Ok, folks, it’s story time.
Like him or hate him, you can’t deny that Thomas Edison is one of the most famous inventors of all time. Throughout his career, he held over 1,000 patents for his inventions, ranging from the phonograph and motion picture camera to the electric light bulb, arguably his most famous invention.
Edison was almost as well known as a businessman as he was as an inventor, and many credit his aggressive business tactics as much as his creative mind as the reason for his success. Whether you view him as a visionary genius who transformed the world or a shrewd businessman who wasn’t afraid to muscle out the competition, one thing is certain: he had tenacity.
And this is the story of Edison I’d like to focus on today.
Picture this: It’s the late 1800s—when the world is bathed in candlelight and gas lamps each time the sun sets. Thomas Edison had an idea that would change all of that.
However, his journey to success was paved with numerous failures and setbacks.
Contrary to popular belief, Edison did not invent the lightbulb in one miraculous moment. Instead, his process was one of relentless experimentation and iteration. Edison famously said, "I have not failed. I've just found 1,000 ways that won't work."
Edison's quest to create a long-lasting, practical electric lightbulb began in the late 1870s. He and his team at the Edison Electric Light Company conducted countless experiments, testing different materials for the filament and various methods of creating a vacuum inside the bulb to prevent the filament from burning out.
After many months of trial and error, Edison and his team achieved a breakthrough in October 1879 when they successfully produced a bulb with a carbonized bamboo filament that lasted over 13 hours. This marked a significant advancement in electric lighting technology and paved the way for the widespread adoption of electric lighting in homes and businesses.
However, Edison's work didn't stop there. He continued to refine and improve the design of the lightbulb, eventually developing bulbs that could last even longer and provide brighter illumination.
Edison and his team reportedly conducted over 10,000 experiments before finding the right materials and techniques to create a practical and commercially viable lightbulb.
Edison's perseverance and willingness to embrace failure as part of the creative process ultimately led to his success. His story is a powerful reminder that failure is not the end but rather a stepping stone on the path to innovation and achievement.
So keep in mind that failure should never be a stopping point. Instead, view it as feedback. Learn from it and then let it go, knowing you won’t make the same mistake twice, and next time, you’ll be prepared to go one step further toward what you wish to achieve.
In business, as in life, if you suffer what you see as a setback, look for the lesson and apply it. And if you're tired of setbacks and ready to achieve the next level of success in your business, I invite you to call me. Let's talk strategy and design a plan to help you gain a competitive edge. Call me or send me a text at 301-873-5791 or go to www.elaunchers.com to book an appointment. Let’s have a conversation and see what opportunity we can discover for you.
