What spurs innovation? Does the kernel of a new idea spring forth fully formed from the brow of a genius, or does it gestate over a long, arduous path involving sweat and heavy lifting? Maybe a bit of both, if you dig into the histories of new materials or processes. Often you will find that chance played as much a hand as hard work. Thomas Edison is famous for inventing the lightbulb, but only after thousands of failed attempts. Thankfully, he had the insight to know that the lightbulb required a system of power and distribution for it to be practical, and through lots of heavy lifting, he developed the systems that supported the lightbulb. Such was Edison’s influence that the lightbulb has come to be synonymous with “good ideas” or just ideas in general.
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