--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To invent, you need a good imagination…" description: "\"To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.\" — Thomas A. Edison" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/thomas-a-edison-866_creativity_to-invent-you-need-a-good-imagination-an_1618923.jpg" --- # To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. ![“To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/thomas-a-edison-866_creativity_to-invent-you-need-a-good-imagination-an_1618923.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/thomas-a-edison-866_creativity_to-invent-you-need-a-good-imagination-an_1618923.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93b/thomas-a-edison-866_creativity_to-invent-you-need-a-good-imagination-an_1618923.jpg) > “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.” [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. Innovation requires imagination and repurposing discarded materials to create something new. **In simple terms:** Imagination plus junk yields invention. Key Takeaway Combine creativity with resources at hand. Themes creativity resourcefulness innovation Mood inspired optimistic Type motivational practical When to use this quote - DIY projects - product design - upcycling - entrepreneurial brainstorming Key Concepts inventive thinking material reuse Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn everyday waste into valuable ideas? - What role does imagination play in solving practical problems? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for systematic testing and refinement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Good Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-imagination-243245/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagination Pile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-pile-243244/) [Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent/) [Invent Need](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-need-243242/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Junk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/junk/) [Pile Junk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pile-junk-243243/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) ## Related quotes > [To invent something, all you need is imagination and a big pile of junk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/to-invent-something-all-you-need-is-imagination-and-a-big-pile-of-junk/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [God forgives those who invent what they need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/god-forgives-those-who-invent-what-they-need/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [When you can take something that is a reject at the thrift store sitting on the bottom of a pile of junk and make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-wasson/when-you-can-take-something-that-is-a-reject-at-the-thrift-store/) [Erin Wasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-wasson/) > [Inspiration can be found in a pile of junk. Sometimes, you can put it together with a good imagination and invent something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/inspiration-can-be-found-in-a-pile-of-junk-sometimes-you-can-put-it/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [“It's just old black-and-whites,' she had said, flicking her wrist in the way one might dismiss a pile of junk mail. 'Relatives nobody remembers.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jio/it-s-just-old-black-and-whites-she-had-said-flicking-her-wrist-in-the/) [Sarah Jio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jio/) > [“The Caine was a pile of junk in the last hours of decay, manned by hoodlums.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-wouk/the-caine-was-a-pile-of-junk-in-the-last-hours-of-decay-manned-by/) [Herman Wouk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-wouk/) > [If you have a good inner life, you don't get lonely. I've got a good imagination. I don't miss romance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-rigg/if-you-have-a-good-inner-life-you-don-t-get-lonely-i-ve-got-a-good/) [Diana Rigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-rigg/) > [Good Movies Are Result Of Good Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/good-movies-are-result-of-good-imagination/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [“A good imagination may be the best friend of loners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsten-smith/a-good-imagination-may-be-the-best-friend-of-loners/) [Kirsten Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsten-smith/) > [The writer must have a good imagination to begin with, but the imagination has to be muscular, which means it must be exercised in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-writer-must-have-a-good-imagination-to-begin-with-but-the/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I've always had a good imagination. If I saw a sitcom, and everything was made out of cheese, I wouldn't go 'What?' I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/i-ve-always-had-a-good-imagination-if-i-saw-a-sitcom-and-everything/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [He smiled and tapped my nose. "Two thank-yous in as many days. I don't suppose I'll get to see any, uh, special gratitude?" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/he-smiled-and-tapped-my-nose-two-thank-yous-in-as-many-days-i-don-t/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I guess I'm a very keen observer, and I'd like to think I have a good imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bana/i-guess-i-m-a-very-keen-observer-and-i-d-like-to-think-i-have-a-good/) [Eric Bana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bana/) > [I'm not really a guy who draws on things from my own past. I think if you're a competent actor with a good imagination,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-ferrer/i-m-not-really-a-guy-who-draws-on-things-from-my-own-past-i-think-if/) [Miguel Ferrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-ferrer/) > [I've got a good imagination, so I can see someone arguing over a parking ticket and imagine they're getting a divorce or something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-ve-got-a-good-imagination-so-i-can-see-someone-arguing-over-a/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) ## 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 Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) [Andrei Amalrik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrei-amalrik/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) [Christoph Niemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christoph-niemann/) > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas A. 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