The value of an idea lies in the using of it.

I never view mistakes as failures. They are simply opportunities to find out what doesn't work.

The reason a lot of people do not recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work.

My principal business is giving commercial value to the brilliant - but misdirected - ideas of others.

It has been just so in all my inventions. The first step is an intuition-and comes with a burst, then difficulties arise. This thing that gives out and then that-"Bugs"as such little faults and difficulties are called show themselves and months of anxious watching, study and labor are requisite before commercial success-or failure-is certainly reached.

Most of my ideas belonged to other people who never bothered to develop them.

Failure is really a matter of conceit. People don't work hard because, in their conceit, they imagine they'll succeed without ever making an effort. Most people believe that they'll wake up some day and find themselves rich. Actually, they've got it half right, because eventually they do wake up.