Quotes of Thomas Edison

Thomas Edison made numerous scientific contributions to the fields of electric power generation, motion pictures and electric light bulb. He was a successful businessman who had a very lasting influence on the modernized industrial world.

thomas Edison Quotes about Life

Due to his deafness, Thomas Edison had seen many adversities. That did not keep him from founding laboratories and research facilities. He was a huge advocate of innovation and hard-work.

The world owes nothing to any man, but every man owes something to the world.
  1. “The world owes nothing to any man, but every man owes something to the world.”-Thomas Edison

2. “Your worth consists in what you are and not in what you have.”-Thomas Edison

I don’t live with the past; I am living for to-day and to-morrow.

 3. “I don’t live with the past; I am living for to-day and to-morrow.” -Thomas Edison

4. “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 Edison

5. “We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.”-Thomas Edison

Fools call wise men fools. A wise man never calls any man a fool.

4. “Fools call wise men fools. A wise man never calls any man a fool.” -Thomas Edison

5. “The man who doesn’t make up his mind to cultivate the habit of thinking misses the greatest pleasure in life.” -Thomas Edison

6. “Anything that won’t sell, I don’t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.”-Thomas Edison

7. “I have friends in overalls whose friendship I would not swap for the favor of the kings of the world.”-Thomas Edison

What a man’s mind can create, man’s character should control.

8. “What a man’s mind can create, man’s character should control.”-Thomas Edison

9. “Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits”-Thomas Edison

10. “I’ve never made a mistake. I’ve only learned from experience.”-Thomas Edison

11. “I do not believe in the God of the theologians; but that there is a Supreme Intelligence I do not doubt.”-Thomas Edison

I have more respect for the fellow with a single idea who gets there than for the fellow with a thousand ideas who does nothing.

12. “I have more respect for the fellow with a single idea who gets there than for the fellow with a thousand ideas who does nothing.”-Thomas Edison

13. “I believe that the science of chemistry alone almost proves the existence of an intelligent creator.”-Thomas Edison

thomas Edison Quotes about Opportunity

He was acknowledged for facilitating innumerable inventions in his industrial research lab in Menlo Park. He encouraged people to make good use of whatever opportunity that came their way.

  1. “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”-Thomas Edison

2. “Good fortune often happens when opportunity meets with preparation.”-Thomas Edison

3. “The only time I really become discouraged is when I think of all the things I would like to do and the little time I have in which to do them.”-Thomas Edison

Discontent is the first necessity of progress.

4. “Discontent is the first necessity of progress.”-Thomas Edison

5. “There is far more opportunity than there is ability.”-Thomas Edison

6. “I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent. My main purpose in life is to make money so that I can afford to go on creating more inventions.”-Thomas Edison

I readily absorb ideas from every source, frequently starting where the last person left off.

7. “I readily absorb ideas from every source, frequently starting where the last person left off.”-Thomas Edison

8. “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that. I wish I had more years left.”-Thomas Edison

thomas Edison Quotes About Genius and greatness

Thomas Edison introduced the phonograph to the world which reproduced sound by means of vibration of a stylus. He was crucial importance in commercialization of electricity.

A genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework
  1. “A genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework.” -Thomas Edison

2. “What you are will show in what you do.”-Thomas Edison

3. “Hell, there are no rules here – we’re trying to accomplish something.”-Thomas Edison

The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.

4. “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.”-Thomas Edison

5. “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”-Thomas Edison

To have a great idea, have a lot of them.

6. “To have a great idea, have a lot of them.”-Thomas Edison

Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.

7. “Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.”-Thomas Edison

8. “Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment. There are no rules here, we’re just trying to accomplish something.”-Thomas Edison

thomas Edison Quotes about Perseverance

He lost his hearing to illness and this had a great effect on his career and drive for innovation. He not only worked on the innovations for railroads, but also served worked as a lighthouse keeper. He was curious and imaginative from his school years and was outcast as a misfit. In response to that, he became an avid reader and made numerous great inventions.

  1. “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”-Thomas Edison

2. “There is no substitute for hard work.”-Thomas Edison

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time

3. “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”-Thomas Edison

Negative results are just what I want. They’re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don’t.

4. “Negative results are just what I want. They’re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don’t.”-Thomas Edison

5. “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

When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this, you haven’t.

6. “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this, you haven’t.”-Thomas Edison

10. “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”-Thomas Edison

11. “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

Success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration!

12. “Success is 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration!”-Thomas Edison

13. “When I have finally decided that a result is worth getting, I go ahead on it and make trial after trial until it comes.”-Thomas Edison

thomas Edison quotes about thoughts and innovation

This man held a world-record of 1,093 patents and founded the first industrial research laboratory. He was an ingenious inventor and worked in the telegraph industry at a very early age. He facilitated the inventions of telephone microphone speakers and incandescent light bulbs.

Our schools are not teaching students to think. It is astonishing how many young people have difficulty in putting their brains definitely and systematically to work.
  1. “Our schools are not teaching students to think. It is astonishing how many young people have difficulty in putting their brains definitely and systematically to work.”-Thomas Edison

2. “Five percent of the people think; ten percent of the people think they think; and the other eighty-five percent would rather die than think.”-Thomas Edison

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.

3. “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”-Thomas Edison

4. “The man who doesn’t make up his mind to cultivate the habit of thinking misses the greatest pleasure in life.”-Thomas Edison

5. “Inspiration can be found in a pile of junk. Sometimes, you can put it together with a good imagination and invent something.”-Thomas Edison

The best thinking has been done in solitude. The worst has been done in turmoil.

6. “The best thinking has been done in solitude. The worst has been done in turmoil.”-Thomas Edison

7. “The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”-Thomas Edison

8. “Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.”-Thomas Edison

The value of an idea lies in the using of it.

9. “The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”-Thomas Edison