Exercise 2B, page 97.0:00
On the path to true genius.0:13
Most people immediately think of the light bulb when they think of Thomas Edison.0:26
But although this genius did in fact invent the first practical, long-lasting light bulb, he had a hand in creating many more things we can still see around us today.0:31
He invented, or contributed to, recorded music, electrical systems, the telephone, the alkaline battery, X-rays, and an early cinema projector.0:43
Incredibly, by the end of his life, he held 1,093 patents, and he is responsible for more inventions than any other inventor in history.0:56
Edison was undoubtedly a very clever person.1:08
Would you believe, though, that as a child, his teacher told his mother that he was too slow to learn?1:12
Later on, as an inventor, Many of his inventions failed.1:20
So what were the secrets of Edison's success?1:24
We all have dreams and ambitions, and who better than Mr. Edison to provide us with a few tips for achieving them?1:29
Perhaps Edison's greatest strength was that he absolutely refused to give up.1:38
He said, many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.1:44
Unbelievably, it took Edison thousands of tries before he found the right filament to use for his light bulb.1:52
He wasn't afraid of failure.1:59
He simply saw his bad ideas as stepping stones to better ones.2:01
Even after his factory was almost totally destroyed by fire, he said, "There is great value in disaster.2:07
All our mistakes are burned up and we can start anew."2:14
3 weeks later, Edison delivered the first phonograph.2:18
Edison was also very intolerant of laziness and believed in pushing himself to reach his goals.2:24
He set himself a target, for instance, to come up with a small invention every 10 days and a major one every 6 months.2:31
So try taking a leaf out of Edison's book.2:40
If you want to write a book, aim to write a chapter every day.2:44
If you want to become a photographer, teach yourself one new skill or trick every day or week.2:48
When you put your brain under a little pressure, you'll be amazed by how much your power of thought improves.2:56
Another effective little rule Edison had was to take time out to relax while he was working at his invention factory in Menlo Park, New Jersey.3:03
He would drift off to sleep with several small metal balls in his hand.3:14
If he fell into a deep sleep, the balls would fall noisily onto the floor and wake him up, and he'd scribble down whatever was in his mind.3:18
So next time you are stuck on a problem, why not sleep on it?3:28
Scientists now agree that relaxation and short naps can improve our concentration and creativity.3:33
Also, amazingly, historians have so far discovered around 4 million pages of Edison's notes, including sketches, cartoons, and even poems.3:41
It seems he had many new ideas simply by relaxing, letting his mind wander, and allowing one idea to flow on to another.3:54
So maybe you too should keep a journal where you write down your ideas and thoughts.4:04
Who knows what it could lead to?4:09
All in all, Thomas Edison succeeded because he was determined, persistent, and knew how to use his mistakes to his advantage.4:12
So, what are you waiting for?4:20
Tap into your inner genius and get busy achieving your dreams.4:23
You might not create anything as important as the light bulb in your lifetime, but we can all light up the world in our own way.4:27
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