Test of Courage

"I speak without exaggeration," Thomas Edison once said, "when I say that I have constructed three thousand different theories in connection with electric light, each one of them reasonable and apparently likely to be true. Yet in two cases only did my experiments prove the truth of my theory."

That means Edison developed 2,998 failed theories along with his two successful experiments! The entire story of the light bulb is a long, tedious tale of repeated trial and failure. Yet, through it all, Edison was watching attentively -- and learning.

Another lesson can be learned from Edison: As various attempts to carbonize a cotton thread for a light-bulb filament failed, he had to exercise his determination with great patience while handling a fragile component. Indeed, the more intent a person becomes, the more patient he or she must be to keep from ruining the goal of earnest efforts.

So, follow Edison's lead. When failures mount, step back. Re-examine your goal. Then turn the raw energy of frustration into a renewed determination to keep striving toward that goal. Determination is a decision, not a feeling. It is a foundational principle of good character.

As you develop and test your own bright ideas, remember also to emulate Edison's patience. The combination of these two characteristics constitute a formula for unparalleled success.

Patience is better than pride. 

Ecclesiastes 7:8