My bride laughs at the way I pronounce “experiment”. Apparently I say /ikˈspirˌmənt/ or something not too far from that. Vestiges of a southern father? No clue.

And given the way I pepper my language and life with references to this word, I afford my loving-but-laughing partner plenty of chuckling. It’s made me a bit self-conscious when I say the word, but doing it is another thing altogether. My hours and days are a confetti blurred parade of experimentation! Not because I’m a scientist, but because I crave change. Curiosity and discovery — even when threatened with failure — are constant companions.

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you always get what you’ve always gotten.” ~ Jessie Potter (or possibly Henry Ford Or Jackie “Moms” Mabley? Tony Robbins?)

This oft cited adage is usually credited to Henry Ford in a slightly altered format:

“If you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you always got.”

Apparently there’s no evidence that those words were ever spoken or written by Henry Ford.

Jessie Potter used this expression in the earliest known citation in 1981. Currently, she is the leading candidate for authorship, and she helped to popularize the saying, but… Jackie “Moms” Mabley is also a candidate… Researchers may uncover an antedating of 1981 in the future. The ascriptions to Henry Ford and Tony Robbins are unsupported. (Source: Quote Investigator)

Whether Potter, Mabley, Ford or Robbins, the clever quip has stuck. This morning it reminds me of a short post I published back on January 7, 2013 about the importance of change. Here’s the most relevant kernel.

We must savor the little moments; allow them to change us. Love our experiments… capture the accidents… [and] eschew the known quantity… ~ Carson Kahn (Medium)

Such wisdom from such a youngster. Experiment. Unlearn. Make mistakes. Remain nimble and perceptive and receptive and flexible. Change. Again and again. Experiment…