Accomplished Quote by Thomas A. Edison
“I am wondering what would have happened to me if some fluent talker had converted me to the theory of the eight-hour day and convinced me that it was not fair to my fellow workers to put forth my best efforts in my work. I am glad that the eight-hour day had not been invented when I was a young man. If my life had been made up of eight-hour days, I do not believe I could have accomplished a great deal. This country would not amount to as much as it does if the young men of fifty years ago had been afraid that they might earn more than they were paid for.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public address, United States, early 20th century
Edison argues that limiting work hours would have stifled personal achievement and national progress.
In simple terms: Eight‑hour work limits ambition and growth.
Key Takeaway
Value effort and long hours for greater impact.
Themes
work ethic
productivity
national growth
labor rights
Mood
reflective
determined
critical
Type
historical
motivational
When to use this quote
- entrepreneurship
- personal ambition
- historical labor policy
- career planning
Key Concepts
industrialization
human potential
economic development
Questions to Reflect On
- Would you sacrifice personal ambition for better work‑life balance?
- How do modern labor standards affect innovation?
A Different Perspective
Shorter workdays may improve health but can reduce output in certain contexts.
![“[U]nless oppressed groups stick together, and on alliances of self interest rather than do-goodism; nothing can be accomplished in the long run to dismantle the apparatus of oppression.” quote by Shulamith Firestone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d7b/shulamith-firestone-12980_accomplished_u-nless-oppressed-groups-stick-together_5485.jpg)
