--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most ideas are step-by-step children of…" description: "\"Most ideas are step-by-step children of other ideas.\" — Alex Faickney Osborn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg" --- # Most ideas are step-by-step children of other ideas. ![“Most ideas are step-by-step children of other ideas.” quote by Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg) > “Most ideas are step-by-step children of other ideas.” [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas evolve from previous concepts, building incrementally. **In simple terms:** Ideas grow step by step. Key Takeaway Build on existing ideas. Themes creativity innovation learning Mood inspired analytical Type creative educational When to use this quote - brainstorming sessions - product design - research projects Key Concepts idea generation incremental development Questions to Reflect On - How can you combine ideas uniquely? - What sources inspire your next step? A Different Perspective Originality may be limited by reliance on past ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-ideas-1748422/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-step-2649653/) [Step](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step/) [Step children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/step-children-177697/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone has ideas. The first step is to learn more about your industry than anyone in the world. Otherwise there is a good chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/everyone-has-ideas-the-first-step-is-to-learn-more-about-your/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [Never have ideas about children, and never have ideas for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/never-have-ideas-about-children-and-never-have-ideas-for-them/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [I think that I'm trying to hopefully change my children's ideas about what is possible, and about what is possible for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-think-that-i-m-trying-to-hopefully-change-my-children-s-ideas-about/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [The world of children's books is a very friendly, decent place to be. It's full of people who are desperate to enlighten, interest and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/the-world-of-children-s-books-is-a-very-friendly-decent-place-to-be/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [Common Core, the initiative that claims to more accurately measure K-12 student knowledge in English and math, also encourages children to step up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-harsanyi/common-core-the-initiative-that-claims-to-more-accurately-measure-k/) [David Harsanyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-harsanyi/) > [The great man is not the child of his age but its step-child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-brandes/the-great-man-is-not-the-child-of-his-age-but-its-step-child/) [Georg Brandes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-brandes/) > [Every man who has an idol or admires someone can recognise its themes. It's not only a film about the relationship between fans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/every-man-who-has-an-idol-or-admires-someone-can-recognise-its-themes/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [My children are now adults and just kind of guide them while they allow you to have input in their lives without controlling them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-d-jakes/my-children-are-now-adults-and-just-kind-of-guide-them-while-they/) [T. D. Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-d-jakes/) > [When I step foot to my locker and change shoes for training, its like turning on a switch. I become a creature. Not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-bennett/when-i-step-foot-to-my-locker-and-change-shoes-for-training-its-like/) [Jason Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-bennett/) > [Parents. . . are sometimes a bit of a disappointment to their children. They don't fulfil the promise of their early years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-powell/parents-are-sometimes-a-bit-of-a-disappointment-to-their-children/) [Anthony Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-powell/) > [It's no accident that most self-help groups use 'anonymous' in their names; to Americans, the first step toward redemption is a ritual wiping out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/it-s-no-accident-that-most-self-help-groups-use-anonymous-in-their/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [I will persist. I will always take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-persist-i-will-always-take-another-step-if-that-is-of-no-avail/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I always take things step by step and match by match.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-azarenka/i-always-take-things-step-by-step-and-match-by-match/) [Victoria Azarenka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-azarenka/) > [Every time you think a negative thought, it's one step in the wrong direction, for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/every-time-you-think-a-negative-thought-it-s-one-step-in-the-wrong/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [The minute you step onstage, you get eight feet taller.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cooper/the-minute-you-step-onstage-you-get-eight-feet-taller/) [Alice Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cooper/) ## More by Alex Faickney Osborn > [Creativity is more than mere imagination. It is imagination inseparably coupled with both intent and effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/creativity-is-more-than-mere-imagination-it-is-imagination/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Any of us will put out more and better ideas if our efforts are appreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/any-of-us-will-put-out-more-and-better-ideas-if-our-efforts-are/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [As in the piling up of hypothetical alternatives, creative accidents follow the law of probabilities the more we fish, the more likely we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/as-in-the-piling-up-of-hypothetical-alternatives-creative-accidents/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [If you go fishing you may not catch any fish. If you don't go fishing, you'll never catch any fish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/if-you-go-fishing-you-may-not-catch-any-fish-if-you-don-t-go-fishing/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Reading supplies bread for imagination to feed on and bones for it to chew on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/reading-supplies-bread-for-imagination-to-feed-on-and-bones-for-it-to/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Whatever creative success I gained was due to my belief that creative power can be stepped up by effort, and that there are ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/whatever-creative-success-i-gained-was-due-to-my-belief-that-creative/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Imagination is the cornerstone of human endeavor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/imagination-is-the-cornerstone-of-human-endeavor/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/creativity-is-so-delicate-a-flower-that-praise-tends-to-make-it-bloom-2/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud. Any of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/creativity-is-so-delicate-a-flower-that-praise-tends-to-make-it-bloom-3/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Often when economic pressure is lifted, a man must pump back into himself a feeling of must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/often-when-economic-pressure-is-lifted-a-man-must-pump-back-into/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Worry is essentially a misuse of imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/worry-is-essentially-a-misuse-of-imagination/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Each of us has an Aladdin's Lamp which psychologists call creative imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/each-of-us-has-an-aladdin-s-lamp-which-psychologists-call-creative/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Observation capitalizes inspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/observation-capitalizes-inspiration/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom while discouragement often nips it at the bud. Creativity is now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/creativity-is-so-delicate-a-flower-that-praise-tends-to-make-it-bloom-4/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) > [It's much easier to tame a wild idea than invigorate one that has no life in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/it-s-much-easier-to-tame-a-wild-idea-than-invigorate-one-that-has-no/) [Alex Faickney Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) [Explore all 20 Alex Faickney Osborn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most ideas are step-by-step children of other ideas.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alex Faickney Osborn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of-other-ideas/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of-other-ideas/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d9b/alex-faickney-osborn-27623_children_most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of_2030870.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most ideas are step-by-step children of other ideas.” — Alex Faickney Osborn", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alex Faickney Osborn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-faickney-osborn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Most ideas are step-by-step children of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of-other-ideas/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-faickney-osborn/most-ideas-are-step-by-step-children-of-other-ideas/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```