Hit Delete

Sometimes luck strikes us in less than obvious ways. We lose our work to a computer crash. Our backup fails. It gets lost in transit. Engulfed in flames. It shatters… The ways are endless. It can be devastating. Or lucky?

Thomas Edison experienced this on quite a large scale. December 10th, 1914 a massive explosion erupted at Edison’s plant in New Jersey. The buildings were engulfed in flames. It was a fire too powerful to put out. Edison’s response? He told his son:

“Go get your mother and all her friends. They’ll never see a fire like this again.” When Charles objected, Edison said, “It’s all right. We’ve just got rid of a lot of rubbish.”

Edison could have understandably wept, erupted in a fit of rage or called it quits. But he didn’t do any of these things. Instead, he put on a smile and told his son to gather everyone and enjoy the spectacle.

The flames had consumed years of work, priceless records and prototypes. The estimated value was $23 million in today’s dollars but he under insured, so insurance covered only a third of the total damage. But after just three weeks, with the help of a loan from his friend Henry Ford, Edison got part of the plant up and running again. His employees worked double shifts and got to work producing more than ever. Edison and his team went on to make almost 10x the revenue the following year.

What can we learn from this? We don’t always realize the things that are weighing us down. And sometimes you need to create your own luck. To hit delete. To get a new canvas. To clear out the old. Whether it’s your house, your portfolio, your current project, your social media accounts, your phone or your Spotify playlists… Look at what you’ve done in the past as practice and say goodbye. It has served its purpose. And now it’s bogging you down. Scary to do, sure, but it’s worth the risk.

Edison’s fire happened to him but you don’t have to wait. Take advantage of the new year. A transition period. Or being in a creative rut to kickoff a fresh start.

Create space for something better.