---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I believe that we have better ideas. But…"
description: "\"I believe that we have better ideas. But I also believe that good ideas don't matter if people don't hear them.\" — Barack Obama"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg"
---

#  I believe that we have better ideas. But I also believe…

![“I believe that we have better ideas. But I also believe that good ideas don't matter if people don't hear them.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg)

> “I believe that we have better ideas. But I also believe that good ideas don't matter if people don't hear them.”

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Good ideas are useless unless they reach an audience; communication is essential for impact.

**In simple terms:** Ideas need an audience.

Key Takeaway

Share ideas widely to matter.

Themes

communication ideas impact

Mood

determined optimistic

Type

political motivational

When to use this quote

- politics
- marketing
- education
- activism

Key Concepts

media public discourse

Questions to Reflect On

- What channels best amplify ideas?
- How to ensure ideas reach diverse audiences?

A Different Perspective

Even great ideas can be ignored without platforms.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/)

## Related quotes

> [I am interested in the shape of ideas even if I do not believe in them. There is a wonderful sentence in Augustine .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-am-interested-in-the-shape-of-ideas-even-if-i-do-not-believe-in/)

[Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/)

> [I believe in the power of ideas, I believe in the power of books, but you have to give them time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-piketty/i-believe-in-the-power-of-ideas-i-believe-in-the-power-of-books-but/)

[Thomas Piketty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-piketty/)

> [The same ideas, one must believe, recur in men's minds not once or twice but again and again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-same-ideas-one-must-believe-recur-in-men-s-minds-not-once-or/)

[Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/)

> [I get to advocate issues and ideas that I believe in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-get-to-advocate-issues-and-ideas-that-i-believe-in/)

[Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/)

> [“How you do life is your real and final truth, not what ideas you believe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rohr/how-you-do-life-is-your-real-and-final-truth-not-what-ideas-you/)

[Richard Rohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rohr/)

> [It is human nature to want to exchange ideas, and I believe that, at bottom, every artist wants no more than to tell the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-escher/it-is-human-nature-to-want-to-exchange-ideas-and-i-believe-that-at/)

[M. C. Escher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-escher/)

> [“I am interested in the shape of ideas, even if I do not believe in them”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/i-am-interested-in-the-shape-of-ideas-even-if-i-do-not-believe-in-them/)

[Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/)

> [I simply share ideas I believe in with people around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/i-simply-share-ideas-i-believe-in-with-people-around-me/)

[Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/)

> [I believe in the power of ideas. I believe in the power of sharing knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/i-believe-in-the-power-of-ideas-i-believe-in-the-power-of-sharing/)

[Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/)

> [“Every man should be capable of all ideas, and I believe that in the future he will be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/every-man-should-be-capable-of-all-ideas-and-i-believe-that-in-the/)

[Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/)

> [I believe that anyone can become better,if you put in the effort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-thorne/i-believe-that-anyone-can-become-better-if-you-put-in-the-effort/)

[Bella Thorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-thorne/)

> [ The more we can encourage entrepreneurship, particularly for young people, the more they have hope. That requires some reforms in these \[African\] governments: rooting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-more-we-can-encourage-entrepreneurship-particularly-for-young/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [I'm willing to work with anyone of either party who has a good idea and the commitment to see through. And we should all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-m-willing-to-work-with-anyone-of-either-party-who-has-a-good-idea/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Washington is a place where good ideas go to die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/washington-is-a-place-where-good-ideas-go-to-die/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [When it comes to the budget, we know that we shouldn't be cutting more on core investments, like education, that are going to help…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/when-it-comes-to-the-budget-we-know-that-we-shouldn-t-be-cutting-more/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

## More by Barack Obama

> [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

[Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I believe that we have better ideas. But I also believe that good ideas don't matter if people don't hear them.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Barack Obama"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but-i-also-believe-that-good/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but-i-also-believe-that-good/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/49e/barack-obama-17_believe_i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but_804200.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I believe that we have better ideas. But I also believe that good ideas don't matter if people don't hear…” — Barack Obama",
                "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": "Barack Obama",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I believe that we have better...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but-i-also-believe-that-good/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-believe-that-we-have-better-ideas-but-i-also-believe-that-good/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
