--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am wondering what would have happened…" description: "\"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 n..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplished_i-am-wondering-what-would-have-happened_609365.jpg" --- # I am wondering what would have happened to me if some… ![“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…” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplished_i-am-wondering-what-would-have-happened_609365.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplished_i-am-wondering-what-would-have-happened_609365.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c62/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplished_i-am-wondering-what-would-have-happened_609365.jpg) > “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.” [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) [Young men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-men/) ## Related quotes > [Today, I am wondering what would have happened to me by now, if, fifty years ago, some fluent talker had converted me to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/today-i-am-wondering-what-would-have-happened-to-me-by-now-if-fifty/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“Whoever uses only one hour a day to improve himself, spends forty-five eight-hour days a year on self-development.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-n-cassion/whoever-uses-only-one-hour-a-day-to-improve-himself-spends-forty-five/) [Herbert N Cassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-n-cassion/) > [“One person putting in a sixteen-hour day ends up being much more effective than two people working eight-hour days together. The individual doesn’t have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashlee-vance/one-person-putting-in-a-sixteen-hour-day-ends-up-being-much-more/) [Ashlee Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashlee-vance/) > [“After all, moms were appreciated only on Mother's Day. That's why they invented it. So they could treat you like a household appliance the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-meier/after-all-moms-were-appreciated-only-on-mother-s-day-that-s-why-they/) [Leslie Meier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-meier/) > [If you had to work 14 hour days, Mondays to Fridays, then you have to keep Saturdays and Sundays sacred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-ari-parker/if-you-had-to-work-14-hour-days-mondays-to-fridays-then-you-have-to/) [Nicole Ari Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-ari-parker/) > [This is my life. It's everything I do, train eight-hour days every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-diaz/this-is-my-life-it-s-everything-i-do-train-eight-hour-days-every-day/) [Nick Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-diaz/) > [I am not eternity, but a man; a part of the whole, as an hour is of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/i-am-not-eternity-but-a-man-a-part-of-the-whole-as-an-hour-is-of-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When I work, it can be a 16-hour day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-evangelista/when-i-work-it-can-be-a-16-hour-day/) [Linda Evangelista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-evangelista/) > [I believe the twenty-four hour day has come to stay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beerbohm/i-believe-the-twenty-four-hour-day-has-come-to-stay/) [Max Beerbohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beerbohm/) > [The whole of the day should not be daytime; there should be one hour, if not more, which the day did not bring forth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-whole-of-the-day-should-not-be-daytime-there-should-be-one-hour/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I think we should change the amount of time in each day. Sunday thru Friday should be reduced from 24 hours down to ten…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-think-we-should-change-the-amount-of-time-in-each-day-sunday-thru/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [It is not enough to be busy we must be productive. Everyone can account for every hour of the day but that does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randall-wright/it-is-not-enough-to-be-busy-we-must-be-productive-everyone-can/) [Randall Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randall-wright/) > [Monday to Fridays I'm practically an athlete every hour of the day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellie-simmonds/monday-to-fridays-i-m-practically-an-athlete-every-hour-of-the-day/) [Ellie Simmonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellie-simmonds/) > [If you gave me an hour in the day between '09 and '14, I could have told you exactly where I was and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-borland/if-you-gave-me-an-hour-in-the-day-between-09-and-14-i-could-have-told/) [Chris Borland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-borland/) > [Invest the first hour of the day, the 'Golden Hour,' in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/invest-the-first-hour-of-the-day-the-golden-hour-in-yourself/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) ## More by Thomas A. Edison > [We are striking it big in the electric light, better than my vivid imagination first conceived. Where this thing is going to stop Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/we-are-striking-it-big-in-the-electric-light-better-than-my-vivid/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-will-not-say-i-failed-1000-times-i-will-say-that-i-discovered-there/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Friendship is the heaven of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/friendship-is-the-heaven-of-life/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/being-busy-does-not-always-mean-real-work-the-object-of-all-work-is/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The very first thing an executive must have is a fine memory. Of course it does not follow that a man with a fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-very-first-thing-an-executive-must-have-is-a-fine-memory-of/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Personally, I enjoy working about 18 hours a day. Besides the short catnaps I take each day, I average about four to five hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/personally-i-enjoy-working-about-18-hours-a-day-besides-the-short/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [The brain can be developed just the same as the muscles can be developed, if on will only take the pains to train the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-brain-can-be-developed-just-the-same-as-the-muscles-can-be/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“People who will not turn a shovel full of dirt on the project nor contribute a pound of material, will collect more money from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/people-who-will-not-turn-a-shovel-full-of-dirt-on-the-project-nor/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [When I have fully decided that a result is worth getting I go ahead of it and make trial after trial until it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/when-i-have-fully-decided-that-a-result-is-worth-getting-i-go-ahead/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was at the foot of the class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-remember-that-i-was-never-able-to-get-along-at-school-i-was-at-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/invention-is-10-inspiration-and-90-perspiration/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [There seems to be no limit to which some men will go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thinking is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-seems-to-be-no-limit-to-which-some-men-will-go-to-avoid-the/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Somewhere between the ages of eleven and fifteen, the average child begins to suffer from an atrophy, the paralysis of curiosity and the suspension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/somewhere-between-the-ages-of-eleven-and-fifteen-the-average-child/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [Not only will atomic power be released, but someday we will harness the rise and fall of the tides and imprison the rays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/not-only-will-atomic-power-be-released-but-someday-we-will-harness/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) [Explore all 345 Thomas A. 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This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. 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