Resilience: Legends Who Overcame Failure

Lincoln lost eight elections before becoming President. His business failed, he had a nervous

breakdown, and was defeated for Speaker, Congress, Senate,

and Vice President. He became America's greatest leader during its darkest hour.

Mandela spent 27 years in prison for fighting apartheid. Released at age 71,

he could have chosen revenge. Instead, he chose reconciliation and became South

Africa's first Black president, transforming a nation. Edison was told he was too stupid

to learn anything. Teachers said he was addled. His first 1,000 attempts at the

light bulb failed. He said those weren't failures but 1,000 ways that didn't work.