How does it feel if you fail at something?

Reading Time: 5-6 Minutes | Age Limit: 8-10 | Country Origin: United States of America

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“The Boy Who Lit the World”

Discover his story:

What happens when a curious boy is told he’s not smart enough for school? Instead of giving up, he dives into books, experiments, and big dreams—with a little help from his mom.

This is the true story of a curious boy who didn’t give up—even when things got hard. Through deliberate practice, patience, and hundreds of tries, he lit up the world with his inventions. A story that shows how great things happen when we keep trying, one step at a time.

Story in motion

1000 Steps to the First Light Bulb

How does it feel if you fail at something?

A long time ago, in the state of Michigan, in the USA, there was a boy who loved asking questions. He was curious about everything—why the sky was blue, how birds flew, and why fire gave light. But school was not easy for him. He often got lost in his thoughts, dreaming of new ideas instead of paying attention to his lessons. One day, he overheard a teacher say that he was too slow to learn, and the school had decided that he should not continue studying there.

The little boy went home sadly and told his mother what he had heard at school. But instead of being upset, she smiled and said, “You are special. We will learn together at home.” From that day on, the boy’s mother became his teacher. She encouraged him to read, explore, and experiment. He discovered a love for books and science, and soon, he started conducting his own little experiments.

When he was twelve, the boy took a job selling newspapers and candy on a train. He even set up a tiny laboratory in one of the train cars to continue his experiments. But one day, a fire broke out, and he had to stop his work. Over time, he also lost most of his hearing. Yet, he never complained. He believed that his quiet world helped him focus on his ideas even more.

One day, when he was just fifteen, he saw a little boy on the train tracks, about to be hit by an oncoming train. Without thinking twice, he rushed in and pulled the boy to safety. The boy’s father, who worked at the station, was so grateful that he taught the bright boy how to send telegraph messages. This skill allowed him to travel from town to town, working as a telegraph operator while continuing his experiments.

As he grew older, he became more determined to invent things that would be useful to people. His first invention was a machine that could record votes quickly. But politicians didn’t want to use it. Instead of being discouraged, he learned an important lesson: inventions should be useful to people.

What do you think made him keep going after so many failed attempts?

The enterprising inventor’s next big challenge was to create a light bulb that could last a long time. Other people had already made light bulbs, but they didn’t last very long, making them impractical. He knew that if he succeeded, this invention could change the world.

He and his team worked day and night, trying different materials to make the bulb last longer. Time and time again, they failed. Hundreds of attempts turned into a thousand. His helpers were tired and frustrated, but he never gave up.

Then, after many trials, one day in December, something magical happened—the bulb glowed brightly and stayed on! His invention had finally worked! When a reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times, he simply said, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

This young boy grew up to become Thomas Alva Edison, one of the greatest inventors in history. He also created the phonograph and the motion picture camera, among many other inventions that changed the world.

Edison believed in three important things: hard work, perseverance, and common sense. He once said, “The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time.”

Can you think of a time when you had to try again and again to succeed? What kept you going?

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“Thomas Edison: The Inventor Who Illuminated the World”

Meet the inventor:

Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931), born in Ohio, USA, was the youngest of seven children to Nancy and Sam. He was an American inventor and businessman whose inventions, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the incandescent light bulb, changed the modern industrialized world.

Best known for his invention of the incandescent light bulb, Edison said, “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: hard work, stick-to-itiveness, and common sense.” He believed that giving up was a sign of weakness and said repeatedly that the most certain way to succeed is to try one more time. Modern entrepreneurs are still inspired by the collaborative, problem-solving approach used by Thomas A. Edison, the confident, ever-optimistic inventor who illuminated the world.