If it were not for Thomas Edison, there would be no movies to watch, no records to listen to, and no electric light to banish the dark. Edison was a young man with talent, an inquiring mind, and a willingness to take risks. He began his working life selling vegetables and newspapers on the trains running in and out of Detroit. He founded a newspaper in Canada, worked as a telegraph operator, and was a keen inventor in his spare time.
The newspaper he founded was the first of an impressive string of ventures that he established during his career. As an inventor, his first successful device was a quadruplex telegraph system that could simultaneously send more than one telegraph message. This gave him the funds to establish a research laboratory in New Jersey, where he later developed the electric lamp.
Edison, however, had already achieved fame by inventing the phonograph. He became a household name and went on to create many more devices that were to become commonplace. These included the kinetoscope to show motion pictures, and Edison even created a film studio to make many of the films that were shown.
Thomas Edison was a firm believer in the importance of careful research and opened several industrial research laboratories. He also knew the importance of developing ideas to see if they resulted in viable products. He encouraged others, especially his employees, not to be bound by what they assumed to be limits on invention. Edison knew that breaking through boundaries, both mental and physical, could result in new knowledge and new inventions.
Edison was convinced that human beings were capable of achieving much more than they believed they could. He felt that too often, someone with a good idea would work on it until it seemed impossible, and then be discouraged and give up. In Edison’s view, that was the point to devote time and effort, along with determination, as a solution was usually possible. Repeated attempts would then lead to success.
Giving up was an unacceptable concept for Edison. He felt it was a waste of time and talent. Any idea worth pursuing was worth pursuing up to the end. Success came to those who persevered. Persistence in the face of difficulties was a trait that Edison admired and encouraged in his staff.
Edison approached each new idea in the same way. He would look at it from a common-sense point of view, then would apply hard work to the development of the concept, and finally, adopt a single-minded approach to getting the job cmpleted. He valued these three qualities in others and often spoke of his faith in them. Hard work comes high on his list of necessary attributes for success, and he repeatedly advocated its value.
Outside his work, Edison was a pacifist, who abhorred violence and opposed war on several occasions. He was a practicing vegetarian, and for a time, adopted a vegan lifestyle.
Thomas Edison Quotes
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
Thomas A. Edison
If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.
Thomas Edison
What you are will show in what you do.
Thomas A. Edison
His genius he was quite content in one brief sentence to define; Of inspiration one percent, of perspiration, ninety nine.
Thomas Edison
Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.
Thomas A. Edison
Hell, there are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something.
Thomas Edison
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
Thomas A. Edison
The best thinking has been done in solitude. The worst has been done in turmoil.
Thomas Edison
Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have.
Thomas A. Edison
Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged.
Thomas Edison
Not everything of value in life comes from books- experience the world.
Thomas A. Edison
When I have fully decided that a result is worth getting I go ahead of it and make trial after trial until it comes.
Thomas Edison
The value of an idea lies in the using of it.
Thomas Edison
Hard work, nothing to divert my thought, clear air and simple food made my life very pleasant.
Thomas A. Edison
To have a great idea, have a lot of them.
Thomas Edison
Vision without execution is hallucination.
Thomas A. Edison
You can’t realize your dreams unless you have one to begin with.
Thomas A. Edison
I know this world is ruled by infinite intelligence. Everything that surrounds us- everything that exists – proves that there are infinite laws behind it. There can be no denying this fact. It is mathematical in its precision.
Thomas Edison
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas A. Edison
Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
Thomas Edison
If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.
Thomas A. Edison
Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.
Thomas Edison
We shall have no better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all those which we have at present.
Thomas A. Edison
The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work.
Thomas Edison
I’ve never made a mistake. I’ve only learned from experience.
Thomas A. Edison
Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.
Thomas Edison
I don’t live with the past; I am living for to-day and to-morrow.
Thomas A. Edison
I start where the last man left off.
Thomas Edison
What a man’s mind can create, man’s character should control.
Thomas A. Edison
Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work.
Thomas Edison
I readily absorb ideas from every source, frequently starting where the last person left off.
Thomas A. Edison
The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.
Thomas Edison
Inspiration can be found in a pile of junk. Sometimes, you can put it together with a good imagination and invent something.
Thomas A. Edison
There is far more opportunity than there is ability.
Thomas Edison
Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
Thomas A. Edison
Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have.
Thomas Edison
Success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration!
Thomas A. Edison
One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But… I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.
Thomas Edison
Good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.
Thomas A. Edison
Be courageous. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous. Be brave as your fathers before you. Have faith! Go forward!
Thomas Edison
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Thomas A. Edison
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
Thomas Edison
Never get discouraged if you fail. Learn from it. Keep trying.
Thomas A. Edison
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.
Thomas Edison
Waste is worse than loss. The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless.
Thomas Edison
Discontent is the first necessity of progress.
Thomas A. Edison
The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.
Thomas Edison
Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment. There are no rules here, we’re just trying to accomplish something.
Thomas A. Edison
It is astonishing what an effort it seems to be for many people to put their brains definitely and systematically to work.
Thomas Edison
I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.
Thomas A. Edison
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
Thomas Edison
I have far more respect for the person with a single idea who gets there than for the person with a thousand ideas who does nothing.
Thomas A. Edison
Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
Thomas Edison
The thing I lose patience with the most is the clock. Its hands move too fast.
Thomas A. Edison
I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.
Thomas Edison
I didn’t fail 1000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1000 steps.
Thomas A. Edison
To my mind the old masters are not art; their value is in their scarcity.
Thomas Edison
There is no substitute for hard work.
Thomas A. Edison
There’s a way to do it better – find it.
Thomas A. Edison
There is no substitute for hard work.
Thomas Edison
Nearly every man who develops an idea works it up to the point where it looks impossible, and then he gets discouraged. That’s not the place to become discouraged.
Thomas A. Edison
I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.
Thomas Edison
We shall have no better conditions in the future if we are satisfied with all those which we have at present.
Thomas A. Edison
I never did anything by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.
Thomas Edison
Time is really the only capital that any human being has and the thing that he can least afford to waste or lose.
Thomas A. Edison
The man who doesn’t make up his mind to cultivate the habit of thinking misses the greatest pleasure in life.
Thomas Edison
Someday, man will harness the rise and fall of the tides, imprison the power of the sun, and release atomic power.
Thomas A. Edison
I never view mistakes as failures. They are simply opportunities to find out what doesn’t work.
Thomas A. Edison
If parents pass enthusiasm along to their children, they will leave them an estate of incalculable value.
Thomas A. Edison
People are not remembered by how few times they fail, but by how often they succeed. Every wrong step is another step forward.
Thomas A. Edison
The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.
Thomas A. Edison
Maturity is often more absurd than youth and very frequently is most unjust to youth.
Thomas A. Edison
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.
Thomas A. Edison
I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.
Thomas A. Edison
We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.
Thomas A. Edison
The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.
Thomas A. Edison
The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will instruct his patient in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease. They may even discover the germ of old age.
Thomas A. Edison
I do not believe in the God of the theologians; but that there is a Supreme Intelligence I do not doubt.
Thomas A. Edison
I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.
Thomas A. Edison
These Thomas Edison quotes show his common sense approach and his commitment to hard work. Let them inspire you to stunning achievements in your life.