Thomas A. Edison Quotes
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That is to say, under the old way any time we wish to add to the national wealth we are compelled to add to the national debt. Now, that is what Henry Ford wants to prevent. He thinks it is stupid, and so do I, that for the loan of $30,000,000 of their own money the people of the United States should be compelled to pay $66,000,000 - that is what it amounts to, with interest.
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I have a peculiar theory about radium, and I believe it is the correct one. I believe that there is some mysterious ray pervading the universe that is fluorescing to it. In other words, that all its energy is not self-constructed but that there is a mysterious something in the atmosphere that scientists have not found that is drawing out those infinitesimal atoms and distributing them forcefully and indestructibly.
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Continued innovation is the best way to beat the competition.
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Nature is what we know. We do not know the gods of religions. And nature is not kind, or merciful, or loving. If God made me – the fabled God of the three qualities of which I spoke: mercy, kindness, love – He also made the fish I catch and eat. And where do His mercy, kindness, and love for that fish come in? No; nature made us – nature did it all – not the gods of the religions.
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I never did anything by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work.
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Be courageous! Have faith! Go forward.
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The roots of tobacco plants must go clear through to hell. Satan's principal agent Dyspepsia must have charge of this branch of the vegetable kingdom.
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Vision without execution is delusion.
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A man’s best friend is a good wife.
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Restlessness is discontent and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
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The strength of the Constitution, lies in the will of the people to defend it.
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Genius? Nothing! Sticking to it is the genius! Any other bright-minded fellow can accomplish just as much if he will stick like hell and remember nothing that's any good works by itself. You've got to make the damn thing work!...I failed my way to success.
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It has been just so in all my inventions. The first step is an intuition-and comes with a burst, then difficulties arise. This thing that gives out and then that-"Bugs"as such little faults and difficulties are called show themselves and months of anxious watching, study and labor are requisite before commercial success-or failure-is certainly reached.
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The beauty of a great idea lies in the art of using it.
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I am afraid of radium and polonium ... I don't want to monkey with them.
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No, I haven't failed thousands of times. On the contrary, I have successfully eliminated thousands of ideas that do not work!
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To have a great idea, have a lot of them.
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I love great music and art, but I think 'cubist' songs and paintings are hideous.
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First be sure a thing is wanted or needed, then go ahead.
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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.
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Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.
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My principal business is giving commercial value to the brilliant - but misdirected - ideas of others.
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Success is the result of hard work.
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In creating technology for ourselves we created it for the world.