experiments – Surprised By Joy

“Nothing is impossible. The word itself says ‘I’m possible’!” – Audrey Hepburn

Last night, my six-year-old son, Mr. D, and I were out in our back yard at dusk. When night fell, the solar-powered string of LED lights that my friend Katie helped me string up about 4 years ago switched on. Mr. D wanted to know why some of the bulbs had water in them – a situation that has developed over time.

I’m amazed they still work. Especially after spending a couple of weeks delving into Thomas Edison and his efforts to invent the light bulb. In the time of Edison, bulbs had carbonized bamboo filaments in vacuum sealed glass. We’ve come along way in almost 150 years since his initial design but the light bulb still shines bright.

This episode of The Life of Try podcast is based on Thomas Edison and his methods to reframe progress: not as one perfect breakthrough, but as a steady practice of continuing to try. Behind the famous light bulb moment is a mindset of learning from what doesn’t work, building momentum through small improvements, and staying in motion long enough for the next step to appear.

I gleaned five practical lessons from Edison—be systematic, don’t do it alone, keep improving, apply what you learn across disciplines, and rest (yes, naps count)—plus a bonus insight on the tension between creativity and control.

Get unstuck by focusing on the next controllable step
Make progress through iteration—small wins that compound over time
Keep going with support, structure, and rest
Create more, control less

Here’s a snippet of Edison’s commitment to capture ideas:

If you’re working on a project, a habit change, or a long-shot goal, this conversation is an invitation to get unstuck by taking the next try. Here are some ways you can listen and watch this motivating episode:

The podcast player embedded below
Click this link to watch in a browser: From Stuck to Momentum: Thomas Edison’s Method for Progress
Subscribe to The Life of Try on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Podcasts
Subscribing to the YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thelifeoftry

Why Second Place Might Be Preparation, Not Failure – The Life of Try: Personal growth, one try at a time.

What if second place is not failure, but preparation? In this motivational episode of The Life of Try, Wynne Leon explores the hidden power of effort, persistence, and staying ready when life does not put you out front. Through a business lesson about losing a big opportunity, Nathan Martin’s dramatic 2026 LA Marathon finish, and the long-build success story of Dutch Bros Coffee, this episode is a reminder that effort keeps you eligible for the opening when it appears. In this episode, you'll learn: → Second place is not always failure; sometimes it is the place where patience, preparation, and readiness are built. → Effort keeps you eligible for opportunity, even when you are not out front or visible to everyone else → Staying in the race matters because the opening often appears after most people have already slowed down or stopped trying → A disappointing loss can still position you for a future win if you keep showing up with humility and persistence → Nathan Martin’s dramatic LA Marathon finish is a reminder that you do not have to be in the picture early to have a meaningful finish → Long-term success, like the Dutch Bros story, is often built through years of unseen work, reinvention, and consistent effort → The better question may not be, “Am I winning right now?” but “Am I still in position?If you are learning how to keep going, build resilience, try again after disappointment, or trust the unseen work behind personal growth, this episode will encourage you to stay in position, keep showing up, and keep trying.🔔 Subscribe to The Life of Try YouTube channel for more conversations about resilience, courage, creativity, reinvention, mindset, and living with intention.ABOUT MEHi, I’m Wynne Leon — host of The Life of Try, a personal growth and self-improvement podcast exploring resilience, reinvention, uncertainty, and the courage to keep trying.Through thoughtful interviews, reflective conversations, and real-life stories, I share insights to help you navigate change, get unstuck, and move forward with more intention.🌍 Website: https://wynneleon.com➡️Brian Hannon's post It's a Sprint to the Finish and the Winner Is… 🎥 Watch Next➡️ Encourage Effort, Not Results | How to Build Resilience and Confidence➡️ The Courage to Try Something New with Lindsey Goldstein➡️ How to Write the Book You’ve Been Dreaming About with Dr. Vicki Atkinson🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:• Website:→ https://wynneleon.com/• Instagram:→ https://www.instagram.com/wynneleon/• Facebook:→ https://www.facebook.com/wynne.leon/ • Amazon: → https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B002IKWX14