Thomas Edison wore shoes two sizes too large so that he could slip into and out of them without stooping down to untie them.
A genius no doubt could invent slip-ons instead don’t you think?
And, Nikola Tesla on the other hand carried a swag around him. Handsome mustaches and hats made him the center of attention people say.
Tesla was Guru Dutt of Inventors (for lack of a more appropriate, closer to home example) while Thomas Edison was the Pritam (the musician) of dressing up.
This apart, these two gentlemen who started “war of currents” back in time have always been pitted against each other in history as competitors and adversaries. Enemies would be no less the adjective.
Why, You ask?
They were Legends. Two different kinds. Exemplary both of them but why Edison is in every text book you read and Tesla only in a company that tries to fight in the competitive manufacturing industry, much recently with their electric car for example.
What makes Edison better? Was he a better Inventor or a better entrepreneur? Did Nikola really suck at Science compared to Edison or in PR and investor relationship?
You should have mostly figured it out by now. Well.
Edison had over a 1000 Patents when he died, while the much advanced scientist and far sighted, futuristic inventor had just about 300 odd patents. Tesla died a broke and broken heart man in a NYC hotel. While Edison lives in every invention you use today. Including this one, while only some will know that most inventions, including the Internet and electricity would be no where close to what they are now without Tesla.
Edison was not just a genius inventor. He was a true blue entrepreneur who ran multiple startups, multi tasked and was terrific in managing investors.
It is believed that whenever he got a source of an idea, he picked assistants to work on the basics of the inventions. This helped him work on multiple projects at the same time.
Which in term helped the investors stay on many non productive projects in the reflected glory of inventions like the kinetoscope or the bulb.
Whereas, Nikola Tesla, the man with eidetic memory, a man who could picture 3d plans in his mind alone. The man who basically is the father of modern invention lives in oblivion. He could not even stop J P Morgan from leaving him when he needed him the most for his money.
When one deciphers it, it seems right off course.
Someone said, and I quote “Edison’s enduring legacy isn’t a specific patent or technology, but his invention factories, which divided the innovation process into small tasks that were carried out by legions of workers”.
That basically is the gist of this all actually.
It doesn’t matter anymore or ever before that how good are you at what you do unless you know how to do the following:
• Have a straightforward vision.
• Master the art of delegation.
• Have a growth agenda, without being stuck-up on an idea.
• Know when to move on.
• Have multiple back up plans.
• Sell your idea to people and the investors.
• Can bring decorum to success vs failures – a sort of equilibrium
• Can make people believe in you, if not your idea.
• You know what to talk to the media
I leave the rest to your imagination while I rest with mine and the greatest quote of the modern world by Thomas A Edison.
“I have not failed, I have found 10,000 ways that won’t work”
about.me/rkbahuja
Awarded the
“RodinStar” Post
of the week!!