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1% Inspiration and 99% Perspiration

Thursday, January 28, 2010 9:29 am

In one form or the other I have counseled inventors for the past twenty-seven years. Two ever-recurring observations come quickly to mind.

First is that most people, inventors definitely included, procrastinate and do nothing and then get upset when they see an invention or a business opportunity take hold down the road. Edward Wolff, a professor of economics at New York University, reports that the top 5% of the population has more wealth than the remaining 95% all added together. My history shows that about 5% of inventors do something meaningful with their inventions. It’s certainly curious how that 5% number keeps coming up.

As for my second observation, I am constantly reminded of the words of America’s greatest inventor, Thomas Edison: “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Perspiration comes from hard work and forging on while others tire and quit. Once again Edison is our example: it is an often told story that while struggling for months to invent a commercially viable light bulb, Edison was asked by a young reporter if he felt like a failure and had considered giving up. Edison responded, "Young man, why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitively over 10,000 ways that an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” Then after another thousand attempts or so, the light bulb was invented. Thomas Edison had both the inspiration and the perspiration that was needed to succeed.

So never procrastinate getting started toward a goal and don’t be afraid of hard work and a little perspiration.

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