“I have not failed, I’ve just found 700 ways that won’t work”
-Thomas A. Edison-
Thomas Edison had very little formal education and was a great believer in self-improvement. Whatever he knew was taught to him by his mother and his own efforts. When his first patented invention, an electric vote recorder, proved a commercial failure, he didn’t give up.
You could say that his mother was his motivator. Of her, he said in later years: “My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had some one to live for, some one I must not
disappoint.”
When he was twelve, he lost almost all his hearing, but rather than perceive it as a drawback, he felt it helped him to concentrate on his experiments. Then came the tin foil phonograph, which brought him
international fame, followed by the incandescent light bulb which had taken him one and a half years to perfect.
When Edison was asked in an interview how it felt to fail 700 times in his attempts to create the light bulb, he answered: “I have not failed 700 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that
those 700 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I’ll find the way that will.”
You too can learn from your mistakes. They’re not a waste of time as long as you use them to avoid further mistakes. Success comes by trial and error. Keep a journal of your progress. Write down what you did towards realizing your goal every day, even if it’s something small.
Writing things down will bring clarity to your efforts.
About Merry Riana
Merry Riana is a Millionaire Entrepreneur, Best-Selling Author and Motivational Speaker.In just a short period of 4 years after her graduation, Merry has earned more than S$1,000,000 through her business. This achievement is featured as an article titled ‘She’s made her first million at just age 26’, in The Straits Times on 26th January 2007. In October 2010, Merry was conferred the Great Women of Our Time Award. As an icon in the regional, financial, and educational communities Merry has broken down barriers to become one of the most admired and watched individuals in the media today.
visit www.MerryRiana.org to read more about Merry Riana
Dear Merry,
I love that quote by Thomas Edison you have posted. I was going to post it as a Facebook update, but the correct quote is “10,000″, not “700″. Just thought you might be interested.
Kind Regards,
Luis
Dear Merry Riana,
Vern must be excited with the arrival of a little sibling.
May you have a smooth and successful delivery.
It is delighted to know you have been and always will be an inspiration for the young generation of tomorrow.
all the best to you.
From,
Limin
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.