Thomas A. Edison

I find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.

One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But… I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.

Results! Why, man, I have gotten a lot of results. I know several thousand things that won’t work.

It is astonishing what an effort it seems to be for many people to put their brains definitely and systematically to work.

I never did anything by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident they came by work.

The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.

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

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work.

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.

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.