THOMAS ALVA EDISON: Journey through the mind and defining thoughts of an enigma(2)

THOMAS EDISON ON: Education “Our schools are not teaching students to think. It is astonishing how many young people have trouble putting their brains definitely and systematically to work.” Failure “Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who didn’t realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Good Fortune “Unfortunately there seems to be far more opportunity out there than ability………we should remember that good fortune often happens when opportunity meets preparation.” Discontent “Pretty much everything will come to him who hustles while he waits. I believe that restlessness is discontent and discontent is merely the first necessity of progress. Show me a thoroughly satisfied man and I will show you a failure.” Adaptability “Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do in the first place doesn’t mean it is useless.” Wealth “From his neck down a man is worth a couple of dollars a day, from his neck up he is worth anything that his brain can produce.” Time “Time is really the only capital that any human being has and the thing that he can least afford to waste or lose……….The only time I really become discouraged is when I think of all the things I would like to and the little time I have in which to do them.” Long Life “Barring any serious accidents, if you are not occupied with worry you can look forward to a reasonably lengthy existence………..it is not the work that kills, rather it is the worrying that kills.” Work over Worry “As a cure for worrying work is far better than whiskey. I always found that if I began to worry, the best thing I could do was to focus on something useful and then work very hard at it. Soon I’d forget what was troubling me.” Doing over Dabbling “I have far more respect for person with a single idea who gets there than for the person with a thousand ideas who does nothing.” Wellness over Medicine “The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care of the human body, in diet and in the cause and prevention of disease.” Character “Whatever the mind of man creates should be controlled by his character.” Ignorance “It is obvious that we don’t know one millionth of one percent about anything……..until man can duplicate a blade of grass, nature can only laugh at his so called scientific knowledge.” Chemistry “The science of chemistry alone almost proves the existence of an intelligent creator.” Eternity “To me the idea and expectation that the day is coming when we will be able to honestly say we are oour brother’s keeper and not his oppressor is very beautiful.” Knowledge “We have merely scratched the surface of the store of knowledge that will come to us. I believe that we are on the verge of vast discoveries so wondrously important they will upset the present trend of human thought and start it along new lines.” The Greatest Inheritance “If parents could pass enthusiasm along to their children, they will have left them an estate of incalculable value.” Planning “I never did anything worth doing by accident …………. Almost none of my inventions were derived in that manner. They were achieved by having trained myself to be analytical and to endure & tolerate hard work.” His Advantage “Even though I am nearly deaf, seem to be blessed with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and noises the listeners do not perceive.” Experimenting I accept almost nothing ……….. without thoroughly testing it first. Edison’s favourite piece of poetry which he recited within earshot of his associates was stanza nine from Thomas Grey’s Elegy to a Country – Churchyard “The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, and all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave, Awaits alike the inevitable hour, The paths of glory lead but to the grave”