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Originally written as a series of articles for the Electrical Experimenter magazine in 1919, My Inventions is the autobiography of Nikola Tesla. He studied engineering and physics in the 1870s but never graduated from college. He had a knack for inventions and is famous for designing the alternating current electrical system. Many modern-day inventors hold him in high reverence because his work laid the foundation for many contemporary technologies.
He sheds light on his personal and professional life. Undoubtedly, anyone that reads this abridged account of the discoverer of the magnetic field and the magnifying transmitter will be amazed at how a human being could fathom these abstract concepts.
“Invention is the most important product of man’s creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.” ~ Nikola Tesla
Key points
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Nikola Tesla was a peculiar inventor, genius polymath, and the most important contributor to commercial electricity
Hardly anyone has contributed more to electricity and magnetism in the late 19th century and early 20th century than Nikola Tesla. The alternating current (AC), the polyphase power distribution system, and the AC motor are modern products based on Tesla’s patents and theoretical framework. You cannot talk about the Second Industrial Revolution without giving credit to him.
Tesla was an inventor that derived satisfaction from discovering and creating solutions. He was never motivated by fame or money. He abhorred manual labor but thrived on exercising his intellectual prowess.
Tesla was an inventor that derived satisfaction from discovering and creating solutions. He was never motivated by fame or money. He abhorred manual labor but thrived on exercising his intellectual prowess.
Humans are usually more creative in their formative years than when they become adults.
Tesla admitted to not cultivating his childhood instincts and impulses as he grew older. He believed that he would have made more impact on the world had he not conformed to the systematic procedures of adulthood that stifled creativity.
Also, he compared himself to his brother, who died prematurely due to an accident involving the family horse. Tesla believed that his achievement paled in comparison to the ingenuity of his brother. Yet, anytime he did something extraordinary, his parents imagined what life would have been like had his brother survived. The fact that Tesla’s ingenuity provoked sad memories in his parents affected his self-confidence.
Another factor that militated against the full exploration of his potential was the disagreement between him and his father about his career choice. His father wanted him to become a clerical officer, while his desire was to become an engineer.
Tesla believed the genetic imprint of an inventor came from his mother, while the strength of his memory came from his father, who trained him to recite long sentences, perform mental calculations, and spot errors in forms of expression.
In this summary, you’ll gain insight into the thought process of Nicola Tesla, discover the biological and environmental factors that contributed to the career path he chose, and learn vital lessons that will stir your creative mind.
Did you know? It was not until 1943 that the United States Supreme Court acknowledged him as the inventor of the radio.
Also, he compared himself to his brother, who died prematurely due to an accident involving the family horse. Tesla believed that his achievement paled in comparison to the ingenuity of his brother. Yet, anytime he did something extraordinary, his parents imagined what life would have been like had his brother survived. The fact that Tesla’s ingenuity provoked sad memories in his parents affected his self-confidence.
Another factor that militated against the full exploration of his potential was the disagreement between him and his father about his career choice. His father wanted him to become a clerical officer, while his desire was to become an engineer.
Tesla believed the genetic imprint of an inventor came from his mother, while the strength of his memory came from his father, who trained him to recite long sentences, perform mental calculations, and spot errors in forms of expression.
In this summary, you’ll gain insight into the thought process of Nicola Tesla, discover the biological and environmental factors that contributed to the career path he chose, and learn vital lessons that will stir your creative mind.
Did you know? It was not until 1943 that the United States Supreme Court acknowledged him as the inventor of the radio.
2
Nature and nurture combined to develop Nikola Tesla’s inventive skills
From a tender age, Tesla had shown signs that he was a different child. From his appearance, discerning persons could tell that he was witty. His father, Milutin Tesla, received military education but chose to work as a priest in an orthodox church. His mother, Duka Mandiç, was notable for her knack for making home crafts and mechanical appliances. Nikola Tesla was born on July 10, 1856, in modern-day Croatia. He was the fourth of five children by his parents. His older brother, Dane Tesla, died in an accident involving the family horse when Nikola was five. Dane was a child prodigy and losing him affected the entire family. In fact, Nikola Tesla felt the urge to curb the display of his genius as a child because each time he tried to do something extraordinary, it reminded his parents of his brother.
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Tesla’s mind was so powerful that he invented things in his imagination before creating them in the real world
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It is vital to train the mind and body if we are to achieve great goals in life
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The primary motivations of an inventor is to save lives or make life easier to live
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Tesla discovered the rotating magnetic field that his professor declared impossible to design
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