--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Surprises and reverses can serve as an…" description: "\"Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment. There are no rules here, we're just trying to accomplish something.\" — Thoma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplish_surprises-and-reverses-can-serve-as-an-i_1430726.jpg" --- # Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great… ![“Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment. There are no rules here, we're just trying to accomplish something.” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplish_surprises-and-reverses-can-serve-as-an-i_1430726.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplish_surprises-and-reverses-can-serve-as-an-i_1430726.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/465/thomas-a-edison-866_accomplish_surprises-and-reverses-can-serve-as-an-i_1430726.jpg) > “Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment. There are no rules here, we're just trying to accomplish something.” [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. Unexpected challenges and reversals can motivate people to achieve great things, even without strict rules. **In simple terms:** Challenges can inspire achievement despite lack of rules. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty as a catalyst for success. Themes innovation resilience motivation Mood optimistic determined Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - entrepreneurship - team projects - personal goals - learning environments Key Concepts growth mindset creative problem solving Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance freedom with focus? - What structures support creative risk? A Different Perspective Unstructured freedom may lead to chaos or lack of direction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) [Accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment/) [Accomplishment Rules](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplishment-rules-5093417/) [Great accomplishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-accomplishment/) [Incentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive/) [Incentive Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive-great-1611982/) [Incentives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentives/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Reverse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reverse/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprises Reverses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprises-reverses-5093416/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [Frustrated love has been the incentive for many great works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-n-mitchell/frustrated-love-has-been-the-incentive-for-many-great-works/) [John N. Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-n-mitchell/) > [People say that the monetary system produces incentive. This may be true in limited areas, but it also produces greed, embezzlement, corruption, pollution, jealousy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/people-say-that-the-monetary-system-produces-incentive-this-may-be/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [The problem we were struggling with within the closed market was what the incentive would be. You probably wouldn't use dollars. But those are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-poindexter/the-problem-we-were-struggling-with-within-the-closed-market-was-what/) [John Poindexter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-poindexter/) > [The incentive that you give to your youth is going to be the make-or-break future of the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-incentive-that-you-give-to-your-youth-is-going-to-be-the-make-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When incentive to acquire and obtain property is gone, people no longer make efforts to acquire any... Those who infringe upon property rights commit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-khaldun/when-incentive-to-acquire-and-obtain-property-is-gone-people-no/) [Ibn Khaldun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-khaldun/) > [Ambition is the incentive that makes purpose GREAT and ACHIEVEMENT greater!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orison-swett-marden/ambition-is-the-incentive-that-makes-purpose-great-and-achievement/) [Orison Swett Marden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orison-swett-marden/) > [The long-range sloution to high unemployment is to increase the incentive for ordinary people to save, invest, work, and employ others. We make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-friedman/the-long-range-sloution-to-high-unemployment-is-to-increase-the/) [Milton Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-friedman/) > [To all our means of culture is added the powerful incentive to personal ambition, no post of honor is so high but the poorest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/to-all-our-means-of-culture-is-added-the-powerful-incentive-to/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [I think things that contribute to the destruction of our free-incentive system are wrong. A trend against that free-incentive system is wrong, and should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-m-humphrey/i-think-things-that-contribute-to-the-destruction-of-our-free/) [George M. Humphrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-m-humphrey/) > [“We don’t mean to create the impression that any problem can be fixed with a simple shift of the framework or a clever incentive.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-don-t-mean-to-create-the-impression-that-any-problem-can-be-fixed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When it's easy to make money, you have no incentive to think about development of talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/when-it-s-easy-to-make-money-you-have-no-incentive-to-think-about/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [I think with every successful consumer Internet business, there will be lawyers that are interested in going after your company, especially when they think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/i-think-with-every-successful-consumer-internet-business-there-will/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [The best move you can make in negotiation is to think of an incentive the other person hasn't even thought of - and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/the-best-move-you-can-make-in-negotiation-is-to-think-of-an-incentive/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [The incentive for business is not, and cannot, be anything other than the root incentive for all business: they must profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-incentive-for-business-is-not-and-cannot-be-anything-other-than/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## 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. Edison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) ## More Accomplish quotes > [Learn to see the big picture. Often times we get tunnel vision and lose sight of the big picture and what we're really trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cheeke/learn-to-see-the-big-picture-often-times-we-get-tunnel-vision-and/) [Robert Cheeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cheeke/) > [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [I work every day. Sometimes I don't accomplish anything every day, but if I don't work every day, I get depressed and get afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-work-every-day-sometimes-i-don-t-accomplish-anything-every-day-but/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [God has given believers the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to all the world, and we need to use all at our disposal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-epp/god-has-given-believers-the-responsibility-of-spreading-the-gospel-to/) [Theodore Epp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-epp/) > [ \[The Community's\] crosses and trials give me confidence. But I derive my hope above all, and most especially, from our utter incapacity, for it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-guerin/the-community-s-crosses-and-trials-give-me-confidence-but-i-derive-my/) [Theodore Guerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-guerin/) > [There's things that you want to accomplish, but to do that you have to work. That's the name of the game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-schwarber/there-s-things-that-you-want-to-accomplish-but-to-do-that-you-have-to/) [Kyle Schwarber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-schwarber/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [We have to think about the future and what it is we want to accomplish from this party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-bernice-johnson/we-have-to-think-about-the-future-and-what-it-is-we-want-to/) [Eddie Bernice Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-bernice-johnson/) > [Everything that I have ever hoped to accomplish, she has done and done better than anyone I have ever seen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/everything-that-i-have-ever-hoped-to-accomplish-she-has-done-and-done/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) > [There's a lot that I want to accomplish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/there-s-a-lot-that-i-want-to-accomplish/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [For what we want to accomplish in the future, we have to be able to view everything from the eyes of the customer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-katz/for-what-we-want-to-accomplish-in-the-future-we-have-to-be-able-to/) [Karen Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-katz/) > [And for me the only way to live life is to grab the bull by the horns and call up recording studios and set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-frusciante/and-for-me-the-only-way-to-live-life-is-to-grab-the-bull-by-the-horns/) [John Frusciante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-frusciante/) > [A great tennis career is something that a 15-year-old normally doesn't have. I hope my example helps other teens believe they can accomplish things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/a-great-tennis-career-is-something-that-a-15-year-old-normally-doesn/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [Somebody once told me that if you laugh at a George Bush joke, or you send an email cartoon to your friends that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-ramis/somebody-once-told-me-that-if-you-laugh-at-a-george-bush-joke-or-you/) [Harold Ramis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-ramis/) > [One should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-pius-xi/one-should-not-withdraw-from-individuals-and-commit-to-the-community/) [Pope Pius XI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-pius-xi/) [Browse all 2,426 Accomplish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Surprises and reverses can serve as an incentive for great accomplishment. 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