--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we can keep that flexibility of mind…" description: "\"“If we can keep that flexibility of mind, that hospitality toward new ideas, we will be able to welcome the new flow of thought from wherever it comes,..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/eleanor-roosevelt-381_psychology_if-we-can-keep-that-flexibility-of-mind_1408441.jpg" --- # If we can keep that flexibility of mind, that hospitality… ![“If we can keep that flexibility of mind, that hospitality toward new ideas, we will be able to welcome the new flow of thought from wherever it comes, not resisting it; weighing and evaluating and exploring the strange new concepts that confront us at every turn. We cannot shut the windows and…” quote by Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/eleanor-roosevelt-381_psychology_if-we-can-keep-that-flexibility-of-mind_1408441.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/eleanor-roosevelt-381_psychology_if-we-can-keep-that-flexibility-of-mind_1408441.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbb/eleanor-roosevelt-381_psychology_if-we-can-keep-that-flexibility-of-mind_1408441.jpg) > ““If we can keep that flexibility of mind, that hospitality toward new ideas, we will be able to welcome the new flow of thought from wherever it comes, not resisting it; weighing and evaluating and exploring the strange new concepts that confront us at every turn. We cannot shut the windows and pull down the shades; we cannot say, “I have learned all I need to know; my opinions are fixed on everything. I refuse to change or to consider these new things.” Not today. Not any more.”” [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Flexibility of mind allows us to welcome and evaluate new ideas rather than resisting them, fostering growth and understanding. **In simple terms:** Stay open to new ideas. Key Takeaway Embrace change and evaluate new concepts. Themes open‑mindedness learning growth Mood reflective inspired Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - education - innovation - personal development - conflict resolution Key Concepts cognitive flexibility intellectual humility Questions to Reflect On - How do you react when confronted with an unfamiliar concept? - What practices help you stay open‑minded? A Different Perspective Resistance to new ideas can hinder progress and cause missed opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [New ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) ## Related quotes > [“Those seeking political and economic change should consider embracing art. 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What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-jaworski/when-we-are-in-the-process-of-creating-something-we-must-have/) [Joseph Jaworski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-jaworski/) > [A great deal of phenomenal experience has fostered in me a flexibility of the mind and imagination that some might call madness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/a-great-deal-of-phenomenal-experience-has-fostered-in-me-a/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [“A flexible body without flexibility of mind isn't perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamerlan-kuzgov/a-flexible-body-without-flexibility-of-mind-isn-t-perfect/) [Tamerlan Kuzgov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamerlan-kuzgov/) > [The quickness and flexibility of a well mind, a belief or hope that things will eventually sort themselves out-these are the resources lost to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-redfield-jamison/the-quickness-and-flexibility-of-a-well-mind-a-belief-or-hope-that/) [Kay Redfield Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-redfield-jamison/) > [“The flexibility of the mind is like an oasis in the desert, creating miraculous salvation in a desperate situation where there is no hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/the-flexibility-of-the-mind-is-like-an-oasis-in-the-desert-creating/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We must think differently, look at things in a different way. 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It is true moreover to say that in scientific borderlands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-gowland-hopkins/it-is-an-old-saying-abundantly-justified-that-where-sciences-meet/) [Frederick Gowland Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-gowland-hopkins/) > [“Here is the essence of mankind's creative genius: not the edifices of civilization nor the bang-flash weapons which can end it, but the words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/here-is-the-essence-of-mankind-s-creative-genius-not-the-edifices-of/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [At the same time, new concepts and abstractions flow into the picture, taking up the task of describing the universe without reference to such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/at-the-same-time-new-concepts-and-abstractions-flow-into-the-picture/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mathematicians seem to have no difficulty in creating new concepts faster than the old ones become well understood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton-lorenz/mathematicians-seem-to-have-no-difficulty-in-creating-new-concepts/) Edward Norton Lorenz > [New concepts should be introduced by the power of imagery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coop/new-concepts-should-be-introduced-by-the-power-of-imagery/) Douglas Coop ## More by Eleanor Roosevelt > [My experience has been that work is almost the best way to pull oneself out of the depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/my-experience-has-been-that-work-is-almost-the-best-way-to-pull/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [experience should teach us that it is always the unexpected that does occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/experience-should-teach-us-that-it-is-always-the-unexpected-that-does/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [To be mature you have to realize what you value most... Not to arrive at a clear understanding of one's own values is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/to-be-mature-you-have-to-realize-what-you-value-most-not-to-arrive-at/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [I'm enormously interested in freedom and retaining the right to have whatever economy we want and to shape it as we want and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/i-m-enormously-interested-in-freedom-and-retaining-the-right-to-have/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [When you look fear in the face, you are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/when-you-look-fear-in-the-face-you-are-able-to-say-to-yourself-i/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [The destiny of human rights is in the hands of all our citizens in all our communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/the-destiny-of-human-rights-is-in-the-hands-of-all-our-citizens-in/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [You can never really live anyone else's life, not even your child's. The influence you exert is through your own life, and what you've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/you-can-never-really-live-anyone-else-s-life-not-even-your-child-s/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [“One of the things I believe most intensely is that every child’s why should be answered with care—and with respect. If you do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/one-of-the-things-i-believe-most-intensely-is-that-every-child-s-why/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [What we must learn to do is to create unbreakable bonds between the sciences and the humanities. We cannot procrastinate. The world of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/what-we-must-learn-to-do-is-to-create-unbreakable-bonds-between-the/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/never-allow-a-person-to-tell-you-no-who-doesn-t-have-the-power-to-say/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/do-not-stop-thinking-of-life-as-an-adventure-you-have-no-security/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/we-stand-today-at-the-threshold-of-a-great-event-both-in-the-life-of/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [All of us ... should remember that no amount of flag-waving, pledging allegiance, or fervent singing of the national anthem is evidence that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/all-of-us-should-remember-that-no-amount-of-flag-waving-pledging/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [Some friends leave footprints in your heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/some-friends-leave-footprints-in-your-heart/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [If we want a free and peaceful world, if we want to make the deserts bloom and man grow to greater dignity as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/if-we-want-a-free-and-peaceful-world-if-we-want-to-make-the-deserts/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) [Explore all 612 Eleanor Roosevelt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) ## More New ideas quotes > [Every day, I read about new ideas and research that could help someone I care about live a longer and healthier life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rath/every-day-i-read-about-new-ideas-and-research-that-could-help-someone/) [Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/) > [When a new idea comes our way, we must put it on our mental scales and weigh it carefully before deciding its value.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/when-a-new-idea-comes-our-way-we-must-put-it-on-our-mental-scales-and/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [I would like new people with new ideas to come into it and change it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neville-marriner/i-would-like-new-people-with-new-ideas-to-come-into-it-and-change-it/) [Neville Marriner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neville-marriner/) > [When you build your network, keep yourself open to new ideas, concepts, and theories. Some of them may even contradict and challenge long-held points…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/when-you-build-your-network-keep-yourself-open-to-new-ideas-concepts/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [Liberalism's fatal flaw,... is that it has no permanent norms, only a succession of enthusiasms espoused by minor prophets. Each of these seems like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-sobran/liberalism-s-fatal-flaw-is-that-it-has-no-permanent-norms-only-a/) [Joseph Sobran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-sobran/) > [New materials are one of the great afflictions of contemporary art. Some artists confuse new materials with new ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sol-lewitt/new-materials-are-one-of-the-great-afflictions-of-contemporary-art/) [Sol LeWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sol-lewitt/) > [Capitalism historically has been a very dynamic force, and behind that force is technical progress, innovation, new ideas, new products, new technologies, and new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manmohan-singh/capitalism-historically-has-been-a-very-dynamic-force-and-behind-that/) [Manmohan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manmohan-singh/) > [The decision to let go of that which has completed its course in your experience is even more important than the decision to welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-charles-barker/the-decision-to-let-go-of-that-which-has-completed-its-course-in-your/) [Raymond Charles Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-charles-barker/) > [What is difficult about learning - any kind of learning - is that you have to give up what you know already to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-furlong/what-is-difficult-about-learning-any-kind-of-learning-is-that-you/) [Monica Furlong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-furlong/) > [If there's a new idea, a new invention, or a new gas, or a new whatever you know, It should be brought at least…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimi-hendrix/if-there-s-a-new-idea-a-new-invention-or-a-new-gas-or-a-new-whatever/) [Jimi Hendrix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimi-hendrix/) > [In the humanist ideal, the mainstream is where interesting debate, the generating of new ideas and creativity take place. In rational society this mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ralston-saul/in-the-humanist-ideal-the-mainstream-is-where-interesting-debate-the/) [John Ralston Saul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ralston-saul/) > [Cities need old buildings so badly it is probably impossible for vigorous streets and districts to grow without them… for really new ideas of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-jacobs/cities-need-old-buildings-so-badly-it-is-probably-impossible-for/) [Jane Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-jacobs/) > [Most new discoveries are suddenly-seen things that were always there. 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It has been the mother of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mccosh/when-christianity-is-received-it-stimulates-the-faculties-and-calls/) [James McCosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mccosh/) [Browse all 751 New ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If we can keep that flexibility of mind, that hospitality toward new ideas, we will be able to welcome the new flow of thought from wherever it comes, not resisting it; weighing and evaluating and exploring the strange new concepts that confront us at every turn. We cannot shut the windows and pull down the shades; we cannot say, “I have learned all I need to know; my opinions are fixed on everything. I refuse to change or to consider these new things.” Not today. 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