Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Thomas Edison (American Inventor)

Thomas Alva Edison (1847–1931) was America’s greatest inventor. His innovations contributed to the formation of many new industries.

Born in Milan, Ohio, Edison was homeschooled by his mother after he had been expelled from school as “retarded,” possibly because of his deafness. By age 15, he was employed as a telegraph operator, where he developed an interest in electricity and its applications.

Edison’s chief inventions include the telegraph, phonograph, mimeograph, carbon microphone for telephones, carbon filament lamp, nickel-iron accumulator, and improvements to the electricity distribution system.

Edison’s famous laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey, transformed invention into a broader process of innovation and laid the foundation of modern industrial research.

By the time of his death, Edison patented more than 1,093 inventions. Most of his companies merged into Edison General Electric in 1889 and later formed the General Electric Company in 1892.

More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Thomas Edison

The value of an idea lies in the using of it.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Ideas

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
—Thomas Edison

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Imagination

I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Friendship

Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Inspiration, Creativity

Maturity is often more absurd than youth and very frequently is most unjust to youth.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Maturity

There is far more opportunity than there is ability.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Opportunity

Great ideas originate in the muscles.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Ideas

Vision without execution is hallucination.
—Thomas Edison

I never did a day’s work in my life. It was all fun.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Work

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
Topics: Miscellaneous, Satisfaction, Difficulties, Failure, Progress, Adversity, Discontent

You can’t realize your dreams unless you have one to begin with.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Dreams

We don’t know one-millionth of one percent about anything.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Knowledge

I am wondering what would have happened to me if some fluent talker had converted me to the theory of the eight-hour day and convinced me that it was not fair to my fellow workers to put forth my best efforts in my work. I am glad that the eight-hour day had not been invented when I was a young man. If my life had been made up of eight-hour days I do not believe I could have accomplished a great deal. This country would not amount to as much as it does if the young men of fifty years ago had been afraid that they might earn more than they were paid for.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Work

Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Worth

The chief purpose of the body is to carry the brain around.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Body, The Mind, Goal, Mind, The Body

Keep on the lookout for novel ideas that others have used successfully. Your idea has to be original only in its adaptation to the problem you’re working on.
—Thomas Edison

Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so called scientific knowledge.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Gardening

Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Invention

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Perseverance, Virtues, Persistence

Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
—Thomas Edison

If there is a way to do it better… find it.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Goals

The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Common Sense, Life, Achievements, Nature

They say President Wilson has blundered. Perhaps he has, but I notice he usually blunders forward.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Mistakes, Failure, Failures

Genius is 99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration.
—Thomas Edison

I know this world is ruled by Infinite Intelligence. It required Infinite Intelligence to create it and it requires Infinite Intelligence to keep it on its course. 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
Topics: Intelligence, Miracles

What man’s mind can create, man’s character can control.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Self-Control, Control

I am proud of the fact that I never invented weapons to kill.
—Thomas Edison
Topics: Weapon, Invention

Time is really the only capital that any human being has, and the only thing he can’t afford to lose.
—Thomas Edison

Religion is all bunk.
—Thomas Edison

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