---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if everybody's trying to stay safe…"
description: "\"But if everybody's trying to stay safe, then you never really create something new and different and surprising.\" — Brian Henson"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg"
---

#  But if everybody's trying to stay safe, then you never…

![“But if everybody's trying to stay safe, then you never really create something new and different and surprising.” quote by Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg)

> “But if everybody's trying to stay safe, then you never really create something new and different and surprising.”

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

## About This Quote

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

When everyone prioritizes safety, innovation stalls because risk‑taking fuels novelty.

**In simple terms:** Safety limits creativity.

Key Takeaway

Embrace calculated risk.

Themes

innovation creativity risk originality

Mood

excited thoughtful

Type

inspirational reflective

When to use this quote

- entrepreneurship
- artistic projects
- product design
- team brainstorming

Key Concepts

psychology of novelty social dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you balance safety with daring?
- What risks could unlock breakthrough ideas?

A Different Perspective

Safety can lead to stagnation if over‑emphasized.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

## Related quotes

> [At the time I made 'Safe,' I was really intrigued by the whole culture around AIDS, which was turning to people like Louise Hay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-haynes/at-the-time-i-made-safe-i-was-really-intrigued-by-the-whole-culture/)

[Todd Haynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-haynes/)

> [“I've got a little secret for you. The only time you're safe―really safe―is when you're dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-morse/i-ve-got-a-little-secret-for-you-the-only-time-you-re-safe-really/)

Eric Morse

> [... now I was safe, now I was really crazy, and nobody could take me out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-kaysen/now-i-was-safe-now-i-was-really-crazy-and-nobody-could-take-me-out-of/)

[Susanna Kaysen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-kaysen/)

> [I live in the land of delight - of just walking in the street, and the sun is shining, and I'm on my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/i-live-in-the-land-of-delight-of-just-walking-in-the-street-and-the/)

[Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/)

> [Everybody's trying to make every minute of the present last forever. Preserve every second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/everybody-s-trying-to-make-every-minute-of-the-present-last-forever/)

[Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/)

> [Going home, it's what everybody's trying to do from the day they're born to the day they die, but going home together - that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-heaslip-lea/going-home-it-s-what-everybody-s-trying-to-do-from-the-day-they-re/)

Fannie Heaslip Lea

> [“everybody is trying to swallow something that won’t go down”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/everybody-is-trying-to-swallow-something-that-won-t-go-down/)

[Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/)

> [I'll never Knock the next persons Hustle because I know its not easy out here. Everybody's trying to go get it, we all feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-never-knock-the-next-persons-hustle-because-i-know-its-not-easy/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Small ball, spacing, shooting 3s, is something that everybody's trying to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-bickerstaff/small-ball-spacing-shooting-3s-is-something-that-everybody-s-trying/)

[J. B. Bickerstaff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-bickerstaff/)

> [Everybody is trying to take advantage of situations, and if you don't take advantage of a situation, you get taken advantage of by somebody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chase-elliott/everybody-is-trying-to-take-advantage-of-situations-and-if-you-don-t/)

[Chase Elliott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chase-elliott/)

> [The TV industry works in this crazy system where everybody's trying to get the same actors at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-hurwitz/the-tv-industry-works-in-this-crazy-system-where-everybody-s-trying/)

[Mitchell Hurwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-hurwitz/)

> [You can't please everybody. I give up. I'm not trying to. I don't care. Leave me alone with that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle/you-can-t-please-everybody-i-give-up-i-m-not-trying-to-i-don-t-care/)

[Estelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle/)

> [Everybody's out trying to be commercial. I'm not trying to be anything, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/everybody-s-out-trying-to-be-commercial-i-m-not-trying-to-be-anything/)

[Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/)

> [The hip-hop community is made up of a lot of hustlers. Everybody is trying to get theirs, and everybody is trying to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludacris/the-hip-hop-community-is-made-up-of-a-lot-of-hustlers-everybody-is/)

[Ludacris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludacris/)

> [In life there some empty spot which cannot be filled by money but only people, thats why everybody is trying so hard to date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-life-there-some-empty-spot-which-cannot-be-filled-by-money-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Brian Henson

> [So that's the challenge, you have a big technical aspect of what you're doing whilst you're creatively trying to improvise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/so-that-s-the-challenge-you-have-a-big-technical-aspect-of-what-you/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [I was already sort of mixing my science physics enthusiasm with entertainment and directing and puppetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/i-was-already-sort-of-mixing-my-science-physics-enthusiasm-with/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [We took a show to the Aspen Comedy Festival, called "Puppet Up" at that point, and in Aspen we just did three shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/we-took-a-show-to-the-aspen-comedy-festival-called-puppet-up-at-that/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [So while you're trying to improvise, you're also trying to puppeteer, you're doing everything that you need to do to perform a puppet in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/so-while-you-re-trying-to-improvise-you-re-also-trying-to-puppeteer/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [So it's Rosemary Clooney - Rosemary? Rosemary Clooney, right? The singer? Yes. Clooney, doing, singing, "I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face," which is, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/so-it-s-rosemary-clooney-rosemary-rosemary-clooney-right-the-singer/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [And one of the funnest things was watching what they did before the director called action and after the director called cut. And they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/and-one-of-the-funnest-things-was-watching-what-they-did-before-the/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [There was a producer from the Aspen Comedy Festival who happened to be there, as a friend of a friend, and she said, "I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/there-was-a-producer-from-the-aspen-comedy-festival-who-happened-to/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [We kind of lost a lot of that and puppeteers were sticking to the script and we thought everything needed to get a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/we-kind-of-lost-a-lot-of-that-and-puppeteers-were-sticking-to-the/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [We're also irreverent, we have an irreverent attitude towards puppets, as well. So a lot of what we do is we're kind of making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/we-re-also-irreverent-we-have-an-irreverent-attitude-towards-puppets/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> ["Stuffed and Unstrung" started as a workshop, actually, classes within our company. We found that our puppeteers were not ad libbing as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/stuffed-and-unstrung-started-as-a-workshop-actually-classes-within/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [I try to emulate his approach of really get the most out of people by allowing them to experiment and certainly allowing people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/i-try-to-emulate-his-approach-of-really-get-the-most-out-of-people-by/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [I'd say that that is a challenge, but it also is, again, it's helpful. It's helpful to have the discipline of, okay, I'm doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/i-d-say-that-that-is-a-challenge-but-it-also-is-again-it-s-helpful-it/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [And again, we're kind of trying to be in that place, that's just so absurd and irreverent and hysterical and it's something that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/and-again-we-re-kind-of-trying-to-be-in-that-place-that-s-just-so/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [The first big thing that I did with my dad was the bicycle sequence in "The Great Muppet Caper," where Kermit and Piggy are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/the-first-big-thing-that-i-did-with-my-dad-was-the-bicycle-sequence/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

> [The challenge is, well, there's a huge challenge, which is when you're improvising, you're meant to sort of clear your mind completely, just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/the-challenge-is-well-there-s-a-huge-challenge-which-is-when-you-re/)

[Brian Henson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

[Explore all 62 Brian Henson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/)

## More Different quotes

> [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/)

[Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/)

> [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/)

[Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/)

> [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/)

[Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/)

> [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/)

[Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/)

> [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/)

[David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/)

> [One of the reasons that I do a lot of different kinds of pictures is because I learn a lot when I'm doing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-jason-leigh/one-of-the-reasons-that-i-do-a-lot-of-different-kinds-of-pictures-is/)

[Jennifer Jason Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-jason-leigh/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/)

[Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/)

[Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [I always aspired to do something different.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayushmann-khurrana/i-always-aspired-to-do-something-different/)

[Ayushmann Khurrana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayushmann-khurrana/)

> [The talk shows in the States want celebrities, not authors. In France, it is different; writers are called upon to comment on everything. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-white/the-talk-shows-in-the-states-want-celebrities-not-authors-in-france/)

[Edmund White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-white/)

> [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/)

[Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/)

Browse all 28,697 Different quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "But if everybody's trying to stay safe, then you never really create something new and different and surprising.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Brian Henson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-then-you-never-really-create/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Different"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-then-you-never-really-create/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/686/brian-henson-10923_different_but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-t_2550117.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“But if everybody's trying to stay safe, then you never really create something new and different and…” — Brian Henson",
                "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": "Brian Henson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-henson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "But if everybody's trying to stay...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-then-you-never-really-create/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-henson/but-if-everybody-s-trying-to-stay-safe-then-you-never-really-create/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
