Mark Rober: I make sure kids see when my experiments fail. They should know successful people don't always get it right.

Mark Rober is the latest YouTube star to get a Netflix deal. Kimberly White/Getty Images for Rivian YouTuber and former NASA engineer Mark Rober creates toys that inspire curiosity. His 19-year-old, who has autism, has redefined success for him, he says. He says video games taught him about embracing failure and trying again. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Mark Rober . It has been edited for length and clarity . I still have the same crazy, zany ideas I had as a kid. But after becoming a mechanical engineer , I have this skill set that allows me to bring those ideas to life. As a kid, I liked putting a slinky down the stairs. As an adult, I can build an infinity slinky staircase . Engineering is a superpower that really exists. It allows you to just will anything into existence.