Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·134 of 348
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
They never said that.
What people say
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."
What was actually said
I have not failed 10,000 times — I've successfully found 10,000 ways that will not work. Thomas Edison — Attributed to Thomas Edison (no primary source)
Why it stuck
The punchier modern version optimises Edison's longer reputed wording. Neither is in his published papers; the claim spreads from mid-20th-century self-help books.
Closest verifiable Edison remark: "Every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." (1877 lab notebook paraphrase.)
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.