Restlessness is discontent — and discontent is the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man — and I will show you a failure.
— Diary and Sundry Observations of Thomas Alva Edison
Thomas Edison was an American inventor and businessman known for his work on the incandescent light bulb, the phonograph, electric power distribution and early motion pictures. He registered 1,093 patents in the United States, and the merger of Edison General Electric with Thomson-Houston led to the formation of General Electric.
Born in Milan, Ohio, he grew up in Michigan with little formal schooling. He became deaf as a child and learned through books and tinkering. As a young railroad telegrapher he spent much of his time inventing improvements to telegraph systems, and by the age of 22 he had moved to New York City to focus on engineering. He later developed Menlo Park, now considered the first industrial research laboratory, and became known as "The Wizard of Menlo Park."
Born in Milan, Ohio, he grew up in Michigan with little formal schooling. He became deaf as a child and learned through books and tinkering. As a young railroad telegrapher he spent much of his time inventing improvements to telegraph systems, and by the age of 22 he had moved to New York City to focus on engineering. He later developed Menlo Park, now considered the first industrial research laboratory, and became known as "The Wizard of Menlo Park."
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven't.
The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.
If we all did the things we are really capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.
Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.
To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
We often miss opportunity because it's dressed in overalls and looks like work
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.