--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Thomas Edison once said, “One might think…" description: "\"“Thomas Edison once said, “One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But speaking for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/paul-r-niven-109481_innovation_thomas-edison-once-said-one-might-think_1358491.jpg" --- # Thomas Edison once said, “One might think that the money… ![“Thomas Edison once said, “One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But speaking for myself, I can honestly say this is not so . . . . I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the…” quote by Paul R. Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/paul-r-niven-109481_innovation_thomas-edison-once-said-one-might-think_1358491.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/paul-r-niven-109481_innovation_thomas-edison-once-said-one-might-think_1358491.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e77/paul-r-niven-109481_innovation_thomas-edison-once-said-one-might-think_1358491.jpg) > ““Thomas Edison once said, “One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But speaking for myself, I can honestly say this is not so . . . . I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.”” [Paul R. Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-niven/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True reward comes from passion for work, not monetary value of inventions. **In simple terms:** Work for love, not money. Key Takeaway Find joy in the process. Themes purpose intrinsic motivation success Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - career choice - creative projects - entrepreneurship - personal fulfillment Key Concepts meaning satisfaction reward value of creation Questions to Reflect On - What drives you beyond pay? - How do you measure success? A Different Perspective Money alone may not sustain motivation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Edison Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edison-said-2182705/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Pleasure Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure-reward-840903/) [Reward Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward-work-404730/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Thomas edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thomas-edison/) [Value Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/value-invention-1684119/) ## Related quotes > [One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But... I continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/one-might-think-that-the-money-value-of-an-invention-constitutes-its/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-find-my-greatest-pleasure-and-so-my-reward-in-the-work-that/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“As Thomas Edison himself is said to have put it, “If I find 10,000 ways something won’t work, I haven’t failed. I am not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-satell/as-thomas-edison-himself-is-said-to-have-put-it-if-i-find-10-000-ways/) [Greg Satell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-satell/) > [It's a failure only if you don't get anything out of it, Thomas Edison said he knew 999 ways that a light bulb did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/it-s-a-failure-only-if-you-don-t-get-anything-out-of-it-thomas-edison/) [Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/) > [“Thomas Edison said, If we all did the things we are capable of doing we would literally astound ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faleena-hopkins/thomas-edison-said-if-we-all-did-the-things-we-are-capable-of-doing/) [Faleena Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faleena-hopkins/) > [“Thomas Edison is often said to have advised, “To have a great idea, have a lot of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/thomas-edison-is-often-said-to-have-advised-to-have-a-great-idea-have/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) > [“Thomas Edison once said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-friedman/thomas-edison-once-said-many-of-life-s-failures-are-people-who-did/) [Jane Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-friedman/) > [“Time, yes … We waste it or save it or use it—one would almost think we mastered it instead of the other way around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ward-moore/time-yes-we-waste-it-or-save-it-or-use-it-one-would-almost-think-we/) [Ward Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ward-moore/) > [“The way that Nico looks at me makes me high. It’s like a drug I crave desperately to have again. His pleasure is my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vi-keeland/the-way-that-nico-looks-at-me-makes-me-high-it-s-like-a-drug-i-crave/) [Vi Keeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vi-keeland/) > [If you are alone, tell some stories to yourself. This is a different kind of pleasure and it has, indeed, its reward. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-nodier/if-you-are-alone-tell-some-stories-to-yourself-this-is-a-different/) [Charles Nodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-nodier/) > [“...the reward centers of the brain--where the pleasure of those high-calorie foods registers--also respond to other substances that bring about pleasure…But those reward centers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-greene/the-reward-centers-of-the-brain-where-the-pleasure-of-those-high/) [Bob Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-greene/) > [Pain is not a punishment; pleasure is not a reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/pain-is-not-a-punishment-pleasure-is-not-a-reward/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Pain is not a punishment. And pleasure is not a reward. You could argue that failure is not punishment and Success is not reward.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lewis/pain-is-not-a-punishment-and-pleasure-is-not-a-reward-you-could-argue/) [Sarah Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lewis/) > [“Pleasure is a reward, given to the human system by evolution in return for services rendered to the preservation and increase of the species.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/pleasure-is-a-reward-given-to-the-human-system-by-evolution-in-return/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [Innovation really is the life blood of our American economy... looking back at the stories of Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-lipinski/innovation-really-is-the-life-blood-of-our-american-economy-looking/) [Dan Lipinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-lipinski/) ## More by Paul R. Niven > [“You may create a inspirational & visually resplendent strategy map but without accountability its value is specious”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-niven/you-may-create-a-inspirational-visually-resplendent-strategy-map-but/) [Paul R. Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-niven/) [Explore all 2 Paul R. Niven quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-niven/) ## More Innovation quotes > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-believe-that-one-defines-oneself-by-reinvention/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [“In the innovation age customer experience is key. Your impression defines their expression”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fela-durotoye/in-the-innovation-age-customer-experience-is-key-your-impression/) [Fela Durotoye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fela-durotoye/) > [“Incrementalism never allows innovation to flourish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-ratna/incrementalism-never-allows-innovation-to-flourish/) [Abhishek Ratna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-ratna/) > [I have tremendous admiration for companies with the kind of pioneering spirit and innovation eBay has demonstrated from day one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-hammer/i-have-tremendous-admiration-for-companies-with-the-kind-of/) [Bonnie Hammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-hammer/) > [Real breakthroughs are not found because you want to develop some new technology, but because you are curious and want to find out how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-zeilinger/real-breakthroughs-are-not-found-because-you-want-to-develop-some-new/) [Anton Zeilinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-zeilinger/) > [Why is it that, when we want to think outside the proverbial box, we often put ourselves in one? We gather our team in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-best/why-is-it-that-when-we-want-to-think-outside-the-proverbial-box-we/) [Charles Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-best/) > [We have to be innovative, we have to be fresh, we have to be new. People are counting on that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-barthel/we-have-to-be-innovative-we-have-to-be-fresh-we-have-to-be-new-people/) [Sarah Barthel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-barthel/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [I'd take garbage, and I'd glue them together and create inventions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-makosinski/i-d-take-garbage-and-i-d-glue-them-together-and-create-inventions/) [Ann Makosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-makosinski/) > [“Some innovations just don’t attract enough economic or social demand: just as supersonic flight and manned space flight stagnated after the 1970s, today (in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-j-rees/some-innovations-just-don-t-attract-enough-economic-or-social-demand/) [Martin J. Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-j-rees/) > [We're focused on providing innovations in software, driving the continuous improvement for a much better experience, and there's a lot going on here that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/we-re-focused-on-providing-innovations-in-software-driving-the/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [Other things being equal, it is the person who can lift his work up to the plane of the intuitional and inspiration who achieves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanwood-cobb/other-things-being-equal-it-is-the-person-who-can-lift-his-work-up-to/) [Stanwood Cobb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanwood-cobb/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Browse all 4,437 Innovation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Thomas Edison once said, “One might think that the money value of an invention constitutes its reward to the man who loves his work. But speaking for myself, I can honestly say this is not so . . . . I continue to find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul R. 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