The impact a parent made on a pioneer whose breakthrough made a world-changing impact.
By Tom Hasker, Associate Partner, Lighthouse Global
Have you ever had someone truly believe in you? Have you ever felt the security and belief that builds within you, when someone, through word or deed says - 'I believe in you'?
Here is a story about a letter Thomas Edison brought home from school, that illustrates this point;
One day Thomas Edison came home and gave a paper to his mother. He told her, "My teacher gave this paper to me and told me to only give it to my mother."
His mother’s eyes were tearful as she read the letter out loud to her child: "Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have enough good teachers for training him. Please teach him yourself."
Many years later, after Edison’s mother had died, he was looking through old family things. Now one of the greatest inventors of the century, he suddenly saw a folded piece of paper in the corner of a desk drawer. He took it and opened it up. On the paper was written: "Your son is addled [mentally ill]. We won’t let him come to school anymore."
Edison cried for hours and then he wrote in his diary: “Thomas Alva Edison was an addled child that, by a hero mother, became the genius of the century.”
This story is based on fact but isn't actually true. There was no letter, however, the 7-year-old Thomas Edison did have a massive dislike of the school system, and his teacher. He was called out in class as being 'addled' and he stormed home in disgust. His mother did accompany him to school the next day seeking an explanation for this criticism. In those days 'addled' was used to describe someone as mentally ill, but now we would recognise Thomas Edison's difficulties as dyslexia.
As this article on Truth or Fiction explains, after his mother spoke to the teacher and got no satisfactory explanation, she decided to home-school the young inventor. At this point, Master Edison was overjoyed at his mother's decision and showed true integrity when he 'promised himself to make his mother proud of him'. With this promise he showed true appreciation for the love and belief his mother had in him.
As my mentor, Paul S. Waugh has said to me before "empathy acts and sympathy doesn't." Thomas Edison's mother clearly had empathy for him and acted accordingly.
Everyone, at some time or another, needs someone to believe in them, even if it's just for a moment - and even from someone unknown to them. The recognition from the outside, that we have value on the inside, is often just enough to help us release that value into ourselves and then naturally by extension into the world.
Imagine if Mrs Edison had said, 'Yeah, your teacher's right.'
How crushing would that have been to a young boy and at what cost to the progress of the world?
Reflect on these questions...
Has there been anyone in your life who truly believed in you?
Who can you connect with today to say you believe in them?
Watch a video from Lighthouse Global Head Mentor, Paul S. Waugh on how pioneering Thomas Edison was:
More insights from our pioneering research into human potential can be found on our social media channels.
A very powerful story. It shows the importance of having someone in our corner, who truly backs us. What stood out to me was how easily we dismiss others because they are different. If Edison's mother hadn't encouraged him, imagine how much poorer the world would be.
Woah the external world can tell us that we are two opposite things (genius or 'addled') and at any age, though especially as a child, we can be susceptible to believing that, and live accordingly. So it matters who your influences are, that they are positive, upbuilding, and progressive - especially your parents - and this must be coupled with the conviction of a strong inner constitution cultivated in oneself. On the other side of the coin, it's also a reminder that we have the choice to spread hate or fear, or instead spread love and empathy in all our interactions, and how we treat people, especially children, matters. It could mean the difference between mental illness and lighting up…
Thank you for sharing this Tom, even if the little story isn't factually correct, what it evokes is so powerful. How far might we be if there were other 7 year olds or 17 year olds or 27 year olds or 37, or 47 years old who were told "I believe in you"? Helping someone to have conviction in themselves is completely underestimated.
Love the truth of this story. The power of the right mentorship! Thanks Tom
Thank you for sharing Tom, I really appreciate the story and the reality behind the story! It's so easy to get swept up in a 'nice sounding', neat story, but to know the truth is so much more powerful. It shows how important it is for a parent to be aware and willing to extend themselves when a challenge is presented. Edison's mother chose to support her child, to help him grow and nurture him, although it probably wasn't an easy or convenient choice to make. And he responded to the investment! Really inspiring.