As a global nation, we are facing unprecedented tragedy and seemingly endless uncertainty. For entrepreneurs, the coronavirus and the social distancing responses are threats to our dreams, our creations, our livelihood and our survival.
My audience is no stranger to hardship. You may have struggled against the shackles of systemic racism, experienced discrimination or harassment for your gender or sexual orientation, navigated the excruciating trials of building a business, or simply traversed the burdens and loss of everyday life. No matter how much you’ve endured, I guarantee it has made you strong and revealed a higher potential than you ever thought possible. That is the consolation prize for pain.
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the greatest challenges can often spark your greatest creations. From economic depressions & World Wars to hunger and poverty, these creations were forged in times of tragedy and desperation–and they went on to change the course of history forever.
1. Penicillin
Discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, the real power of penicillin was not unleashed until it was studied by Dr. Howard Florey in 1940. As a result, penicillin became a key component in treating and eliminating infections during World War II. The use of penicillin reportedly saved 11-15% of wounded soldiers, allowing them to continue the war effort and return home to their families. Today, penicillin is still a staple in combating bacterial infections.
2. Vegetarian Sausage
At the height of the Great War, the British blockade was tightening up and Germany began to starve. It wasn’t until Konrad Adenauer created the sausage in 1918 that the German people could breathe a sigh of relief. However, Adenauer’s own government denied his patent application. He sought an audience with King George V and was granted a patent for his soy-based wurst, which became known as the “peace sausage.”
3. Chocolate Chip Cookie
One of the greatest creations in human history was born in the midst of the Great Depression. In 1933, Ruth Wakefield, owner of The Toll House Inn in Massachusetts, needed baker’s chocolate for a special cookie recipe. However, all she had was a semi-sweet bar from Andrew Nestle–yes, THAT Nestle. By chopping it into bits, Wakefield hoped the chocolate would melt into the dough while baking. However, the chocolate did not melt and the rest is history. Today, the chocolate chip cookie is easily the most popular and well-known cookie around the world.
4. Monopoly
Ever flipped the Monopoly board in frustration? If so, you have Charles Darrow to thank for that! The idea of the game was developed as early as 1906 under the name “The Landlord’s Game.” However, it wasn’t until 1936 when Darrow, struggling to make ends meet and facing eviction, stole the idea* and renamed it Monopoly. After initially declining Darrow, Parker Brothers eventually bought the copyrights in 1935. Since then, the game has sold over 250 million copies, and has been played by more than 1 billion people worldwide.
*While we do support ingenuity, we don’t endorse stealing. ????
5. Mickey Mouse & The Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Studios were essentially built upon hardship. Coming to California in 1923 with a lot of hope and little money, Disney began by distributing a series of Alice Comedies, featuring a live action girl and her animated cat. Moving to an all-cartoon approach, Disney and his team debuted Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, which was an instant success. However, when his distributor gained the rights to the Oswald character and stole Disney’s animation team, Disney created the icon Mickey Mouse in 1928. The loss of one good idea allowed for the creation of one of the most famous characters of all time and ushered in a creative empire.
6. Blood Banks
Even war can inspire greatness. With increasing tension in Europe, and likelihood that the US was to become a major player in World War II, it was clear that proper channels for storing and transferring blood were important. Enter Charles Richard Drew, a surgeon and medical researcher obsessed with blood preservation. Drew helped establish programs for obtaining, storing, and transporting blood to Allied troops overseas. His expertise was enlisted by the U.S. government and the Red Cross, despite the fact that racial discrimination banned him from giving blood himself. Drew has been named one of the 100 Greatest African-Americans for his contributions to humanity.
7. Food Preserves
As Napoleon and his armies scorched Europe, it became increasingly vital to find ways to deliver food to his front lines. In 1908, they held a contest to see if someone could find a solution to keep it fresh and transportable. Nicolas Appert presented a sealed glass jar that could be cheaply made and en masse. Through this, the French government could easily provide troops with necessary nourishment while on the front lines.
8. Margarine
It seems like the greatest adversary to the Bonapartes was hunger! At the peak of his powers, Napoleon the Third had a similar problem to his uncle. From his soldiers to his poor, France was hungry. Butter was quite expensive and he was desperately searching for an alternative for his troops and the people of France. When Napoleon offered a prize for the best substitute, just like the contest above, Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès answered the call. His invention, margarine, was cheap, spreadable, and tasted similar to butter. Initially rejected by the people, it was not until Mège-Mouriès sold the parent to a Dutch baking company that it took off.
9. Sanitary Napkins
Most women would shudder to imagine the days before modern feminine hygiene products! Times changed when cellucotton–a material five times more absorbent than cotton and half as expensive when mass-produced–was invented in 1914 before the start of World War I. During wartime, field nurses noticed the material had profound personal hygiene benefits on top of treating wounds. After the war, production shifted completely and Kotex, short for cotton texture, was on the market by October of 1920.
10. Basketball
I have saved the best for last: the invention of basketball. The original Basketball was created by James Naismith in 1891. Working at the local YMCA, he was tasked with creating a sport that was less dangerous than football and could keep people active during long, harsh winters. Two peach baskets and a soccer ball later and the sport was born. But it wasn’t until 1894, during the Long Depression that followed the panic of 1893, that Naismith enlisted the help of A.G. Spalding to create a new ball suited specifically for basketball. 125 years later, Spalding is the official basketball of the National Basketball Association.
These ten creations are just a sampling of the multitude of great things born from tragedy. They do not minimize the reality of war or economic depression. But simply remind us that good, too, can come from struggle.
They say “necessity is the mother of invention” and “out of limitations comes creativity” and I wholeheartedly agree. We need obstacles to push past in order to grow. In the coming months, keep your eyes open for opportunities to innovate and problems to solve. Your creation could be the #11 on this list.