Section outline

  • Enterprising People Case Studies

    Over the next week or so we will look at some enterprising people and identify the enterprising qualities that helped them to be successful. 

    Thomas Edison


    “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” —Thomas Edison

    Thomas Edison is one  of the most famous and prolific inventors of all time. He exerted a tremendous influence on modern life, contributing inventions such as the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, as well as improving the telegraph and telephone. In his 84 years, he acquired an astounding 1,093 patents. Aside from being an inventor, Edison also managed to become a successful manufacturer and businessman, marketing his inventions to the public. However, it is also well known that Thomas Edison failed over 10,000 times when attempting to invent a commercially-viable electric lightbulb.  Edison was a master of trial and error. He was not afraid to make hundreds, or even thousands, of mistakes before figuring something out.

    What can we learn from Thomas Edison that can help us to be successful in our own personal endeavours?