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

Thomas A. Edison
5,644

We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything.

Thomas A. Edison
1,275
Just because something doesn't do what you planned it to do doesn't mean it's useless. -Thomas A. Edison
1,268

I never failed once. It just happened to be a 2000-step process.

Thomas A. Edison
1,268

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 A. Edison
1,268
I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. -Thomas A. Edison
1,259

Hell, there are no rules here- we're trying to accomplish something.

Thomas A. Edison
1,258

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will educate his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.

Thomas A. Edison
1,258
If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. -Thomas A. Edison
1,255

If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward.

Thomas A. Edison
1,249

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

Thomas A. Edison
1,245
Faith, as well intentioned as it may be, must be built on facts, not fiction--faith in fiction is a damnable false hope. -Thomas A. Edison
1,243

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

Thomas A. Edison
1,243

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Thomas A. Edison
1,242
The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease. -Thomas A. Edison
1,242

I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun.

Thomas A. Edison
1,240

There is no expedient to which a man will not go to avoid the labor of thinking.

Thomas A. Edison
1,239
Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won't work. -Thomas A. Edison
1,238

A genius is just a talented person who does his homework.

Thomas A. Edison
1,231

All Bibles are man-made.

Thomas A. Edison
1,228
Remember, nothing that's good works by itself, just to please you. You have to make the damn thing work. -Thomas A. Edison
1,226

I have never seen the slightest scientific proof of the religious idea of heaven and hell, of future life for individuals, or of a personal God.

Thomas A. Edison
1,224

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

Thomas A. Edison
1,223
Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits. -Thomas A. Edison
1,220

Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.

Thomas A. Edison
1,211