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Thomas Edisons 3 Secrets of Persistence by Randy Gilbert |
"Thomas Edison's 3 Secrets of Persistence"
by Randy Gilbert
In this article you will discover 3 incredible secrets that will teach you "Proactive Persistence." These secrets will make you truly unstoppable in any pursuit.
If there is one trait that sets apart those who have accomplished great things, it is tenacity. Louis Pasteur said, "Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal. My strength lies solely in my tenacity." Persistence is a trait that every person, especially those in business must have.
Thomas Edison is a perfect example of a person with proactive persistence. When he reached experiment 9,999 he was asked by a reporter, "Sir, are you going to fail 10,000 times?" Edison confidently replied, "I have not failed at each attempt; rather I've succeeded at discovering another way not to invent an electric lamp."
Before I go on with the story of Edison, let me first tell you that I love jellybeans. I go crazy in a candy store that sells just about every variety known to man. I know that my kids love me a lot, because one year for my birthday they gave me a BIG jelly bean jar and a BUNCH of jelly beans. I would like to say they lasted a long time, but that wouldn't be telling the truth.
I don't know if Thomas Edison was as fond of jellybeans as I am, but let me tell you how he would have used his jar once it was empty.
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Secret #1 - You Must Fail Systematically
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The first secret behind Thomas Edison's persistence is that he KNEW his inventions would work because he discovered a system that would eventually make them work. He holds the record on the number of U.S. patents because he learned how to fail systematically without labeling himself a failure.
Edison set up a method of testing each possible solution and eliminating all of the ones that didn't work. As more ways didn't work he got more excited, because he knew that he was getting closer to finding the solution that would work.
So what does failing systematically have to do with a jellybean jar? If Edison had a jellybean jar he would have filled it with his "idea-beans" - LOTS OF THEM! Idea-beans are the alternative ways for solving a problem.
Thomas Edison kept replenishing his idea-bean jar, until he found the solution that would light up the room.
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Secret #2 - Rid Yourself Of LAZY THINKER-itis
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Thomas Edison was not a lazy thinker. He was known to sit for hours thinking of ways to make his inventions work. He remained persistent, even after many failed attempts, because he never ran out of idea-beans.
When most of us try to solve a problem we come up with the requisite 2 or 3 alternative solutions. If all three don't work, we give up. HOW SAD!. Maybe the fourth idea would've worked; but, we will never know because we were too lazy to think of it. We give up because we run out of idea-beans.
Thomas Edison didn't stop at 3 alternatives, or 4 or 5. No he didn't even stop at 10,000. Edison had proactive persistence because he rid himself of LAZY THINKER-itis. He kept filling his idea bean jar so that it was never empty.
"So Dr. Proactive, how do I rid myself of LAZY THINKER-itis?" I'm glad you asked, that brings us to Secret #3.
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Secret #3 - Use Proactive Thinking Techniques
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Rid yourself of LAZY THINKER-itis by using proactive thinking techniques such as Mindstorming. I learned Mindstorming years ago from Brian Tracy, one of the most gifted teachers I've ever had. If you use it, you are guaranteed to come up with more ideas than you will ever be able to implement.
Mindstorming is similar to group brainstorming, but you perform it alone. It goes like this. Take a piece of paper and write at the top of it your pressing problem. Then number the lines 1 through 20.
Write on each line one way of how you might solve the problem. The first few will come fairly quickly and seem obvious; just put them down. You will begin to experience more difficultly as you work on the last 5 to 7. Often these are the ideas with the most promise.
There are further explanations to mindstorming plus other thinking techniques outlined in SUCCESS BOUND. Use these types of exercises regularly and you will begin to feel unstoppable because your mind - and your idea-bean jar - will be full.
Then, when you have a solution that doesn't work out, you'll be able to look at the situation in the way that Thomas Edison did and congratulate yourself for finding another way that didn't work. You'll have gained an attitude of proactive persistence.
All articles by Randy Gilbert are reproducible without further permission so long as the following by-line is used after each one.
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Randy Gilbert, a.k.a. ‘Dr. Proactive, the Master Life Builder’
Author of "SUCCESS BOUND" - http://www.Success-Bound.com
Host of “The Inside Success Show” http://TheInsideSuccessShow.com
Creator of Life Builder Teleseminars - http://MasterLifeBuilder.com
Copyright © 2001-2004 Randy Gilbert. All rights reserved.
Feel free to pass this article in its entirety to anyone you wish.
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