You sit in your room, one hand scrunched up in a fist filled with misery, the other one rubbing your forehead. All your ideas, your planning, your thoughts lay crumpled next to you. Previously, they were torn apart in a very vicious manner as you had simply given up. All hope is lost after your very own mom shuts down what you thought was a brilliant idea. What could it even take to be successful? What you’re missing is optimism. Optimism is a mindset that allows you to see and expect the good in things and is the key to success. Thomas Edison used optimism to help him be successful with his lightbulb.

Optimism focuses on positivity. Many people associate happiness with optimism, and although optimistic people do tend to be very happy, there is a misconception that optimistic people see life as always joyous, flawless and perfect and are ignorant of their problems. That’s called toxic positivity, not optimism. Optimistic people hold a conviction that they can make things better, not that it is or will be better. Optimistic people are still aware of reality. It’s known to help you become more successful and content and is generally a healthy way to perceive the world.

Thomas Edison was one of these optimistic people. His optimism helped him reach success, and today he is known by many as an inventor of the incandescent lightbulb, created through multiple failed attempts and difficult challenges. At his first attempts, the lightbulbs had an extremely short life and required a lot of energy. So, he decided to use a cardboard filament. With this, the lightbulb flickered out much too fast. Edison was not discouraged by this and believed he could make the lightbulb work by testing with grasses of different kinds for filament. He used many different kinds of grasses and in the end found that bamboo worked best. Later, carbonized bamboo was found, and it was able to last for an extremely long time, much over one thousand hours, so it was very beneficial. Edison and his team had at last completed their original incandescent lightbulb.

But there was much more behind getting the light to fully function to receive success for his invention. Edison made many achievements from his success at his first fully functioning light but also faced his own challenges in getting it approved. Edison worked hard on improving it and eventually got granted a patent. He started his own company called the Edison Electric Light Company. He presented a public demonstration on his lightbulb, and he got his first commercial application. Not long after that, the U.S. patent office deemed Edison’s patent as invalid, due to it being based on William E. Sawyer’s work. Edison remained hopeful, and over the course of almost six years litigation carried on, until one judge, at last, deemed Edison’s patent valid. Soon after Edison and Joseph Swan formed a combined company to avoid any more issues with patents since Swan’s patent was, after all, given a year before Edison’s. Edison’s lightbulb became more and more popular and widely used. Edison’s lightbulb was a success. Edison had trust in himself that he would reach such a success one day, and his hopes had come true with the very magic of optimism.

Optimism is a way of thinking that focuses on believing in the future and seeing the light in situations. Thomas Edison became successful with his lightbulb using optimism. Throughout the challenges, Edison showed that he was optimistic by believing in himself and staying hopeful. This helped him persevere, and without that mindset, he may just have decided to give up after his patent was invalidated by the U.S. patent office or when his second attempt at the lightbulb failed. But he continued to believe he could make things better, improving and keeping a positive attitude throughout the process. Optimism is a key part in success. It helps you stay motivated, prepared, determined, passionate, and most of all, overcome challenges. You may just be able to be successful from your ideas from cultivating an optimistic mindset. Believe that when faced with something ugly, it can be made beautiful.

 

 

 

 

-Ella S.