“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” -Thomas A. Edison
If there ever was a true secret or formula for success, the advice captured in this quote by Edison might actually be the missing ingredient in the formula. Is it possible the difference between success and failure could be separated by the willingness to try just one more time?
We all have elements of our personality and behavior which are typically categorized as either strengths or weaknesses. It has been suggested we focus on developing our strengths and manage around our weaknesses. If our greatest weakness lies in giving up, the easy work around is to simply remind ourselves to try one more time.
How is it that Edison developed this incredible capacity for persistence? To really understand, we need look no further than his early beginnings in childhood. Edison was considered both a troubled and a troubling child. He was reported to be incredibly hyperactive and disruptive. His first teacher quickly lost patience with him and he was ultimately withdrawn from public school and taught at home by his mother instead.
His early education was grounded in scientific textbooks. This introduction to science provided the foundation for his future. Edison viewed the scientific method as a way of eliminating ideas that wouldn’t work. In other words, he realized every wrong attempt discarded would bring him closer to success. He knew if he “failed” enough times, he would succeed. His method was to actually fail systematically. Yes, he embraced failure because he never viewed a failed experiment as “failure.” Also key to the process was his vision. He had seen a working incandescent light bulb in his mind’s eye and therefore knew it was possible. He knew a solution existed. He made a commitment to persist until he succeeded.
