Enduring Success: Lessons in Persistence from Abraham Lincoln and Maintenance Leadership

Imagine confronting a career that seems dominated by setbacks and what some might label failures. What would your résumé say if it read:

“He failed in business in ’31. He was defeated for state legislator in ’32. He tried another business in ’33. It failed. His fiancée died in ’35. He had a nervous breakdown in ’36. In ’43, he ran for Congress and was defeated. He tried again in ’48 and was defeated again. He tried running for the Senate in ’55. He lost. The next year, he ran for vice president and lost. In ’59, he ran for the Senate again and was defeated.”

It is easy to feel that such a string of disappointments should compel anyone to quit. The excerpt above—taken from a motivational poster by Successories—captures key moments from Abraham Lincoln’s early life, long before he became the 16th President of the United States in 1860.

Despite this rocky start, Lincoln is widely regarded as one of the most influential U.S. presidents. His relentless diligence and unwavering persistence guided the nation through the Civil War, preserving the Union when the odds were dire. His story demonstrates that perseverance can transform setbacks into stepping‑stones for extraordinary achievement.

Leading a maintenance and reliability improvement program—whether in a single facility, a company, or a global operation—demands a comparable level of resilience. Transitioning an organization from reactive to proactive practices requires culture change, and that change is seldom smooth. Successes will arrive, but so will challenges that test your resolve.

Over the past 15 years, I have earned the nickname “Reliability Zealot.” Critics sometimes say I lean too heavily on logic or that I push too hard for best‑practice compliance. Yet the reality is that many leaders are pressured to “cheap‑en” initiatives, ignoring proven principles because they feel that “we’re different.” When decisions fall short of expectations, we learn what not to repeat—experiences that shape the future.

How can you navigate these obstacles? Below are eight principles that have guided my journey and can help you build a resilient maintenance culture:

1. Keep the end in mind: Visualize the tangible rewards for all stakeholders once the vision is achieved.

2. Root yourself in maintenance and reliability fundamentals through continuous learning.

3. Teach those principles to others; the act of teaching reinforces your own understanding and spreads best practices.

4. Benchmark internally and externally—especially across different industries—to avoid insularity and discover new insights.

5. Build a robust professional network by engaging with peers at every opportunity.

6. Cultivate allies both within and outside the maintenance field to broaden support and perspective.

7. Leverage that network for guidance and validation; attend conferences and join professional bodies like the Society for Maintenance & Reliability Professionals.

8. Stand firm on core principles, even when confronted with skepticism or opposition.

When you face a setback or perceive a failure, remember that such moments are a normal part of any ambitious endeavor. Let Abraham Lincoln’s extraordinary perseverance serve as a beacon—encouraging you to push forward on the path to reliable, proactive excellence.

Tim Goshert is the worldwide reliability and maintenance manager for Cargill, one of the world’s largest food and agricultural processing companies with over 1,000 facilities globally. He oversees Cargill’s global reliability and maintenance initiatives and chairs the Worldwide Reliability and Maintenance Steering Committee. Tim is an active member of the Society of Maintenance & Reliability Professionals (SMRP) and serves on its board of directors.