--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have a great idea, you should be…" description: "\"If you have a great idea, you should be able to communicate it as well. It's like the sound of one hand clapping. You have a great idea but aren't able..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/douglas-coupland-305_able_if-you-have-a-great-idea-you-should-be-a_1715843.jpg" --- # If you have a great idea, you should be able to… ![“If you have a great idea, you should be able to communicate it as well. It's like the sound of one hand clapping. You have a great idea but aren't able to express it - well, how great was the idea?” quote by Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/douglas-coupland-305_able_if-you-have-a-great-idea-you-should-be-a_1715843.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/douglas-coupland-305_able_if-you-have-a-great-idea-you-should-be-a_1715843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/448/douglas-coupland-305_able_if-you-have-a-great-idea-you-should-be-a_1715843.jpg) > “If you have a great idea, you should be able to communicate it as well. It's like the sound of one hand clapping. You have a great idea but aren't able to express it - well, how great was the idea?” [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas must be clearly expressed to be valuable; unclear communication diminishes impact. **In simple terms:** Good ideas need clear expression. Key Takeaway Clarify your ideas before sharing. Themes communication creativity clarity Mood thoughtful inspired Type advice motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - pitch presentations - writing drafts - teaching concepts Key Concepts expression perception impact Questions to Reflect On - How can you simplify a complex idea? - What tools help you articulate thoughts? A Different Perspective If the idea is complex, clarity may be hard to achieve without simplification. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Great idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-idea/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [I was brought up singing gospel, and I really enjoy getting the church up on their feet, their hips swaying, their hands clapping, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-was-brought-up-singing-gospel-and-i-really-enjoy-getting-the-church/) [Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/) > [I became hooked on the idea of being able to shoot an image and process it myself, and end up with a product.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-nimoy/i-became-hooked-on-the-idea-of-being-able-to-shoot-an-image-and/) [Leonard Nimoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-nimoy/) > [Every writer loves the idea of being able to go in and fix a problem and then leave without obligation. It's fun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/every-writer-loves-the-idea-of-being-able-to-go-in-and-fix-a-problem/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [I like the idea of being able to fight my way out of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-diaz/i-like-the-idea-of-being-able-to-fight-my-way-out-of-something/) [Nick Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-diaz/) > [I enjoy the idea of being able to sort of flip-flop between being recognized and not being recognized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-enjoy-the-idea-of-being-able-to-sort-of-flip-flop-between-being/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [The idea of being able to serve as an example, based upon how to process, how to think, how to realize our own dreams,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stedman-graham/the-idea-of-being-able-to-serve-as-an-example-based-upon-how-to/) [Stedman Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stedman-graham/) > [I thought if something was a good idea, we should be able to apply it to ourselves as guinea pigs and do something with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-holmgren/i-thought-if-something-was-a-good-idea-we-should-be-able-to-apply-it/) [David Holmgren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-holmgren/) > [I didn't have any idea that I would be able to have a career in film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-didn-t-have-any-idea-that-i-would-be-able-to-have-a-career-in-film/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [“The sound of one hand clapping is thunderous”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnjwillard/the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping-is-thunderous/) johnjwillard > [“He said he’d heard the sound of one hand clapping. 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I thought for a minute, then I slapped him across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-diamond/a-wise-man-once-asked-me-what-is-the-sound-of-one-hand-clapping-i/) Matthew Diamond > [I like the idea of being able to reach out and speak to a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-sugg/i-like-the-idea-of-being-able-to-reach-out-and-speak-to-a-human/) [Joe Sugg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-sugg/) > [I love the idea of being able to be creative or be successful and have business and creative things and all of that and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-love-the-idea-of-being-able-to-be-creative-or-be-successful-and/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) ## More by Douglas Coupland > [And in your new lives you'll have to live entirely for that one sensation-that of imminent truth. 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