I haven't failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

The line reframes “failure” as information-gathering: each unsuccessful attempt narrows the field of possibilities and contributes to eventual success. Attributed to Edison, it fits the popular image of him as an indefatigable experimenter, especially in connection with the long trial-and-error process of developing practical electric lighting and other inventions. The quote’s enduring appeal lies in its pragmatic optimism—persistence is justified not by blind hope but by accumulated knowledge. It also implies a scientific mindset: negative results are still results, and progress often consists of systematically eliminating what does not work.