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251 Powerful Thomas Edison Quotes to Inspire You

Achievement | Belief | Creativity | Determination | Effort | Failure | Growth | Hard Work | Innovation | Journey | More

About Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison, born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, was an American inventor and businessman whose contributions to technology revolutionized modern life. He is best known for developing the electric light bulb, as well as numerous other innovations that have shaped industries and influenced society.

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Here are 251 Powerful quotes by Thomas Edison on various topics to inspire you.

We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything

1. “We don’t know a millionth of one percent about anything.”

Knowledge, Ignorance, Philosophy, Perspective, Inquiry

The perils of overwork are slight compared with the dangers

2. “The perils of overwork are slight compared with the dangers of inactivity.”

Work, Activity, Health, Philosophy, Balance

It is a terrible situation when the Government to insure

3. “It is a terrible situation when the Government, to insure the National Wealth, must go in debt and submit to ruinous interest charges, at the hands of men, who control the fictitious value of gold. Interest is the invention of Satan.”

Government, Economics, Philosophy, Debt, Critique

Inspiration can be found in a pile of junk Sometimes

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

Inspiration, Creativity, Imagination, Innovation, Resourcefulness

I am long on ideas but short on time I

5. “I am long on ideas, but short on time. I expect to live to be only about a hundred.”

Ideas, Time, Philosophy, Life, Perspective

The great trouble is that the preachers get the children

6. “The great trouble is that the preachers get the children from six to seven years of age and then it is almost impossible to do anything with them.”

Education, Philosophy, Influence, Children, Society

Incurably religious that is the best way to describe the

7. “Incurably religious, that is the best way to describe the mental condition of so many people.”

Religion, Philosophy, Society, Mentality, Critique

I never quit until I get what I want

8. “I never quit until I get what I want.”

Persistence, Determination, Philosophy, Success, Motivation

I remember that I was never able to get along

9. “I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was at the foot of the class.”

Education, Personal Experience, Philosophy, Struggle, Reflection

None of my inventions came by accident I see a

10. “None of my inventions came by accident. I see a worthwhile need to be met and I make trial after trial until it comes. What it boils down to is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration.”

Invention, Effort, Creativity, Philosophy, Success

The greatest invention in the world is the mind of

11. “The greatest invention in the world is the mind of a child.”

Childhood, Imagination, Philosophy, Creativity, Innocence

Any large extension of the Government into business affairs –

12. “Any large extension of the Government into business affairs – no matter what the pretense and no matter how the extension is labeled – will be bound to promote waste and put a curb on our prosperity and progress.”

Government, Economics, Philosophy, Business, Critique

I do not believe any type of religion should ever

13. “I do not believe any type of religion should ever be introduced into the public schools of the United States.”

Education, Religion, Philosophy, Separation, Society

The first 40 hours of work per week are for

14. “The first 40 hours of work per week are for survival. Everything after that is for success.”

Work, Philosophy, Success, Balance, Time Management

Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration

15. “Genius is 1% inspiration, and 99% perspiration.”

Genius, Creativity, Effort, Philosophy, Success

Many a person who could not comprehend Rousseau and would

16. “Many a person who could not comprehend Rousseau, and would be puzzled by Montesquieu, could understand Paine as an open book. He wrote with a clarity, a sharpness of outline and exactness of speech that even a schoolboy should be able to grasp.”

Writing, Clarity, Philosophy, Education, Communication

There cannot be overproduction of anything which men and women

17. “There cannot be overproduction of anything which men and women want. And their wants are unlimited, except by the size of their stomachs.”

Economics, Desire, Philosophy, Production, Human Nature

Most of my ideas belonged to other people who never

18. “Most of my ideas belonged to other people who never bothered to develop them.”

Creativity, Ideas, Philosophy, Collaboration, Innovation

I never did a day's work in my life it

19. “I never did a day's work in my life, it was all fun.”

Work, Philosophy, Enjoyment, Perspective, Attitude

Not only will atomic power be released but someday we

20. “Not only will atomic power be released, but someday we will harness the rise and fall of the tides and imprison the rays of the sun.”

Energy, Innovation, Future, Philosophy, Science

I am 67 but I’m not too old to make

21. “I am 67, but I’m not too old to make a fresh start.”

Age, Renewal, Philosophy, Motivational, Perspective

I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy

22. “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

Sustainability, Energy, Future, Philosophy, Innovation

When there’s no experimenting there’s no progress Stop experimenting and

23. “When there’s no experimenting there’s no progress. Stop experimenting and you go backward. If anything goes wrong, experiment until you get to the very bottom of the trouble.”

Experimentation, Progress, Philosophy, Innovation, Problem Solving

Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits

24. “Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits.”

Success, Philosophy, Action, Opportunity, Motivation

There is far more opportunity than there is ability

25. “There is far more opportunity than there is ability.”

Opportunity, Ability, Philosophy, Perspective, Potential

The radio craze will die out in time

26. “The radio craze will die out in time.”

Technology, Trends, Philosophy, Observation, Change

The stomach is the only part of man which can

27. “The stomach is the only part of man which can be fully satisfied. The yearning of man’s brain for new knowledge and experience and for more pleasant and comfortable surroundings never can be completely met. It is an appetite which cannot be appeased.”

Desire, Knowledge, Philosophy, Human Nature, Satisfaction

No Such Thing as Bad Results

28. “No Such Thing as Bad Results.”

Results, Philosophy, Perspective, Learning, Experience

The world owes nothing to any man but every man

29. “The world owes nothing to any man, but every man owes something to the world.”

Responsibility, Philosophy, Society, Contribution, Reciprocity

Tomorrow is my exam but I don’t care because a

30. “Tomorrow is my exam but I don’t care because a single sheet of paper can’t decide my future.”

Education, Perspective, Philosophy, Stress, Future

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up The most certain

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

Perseverance, Success, Philosophy, Motivational, Resilience

I am both pleased but astonished by the fact that

32. “I am both pleased but astonished by the fact that mankind has not yet begun to use all the means and devices that are available for destruction. I hope that such weapons are never manufactured in quantity.”

Technology, Responsibility, Philosophy, Caution, Reflection

I am so deaf I am debarred from hearing all

33. “I am so deaf I am debarred from hearing all the time articulation and have to depend on the judgment of others.”

Deafness, Philosophy, Perception, Dependence, Communication

When you have exhausted all possibilities remember this – you

34. “When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t.”

Possibility, Philosophy, Persistence, Problem Solving, Mindset

Discontent is the first necessity of progress

35. “Discontent is the first necessity of progress.”

Discontent, Progress, Philosophy, Motivational, Change

Nothing that’s good works by itself you’ve got to make

36. “Nothing that’s good works by itself, you’ve got to make the damn thing work.”

Effort, Philosophy, Success, Action, Reality

Failure is the most effective technique to optimize strategic planning

37. “Failure is the most effective technique to optimize strategic planning, implementation, and processes.”

Failure, Philosophy, Learning, Strategy, Improvement

His genius he was quite content in one brief sentence

38. “His genius he was quite content in one brief sentence to define; Of inspiration one percent, of perspiration, ninety-nine.”

Genius, Creativity, Philosophy, Effort, Definition

Because I readily absorb ideas from every source – frequently

39. “Because I readily absorb ideas from every source – frequently starting where the last person left off – I never pick up an item without thinking of how I might improve it.”

Creativity, Improvement, Philosophy, Innovation, Absorption

To invent you need a good imagination and a pile

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

Invention, Imagination, Philosophy, Creativity, Resourcefulness

I am not overly impressed by the great names and

41. “I am not overly impressed by the great names and reputations of those who might be trying to beat me to an invention. It’s their ‘ideas’ that appeal to me. I am quite correctly described as ’more of a sponge than an inventor.”

Invention, Ideas, Philosophy, Learning, Perspective

Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize

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

Perseverance, Success, Motivational, Failure, Insight

Let the public throw bouquets to the inventors and in

43. “Let the public throw bouquets to the inventors and in time we will all be happy.”

Invention, Recognition, Philosophy, Society, Gratitude

The chief function of the body is to carry the

44. “The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”

Body, Mind, Philosophy, Function, Humour

My success is due more to my ability to work

45. “My success is due more to my ability to work continuously on one thing without stopping than to any other single quality.”

Success, Work Ethic, Philosophy, Focus, Persistence

Most of the exercise I get is from standing and

46. “Most of the exercise I get is from standing and walking around laboratory tables all day. I derive more benefit and entertainment from this than some of my friends and competitors get from playing games like golf.”

Exercise, Work, Health, Philosophy, Perspective

The endeavor to change universal power by selfish supplication I

47. “The endeavor to change universal power by selfish supplication I do not believe in.”

Belief, Philosophy, Power, Integrity, Ethics

Fools call wise men fools A wise man never calls

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

Wisdom, Philosophy, Judgment, Humility, Perspective

An average American loves his family If he has any

49. “An average American loves his family. If he has any love left over for some other person, he generally selects Mark Twain.”

Family, Love, Philosophy, Society, Humor

Smoking too much makes me nervous Must lasso my natural

50. “Smoking too much makes me nervous. Must lasso my natural tendency to acquire such habits. Holding a heavy cigar constantly in my mouth has deformed my upper lip, it has a sort of Havana curl.”

Health, Habits, Philosophy, Reflection, Personal Experience