Nikola Tesla Books
When I carefully reflected on the problem, which was already beginning to take on a real form, I began to feel that I was approaching the solution. It is a strange thing that at a certain moment I sensed the right path and became convinced that I had correctly solved the problem and that I would achieve what I had been striving for.
I felt that I had finally solved it. At that stage, the solution still existed only in my subconscious, and it could have taken a long time before it reached full awareness.
Before I would sketch anything on paper, I completed the entire work in my imagination. In my mind, I altered my constructions, perfected them, and made new inventions. Although I had not made a single drawing beforehand, I could give the mechanic all the data and measurements, and when the work was finished, all the parts fit together as if they had been made according to precise plans. For me, it made no difference whether I tested my machine in my imagination or in the workshop.
In his autobiography, he states among other things:
The progressive development of man depends primarily on invention. It is the most important product of his creative spirit. The ultimate goal of man is to gain complete mastery over the material world and to harness and place the forces of nature in the service of humanity. In this lies the difficult task of the inventor, who often remains without any reward and is frequently misunderstood. Yet, as compensation, he has the firm conviction that he belongs among a select group of privileged individuals, without whom the human race, in its general struggle for survival against the merciless elements, would disappear from the face of the Earth. His reward is the joy he experiences as long as he uses his intellectual powers for creative work.
As for myself, I have fully experienced the charm of that joy, and I can say that my life, for many years, passed in uninterrupted rapture. It has been said and written about me that I am one of the greatest workers. That may be true, if by work one understands continuous thinking and reflection, to which I have devoted all my waking hours. But if by work we mean only a specific occupation carried out within strictly prescribed hours and according to certain rules, then
