Thomas Edison Tells of His Inventions and How He Was Known to Improve Ideas Instead of Creating Them

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My name is Thomas Edison, and I was an inventor, businessman, and visionary who helped shape the modern world. I didn’t just invent things—I found ways to make technology practical, affordable, and available to millions of people. Some called me a genius, others called me stubborn, but I never gave up. Let me tell you my story.

I was born on February 11, 1847, in Milan, Ohio, and grew up in Port Huron, Michigan. I didn’t have the easiest time in school—my teachers thought I was too curious and too distracted. My mother believed in me, though, and homeschooled me, allowing me to explore science, reading, and inventing at my own pace. By the time I was a teenager, I was selling newspapers and experimenting with chemistry in a small lab I built in a train car.

When I was 16, I got a job as a telegraph operator, which introduced me to electricity and communications technology. I realized that small improvements in machines could make a big difference. Soon, I was working on my own inventions, and in 1869, I moved to New York City to turn my ideas into reality.

One of my first big successes was the stock ticker, a machine that helped businesses track stock prices in real-time. That invention earned me enough money to set up my first research lab, where I and my team could invent, test, and improve new technologies. I believed in teamwork, experimentation, and persistence, and I worked day and night to find solutions to problems.

I became famous for my work with electricity, and in 1879, I introduced the first practical incandescent light bulb. Now, I didn’t invent the light bulb—other scientists had experimented with it before me. But my team and I figured out how to make a longer-lasting, affordable version that people could actually use in their homes and businesses. And we didn’t stop there—we built the first power stations, bringing electricity to entire cities.

Another big achievement was the phonograph in 1877, which allowed people to record and play back sound for the first time. This invention amazed the world, and I kept improving it, helping to lay the foundation for the music and recording industry. Later, my work with motion pictures helped create the first movie cameras and projectors, paving the way for Hollywood and the film industry.

Of course, I had my rivalries. One of the biggest was with Nikola Tesla, a brilliant inventor who once worked for me. He believed in alternating current (AC) electricity, while I supported direct current (DC). We had a fierce competition known as the “War of the Currents,” and though Tesla’s AC system eventually won out, my contributions to electrical infrastructure were still critical.

By the time I passed away on October 18, 1931, I had filed over 1,000 patents and left behind inventions that changed the way people live, work, and communicate. Some say I was just a businessman, taking credit for my workers' ideas. But what I know is this: invention is about persistence, teamwork, and turning dreams into reality.

If there’s one lesson I want you to take from my story, it’s this: genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. If you have an idea, work for it, improve it, and never stop trying. That’s how you change the world. Thank you for listening.

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