To have a great idea, have a lot of them.

“To have a great idea, have a lot of them.” Thus spoke Thomas A. Edison, the tireless inventor whose life was a hymn to perseverance and imagination. In this brief saying, he revealed a law as old as creation itself — that greatness is born not from a single flash of genius, but from the patient and relentless generation of many thoughts, many trials, many failures, and many beginnings. Edison, who gave light to the modern world, understood that the miracle of invention is not the spark alone, but the courage to kindle countless sparks until one catches fire.

Edison’s words arose from his own ceaseless labor. He held more than a thousand patents, and yet behind each success lay a mountain of discarded designs, broken prototypes, and sleepless nights. When asked how it felt to fail thousands of times before inventing the light bulb, he replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that won’t work.” From this spirit was born the truth of his quote — that creativity is not a single act, but a discipline, a way of living in constant motion between idea and action. He saw that the mind, like a river, must flow continually; its strength lies not in one wave, but in the endless current that carries it forward.

In the ancient world, this wisdom was also known, though spoken in different tongues. The Greek philosopher Aristotle taught that excellence is not an act, but a habit — that the craftsman who shapes his art again and again becomes the master not by inspiration, but by repetition. So it is with ideas. The muse visits not the idle, but the active, not those who wait, but those who work. The mind that constantly experiments, questions, and creates, will one day stumble upon brilliance — not by chance, but by the sheer law of persistence.

Consider the story of Leonardo da Vinci, who filled his notebooks with drawings, inventions, and musings — flying machines, bridges, anatomical sketches, and devices that would not be built for centuries. Many of his ideas were incomplete or impractical, yet it was through the abundance of his imagination that genius emerged. Had he been cautious, waiting for a perfect thought before daring to begin, his name would not shine among the immortals. Like Edison, Leonardo knew that one must dare many times to discover the one idea that endures. It is the law of creation: the abundance of attempts yields the harvest of greatness.

Edison’s quote also carries a deeper truth about the human spirit — that failure is not the enemy of invention, but its teacher. The timid mind, fearful of error, produces little; but the bold mind, willing to err a thousand times, creates worlds. The ancients called this courage “fortitude” — the strength to persist when the outcome is uncertain. Each idea, whether it succeeds or fails, refines the thinker, sharpens perception, and strengthens will. Thus, even the discarded thought is sacred, for it paves the way for the one that will change everything.

Yet Edison's wisdom extends beyond the laboratory or the workshop. It is a truth for every life. Whether one builds machines, writes poetry, leads nations, or simply seeks meaning, the path to mastery is the same: generate, attempt, and refine. The sculptor must shape many stones before he frees the perfect form; the musician must compose countless melodies before one moves the heart; the lover must risk vulnerability again and again to discover the beauty of true affection. The universe rewards the spirit that acts, that tries, that creates endlessly, for it mirrors its own nature — infinite, expanding, and ever-renewing.

Therefore, O seeker of wisdom, learn from Edison’s words. Do not wait for the perfect idea to come, for it will never arrive clothed in certainty. Begin where you are, with what you have, and let your thoughts multiply like seeds upon fertile ground. Think often, act often, and fail often, for each attempt brings you nearer to truth. Greatness is not born from hesitation, but from momentum. Let your mind be a forge of many sparks, for among them will be the fire that changes your world.

So remember this law of creation: to have a great idea, have a lot of them. Let abundance be your ally, and persistence your companion. Trust that in the vast field of your efforts, one seed will blossom into brilliance. For it is not the single act of genius that defines the great soul, but the unwavering rhythm of those who create without ceasing — who, like Edison, light the world not with one flame, but with the thousand attempts that came before it.