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Thomas Edison Quotes And Life Story

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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

Thomas A Edison Quotes

 

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

Thomas A Edison Quotes

 

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

Thomas A Edison Quotes

 

 

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

Thomas A Edison Quotes

 

 

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

Thomas A Edison Quotes

 

 

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

Thomas A Edison Quotes

 

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.

 

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