--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: These days, the problem isn't how to…" description: "\"These days, the problem isn't how to innovate; it's how to get society to adopt the good ideas that already exist.\" — Douglas Engelbart" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg" --- # These days, the problem isn't how to innovate; it's how to… ![“These days, the problem isn't how to innovate; it's how to get society to adopt the good ideas that already exist.” quote by Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg) > “These days, the problem isn't how to innovate; it's how to get society to adopt the good ideas that already exist.” [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The main challenge is societal adoption of existing good ideas, not invention. **In simple terms:** Adoption, not invention, is the hurdle. Key Takeaway Focus on diffusion of innovation. Themes innovation adoption change management Mood analytical optimistic Type strategic inspirational When to use this quote - product launch - public policy - education reform - technology rollout Key Concepts diffusion theory social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What barriers prevent adoption of useful ideas? - How can you accelerate acceptance? A Different Perspective Resistance and inertia can stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Ideas Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-exist-440267/) [Innovate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovate/) [Innovate Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovate-society-3321883/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [These days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/these-days/) ## Related quotes > [“Still I can't get it out of my mind what a discrepancy there is between ideas and living. A permanent dislocation, though we try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-miller/still-i-can-t-get-it-out-of-my-mind-what-a-discrepancy-there-is/) [Henry Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-miller/) > [There are ideas that exist in our minds that can be accounted for by no established laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brockden-brown/there-are-ideas-that-exist-in-our-minds-that-can-be-accounted-for-by/) [Charles Brockden Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brockden-brown/) > [One should conquer the world, not to enthrone a man, but an idea; for ideas exist forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/one-should-conquer-the-world-not-to-enthrone-a-man-but-an-idea-for/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [The words represent ideas first of all. That is something you have to understand. I mean, it is not just an object, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barry/the-words-represent-ideas-first-of-all-that-is-something-you-have-to/) [Robert Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barry/) > [I think that ideas exist outside of ourselves. I think somewhere, we're all connected off in some very abstract land. But somewhere between there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/i-think-that-ideas-exist-outside-of-ourselves-i-think-somewhere-we-re/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [The point is that profound but contradictory ideas may exist side by side, if they are constructed from different materials and methods. and have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/the-point-is-that-profound-but-contradictory-ideas-may-exist-side-by/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [Two fixed ideas can no more exist together in the moral world than two bodies can occupy one and the same place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pushkin/two-fixed-ideas-can-no-more-exist-together-in-the-moral-world-than/) [Alexander Pushkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pushkin/) > [The fact is that certain ideas exist almost everywhere and at all times and can even spontaneously create themselves quite independently of migration and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/the-fact-is-that-certain-ideas-exist-almost-everywhere-and-at-all/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Have confidence in your ideas before they even exist,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biz-stone/have-confidence-in-your-ideas-before-they-even-exist/) [Biz Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biz-stone/) > [Ideas exist in our minds that can be accounted for by no established laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-brockden-brown/ideas-exist-in-our-minds-that-can-be-accounted-for-by-no-established/) [Charles Brockden Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-brockden-brown/) > [“Democratic ideas cannot exist without the public spheres that make them possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-a-giroux/democratic-ideas-cannot-exist-without-the-public-spheres-that-make/) [Henry A. Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-a-giroux/) > [Ideas exist in the marketplace; they are thrown out for everyone to use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-gehry/ideas-exist-in-the-marketplace-they-are-thrown-out-for-everyone-to-use/) [Frank Gehry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-gehry/) > [Ideas do not exist separately from language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/ideas-do-not-exist-separately-from-language/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [Premature ideas do not exist, one must bide one's time until the right moment comes along.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-monnet/premature-ideas-do-not-exist-one-must-bide-one-s-time-until-the-right/) [Jean Monnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-monnet/) > [Those that innovate the future understand history the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/those-that-innovate-the-future-understand-history-the-best/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) ## More by Douglas Engelbart > [The key thing about all the world's big problems is that they have to be dealt with collectively. If we don't get collectively smarter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/the-key-thing-about-all-the-world-s-big-problems-is-that-they-have-to/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [The better we get at getting better, the faster we will get better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/the-better-we-get-at-getting-better-the-faster-we-will-get-better/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [The digital revolution is far more significant than the invention of writing or even of printing.”“The better we get at getting better, the faster…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/the-digital-revolution-is-far-more-significant-than-the-invention-of/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [The digital revolution is far more significant than the invention of writing or even of printing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/the-digital-revolution-is-far-more-significant-than-the-invention-of-2/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [It would be wonderful if I can inspire others, who are struggling to realize their dreams, to say 'if this country kid could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/it-would-be-wonderful-if-i-can-inspire-others-who-are-struggling-to/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/the-rate-at-which-a-person-can-mature-is-directly-proportional-to-the/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [Sometimes I apologize. It started that way and we never did change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/sometimes-i-apologize-it-started-that-way-and-we-never-did-change-it/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [Today's environment is beginning to threaten today's organizations, finding them seriously deficient in their nervous system design... The degree of coordination, perception, rational adaptation,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/today-s-environment-is-beginning-to-threaten-today-s-organizations/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [In 20 or 30 years, you'll be able to hold in your hand as much computing knowledge as exists now in the whole city,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/in-20-or-30-years-you-ll-be-able-to-hold-in-your-hand-as-much/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) > [Boosting mankind's capability for coping with complex, urgent problems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/boosting-mankind-s-capability-for-coping-with-complex-urgent-problems/) [Douglas Engelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) [Explore all 11 Douglas Engelbart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/) ## More Good ideas quotes > [The election of Trump threw the chess board up. The pieces are all over the place. That's upsetting to a lot of people, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rubin/the-election-of-trump-threw-the-chess-board-up-the-pieces-are-all/) [Dave Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rubin/) > [Statistics are like miniskirts: They give you good ideas but hide the important things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ebbe-skovdahl/statistics-are-like-miniskirts-they-give-you-good-ideas-but-hide-the/) [Ebbe Skovdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ebbe-skovdahl/) > [“I worry that there are people who are put in positions of authority because they’re good talkers, but they don’t have good ideas,” he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-worry-that-there-are-people-who-are-put-in-positions-of-authority/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [Good ideas and innovations must be driven into existence by courage and patience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyman-rickover/good-ideas-and-innovations-must-be-driven-into-existence-by-courage/) [Hyman Rickover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyman-rickover/) > [Violence is what people do when they run out of good ideas. It's attractive because it's simple, it's direct, it's almost always available as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/violence-is-what-people-do-when-they-run-out-of-good-ideas-it-s/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [“I drink beer not to get drunk or because i have stress, i drink beer just because i want to share good ideas with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/i-drink-beer-not-to-get-drunk-or-because-i-have-stress-i-drink-beer/) [Ntambara Sylvestre Owen Berbason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ntambara-sylvestre-owen-berbason/) > [“Even though I've never met my dad and don't really want to, I share some of his talents. Along with being the messenger of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-though-i-ve-never-met-my-dad-and-don-t-really-want-to-i-share/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There are plenty of good ideas, if only they can be backed with the power of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/there-are-plenty-of-good-ideas-if-only-they-can-be-backed-with-the/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [“Progress is unstoppable. It is a drumbeat to which we must all march. Technology helps and good ideas spread - these are two laws…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/progress-is-unstoppable-it-is-a-drumbeat-to-which-we-must-all-march/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [Government likes committees... a lot. Committees kill all the really good ideas and generally all the really bad ideas. They produce middle-ground mush.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-devos/government-likes-committees-a-lot-committees-kill-all-the-really-good/) [Betsy DeVos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-devos/) > [“You know, I don't believe that religions are religions. No, I believe they are philosophies with some good ideas and some fuckin' weird ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/you-know-i-don-t-believe-that-religions-are-religions-no-i-believe/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [I was planning on writing a detailed review of several books on web security tonight, but the Obama collapse has superseded my best-laid plans.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-foster-johnson/i-was-planning-on-writing-a-detailed-review-of-several-books-on-web/) [Charles Foster Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-foster-johnson/) > [Everything in New Orleans is a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/everything-in-new-orleans-is-a-good-idea/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [I do not have to be high to be great. I do not have to be drunk to have a good idea. I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lady-gaga/i-do-not-have-to-be-high-to-be-great-i-do-not-have-to-be-drunk-to/) [Lady Gaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lady-gaga/) > [We believe that almost all really good investment records will involve relatively little diversification. The basic idea that it was hard to find good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/we-believe-that-almost-all-really-good-investment-records-will/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) [Browse all 757 Good ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "These days, the problem isn't how to innovate; it's how to get society to adopt the good ideas that already exist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas Engelbart" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-innovate-it-s-how-to-get-society/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good ideas" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-innovate-it-s-how-to-get-society/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4de/douglas-engelbart-39997_good-ideas_these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-inno_1972660.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“These days, the problem isn't how to innovate; it's how to get society to adopt the good ideas that already…” — Douglas Engelbart", "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": "Douglas Engelbart", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-engelbart/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "These days, the problem isn't how...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-innovate-it-s-how-to-get-society/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-engelbart/these-days-the-problem-isn-t-how-to-innovate-it-s-how-to-get-society/#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 } } ] } ```