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About this quote

What does it mean?
Edison suggests people miss opportunities because they appear as hard work.
In plain terms
People avoid opportunities that look like they require effort.
What can you take from it?
Recognize that valuable chances often require work.

Where it applies

  • career decisions
  • self improvement
  • business

Putting it to work

  • motivation
  • goal pursuit
  • risk taking

Questions to consider

  • What looks like work to you?
  • Are you avoiding hard chances?

Another view

It oversimplifies why people might avoid certain opportunities.

More from Thomas Alva Edison

  1. I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

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  2. If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.

    Permalink to quote #20
  3. If our nation can issue a dollar bond, it can issue a dollar bill. The element that makes the bond good, makes the bill good also. The difference between the b…

    Permalink to quote #21

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