| Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before | | | | They kept on trying, no matter how long it took, |
| he revolutionized the world by inventing and | | | | to walk. |
| patenting the incandescent light bulb. Because of | | | | 2. Edison learned how to meet the unmet need |
| his desire to create the incandescent light, he was | | | | The classic marketing philosophy says to "fill the |
| one of the most persistent people in history. The | | | | unmet need." Edison invented practical items that |
| invention in which Edison had the most failures, | | | | a majority of the population could use, such as |
| the incandescent light, was one of his most | | | | the light bulb, the phonograph, batteries, etc. |
| famous inventions. His persistence also led to | | | | Edison not only could invent things, he could invent |
| many other great inventions. He had patents on | | | | practical things. Every one of us has practical skills |
| items such as electricity, batteries, cement, | | | | that we can offer the world. The world needs |
| motion pictures, phonographs, mining, telegraphs | | | | your talents much like the world needed Edison's |
| and telephones. | | | | talents. What are some ideas that you have that |
| How many times have you failed in your | | | | would meet the unmet need? What are you |
| endeavors? When you were learning how to ride | | | | seeing around you that could be improved? Edison |
| a bike, roller skate, play the piano, learn a foreign | | | | did the same pondering and look at how much he |
| language, etc., didn't you fail many times? | | | | accomplished. |
| Many modern conveniences are the result of | | | | 3. Edison knew he could invent something when |
| Edison's ingenuity. Edison did amazing things simply | | | | he was determined |
| by persevering. | | | | Edison's quest to invent the incandescent light bulb |
| 1. Edison was persistent | | | | took him about four years. About his electric light |
| After fifty years of efforts to create a | | | | experiments, he said "I was never myself |
| long-lasting incandescent light bulb, Edison achieved | | | | discouraged or inclined to be hopeless of success." |
| success with the incandescent light bulb. Edison | | | | Edison knew that he could find a way to make |
| needed a material that would be compatible to | | | | the light bulb work and to be a practical item for |
| form a long-lasting filament. He initially tried | | | | the general public to use. |
| platinum, which only worked for about one to two | | | | For those of you involved in obtaining goals, are |
| hours. He tried carbon, which had the highest | | | | you determined enough that you are going to |
| melting point. When carbon didn't seem to work, | | | | succeed? Do you have that attitude of |
| Edison tried boron, chromium, molybdenum, | | | | accomplishing something no matter what? |
| tungsten, nickel, platinum (again). Finally, Edison got | | | | Edison saw thousands of better ways of doing |
| carbon to work as a filament material for his light | | | | things. He had to literally make many things |
| bulb, which lit for over 40 hours. | | | | happen in order to achieve success. Edison did not |
| What are some of the things that you are doing | | | | think that any of his failures were actually |
| in your life and careers? Do you like what you are | | | | "failures." Edison said "If I find 10,000 ways |
| doing for a living? Are there other things that you | | | | something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not |
| would like to be doing as a career? You may ask, | | | | discouraged, because every wrong attempt |
| "what if I try something and it doesn't work?" | | | | discarded is just one more step forward...." Do |
| Try something else. And if you're not successful, | | | | you turn your "mistakes" into learning |
| try again! Reference the example with a baby | | | | experiences? Adopt the same attitude as Edison |
| learning how to walk. How do most people walk? | | | | did. Learn from mistakes. Be persistent. |