
And before you ask, “wait…. Surak? Who’s that? Did you just typo ‘Sarek’, the name of Spock’s father?”
Nope, I did not typo that. In Trek lore, Surak was the ‘father’ of modern Vulcan philosophy. We were introduced to him in this original series episode, “The Savage Curtain,” and then didn’t really hear about him much until the Enterprise series. (Yes, there were mentions…) Surak and IDIC were mentioned every now and then, or you could spot the symbol (like in Spock’s quarters in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” on the wall behind Spock and Kirk when he expresses to Kirk that he will always be his friend…).
I’m getting off track. This is another fantastic quote for diversity and inclusion. This could even be any D&I initiative’s motto (but I’m pretty sure the Trek franchise has it trademarked).
So thumbs up to not only getting me through the workday, but any day, any time, any month/year/etc.
9. “One man cannot summon the future.”
~Spock
“But one man can change the present!”
~Kirk (From the TOS episode “Mirror, Mirror”)
First, of course, today we’re easily accepting that “one man” equals “one person.” (Honestly, I don’t worry or get upset at the use of language like that. Especially when evaluating an almost 60-year-old TV show. It’s the sentiment that counts. It’s wasted energy to get upset at those little details…)
Of course, Kirk was encouraging Spock to start a revolution and change the course of his whole universe. That’s a big ask.
Bringing it a little more down-to-Earth (pun-ish intended; I always intend my puns), and bringing it into an engineering workplace, it could mean:
point out the issues, find solutions, be bold with your ideas.
Definitely applicable to my day job and probably yours, too.
10. “There’s a way out of every box. A solution to every puzzle. It’s just a matter of finding it.”
~Picard (From the TNG episode “Attached”)
Maybe Picard was more engineer than we give him credit for? We know he’s somewhat of a scientist. That seems almost normal when we think of some of the starship captains (like Janeway).
But anyhoo, solving problems is what engineers do. That could even be a definition of engineering.
So not only is this quote applicable and one we might want to put on a little sticky note by our monitor, it’s a good one to end our 10 days of diving into each of these quotes on. If you read my little bits on this each day, thanks for sticking with me on it.
Now, here are my top 10 Star Trek quotes that relate to work. They are presented in no particular order and without commentary at this time. And yes, at least one overlaps with the above.
1. “Ye dinna tell him how long it would really take!”
~ Scotty
(Star Trek: The Next Generation — “Relics”)2. “There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders.”
~Picard
(Star Trek: The Next Generation — “The Offspring”)This is about thinking outside the box.
3. “Change always comes later than we think it should.”
~Picard
(Star Trek: Picard — “Watcher”)4. “Things are only impossible until they are not.”
~Picard
(Star Trek: The Next Generation — “When the Bough Breaks”)5. “To say you have no choice is a failure of imagination.”
~Picard
(Star Trek: Picard — “Et in Arcadia Ego, Part 2”)6. Mr. Scott. Have you always multiplied your repair estimates by a factor of four?”
~Kirk
“Certainly, sir. How else can I keep my reputation as a miracle worker?”
~Scotty
(Star Trek III: The Search for Spock)7. “I realize that command does have its fascination, even under circumstances such as these, but I neither enjoy the idea of command nor am I frightened of it. It simply exists, and I will do whatever logically needs to be done. ”
~ Spock
(Star Trek: The Original Series Episode — “The Galileo Seven”)8. “If we’re going to be damned, let’s be damned for what we really are.”
~ Picard
(Star Trek: The Next Generation — “Encounter At Farpoint”)9. Every choice we make allows us to manipulate the future… A person’s life, their future, hinges on each of a thousand choices. Living is making choices.”
~Picard
(Star Trek: The Next Generation — “A Matter of Time”)10. “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not weakness, that is life.”
~Picard
(Star Trek: The Next Generation — “Peak Performance”)
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