--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Play and experimentation loosens our grip…" description: "\"“Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and allows for more chance luck to surprise us.”\" — Elizabeth Hyde Stevens" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg" --- # Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and… ![“Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and allows for more chance luck to surprise us.” quote by Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg) > ““Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and allows for more chance luck to surprise us.”” [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Embracing playful experimentation reduces rigidity, opening space for unexpected opportunities. **In simple terms:** Playful openness invites serendipity. Key Takeaway Flexibility fuels surprise. Themes creativity mindset uncertainty growth play Mood curious optimistic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - creative brainstorming - team building - personal development - innovation workshops Key Concepts risk-taking adaptability Practical Applications - design thinking sessions - creative problem solving Questions to Reflect On - How might you incorporate play into daily routines? - What risks do you avoid by staying too rigid? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experimentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) ## Related quotes > [But the irony is that because the band isn't the focus any more, it allows me the chance to enjoy being a member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-allen/but-the-irony-is-that-because-the-band-isn-t-the-focus-any-more-it/) [Rick Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-allen/) > [“Trust energizes participants. We feel good when things work smoothly. We need to be safe to experiment and make mistakes. We need testing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/trust-energizes-participants-we-feel-good-when-things-work-smoothly/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-failed-experiment-only-experiments-with/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“By means of personal experimentation and observation, we can discover certain simple and universal truths. The mind moves the body, and the body follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-means-of-personal-experimentation-and-observation-we-can-discover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think in times of fear and hysteria in a culture, gender experimentation as it pertains to men has to go underground because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-think-in-times-of-fear-and-hysteria-in-a-culture-gender/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [I tend more towards what some people call literary science fiction, but what I mean by that is that it is full of interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-tend-more-towards-what-some-people-call-literary-science-fiction/) Edward Einhorn > [There would seem to be a limit, even for an art preoccupied with boundaries and transgressions, beyond which a work reaches its breaking point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ferneyhough/there-would-seem-to-be-a-limit-even-for-an-art-preoccupied-with/) [Brian Ferneyhough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ferneyhough/) > [You still want to be thoughtful about what you do, no doubt, but you have to learn through trial-and-error experimentation as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/you-still-want-to-be-thoughtful-about-what-you-do-no-doubt-but-you/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [I believe that 20-somethings would be more likely to embrace experimentation - and provide additional value - if they felt safe to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/i-believe-that-20-somethings-would-be-more-likely-to-embrace/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [Many, many people have done a lot more sexual experimentation than I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/many-many-people-have-done-a-lot-more-sexual-experimentation-than-i/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [America was born of revolt, flourished in dissent, became great through experimentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/america-was-born-of-revolt-flourished-in-dissent-became-great-through/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [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/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [“The amateur doesn't appreciate the need for experimentation. He wants his experts to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-amateur-doesn-t-appreciate-the-need-for-experimentation-he-wants/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) ## More by Elizabeth Hyde Stevens > [“Though it sounds vulgar, selling something that should be a gift is precisely what prostitution is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/though-it-sounds-vulgar-selling-something-that-should-be-a-gift-is/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“Don’t let your day job take over your life simply because it has a more immediate payoff.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/don-t-let-your-day-job-take-over-your-life-simply-because-it-has-a/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [ “\[Henson:\] I didn’t call him a frog. \[Interviewer:\] Right, he was just Kermit the thing. \[Henson:\] Yeah, all the characters in those days were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/henson-i-didn-t-call-him-a-frog-interviewer-right-he-was-just-kermit/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“We intuitively reject art when the cost to make it is less than the cost to buy it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/we-intuitively-reject-art-when-the-cost-to-make-it-is-less-than-the/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“try to picture yourself becoming more like this—like Sisyphus pushing a rock up a hill only to see it fall back down, knowing you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/try-to-picture-yourself-becoming-more-like-this-like-sisyphus-pushing/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [ “The feeling of accomplishment is more real and satisfying than finishing a good meal or looking at one’s accumulated wealth.”\[28\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/the-feeling-of-accomplishment-is-more-real-and-satisfying-than/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“Don’t listen to your friends who tell you they like leaving their work at work. They don’t have the same dream you do. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/don-t-listen-to-your-friends-who-tell-you-they-like-leaving-their/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“What ambitious story could you turn your life into? You can’t start over. You have to use only what’s in the toolbox—and make art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/what-ambitious-story-could-you-turn-your-life-into-you-can-t-start/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) > [“For art to truly affect us, it needs to be, in a sense, “given.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/for-art-to-truly-affect-us-it-needs-to-be-in-a-sense-given/) [Elizabeth Hyde Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) [Explore all 10 Elizabeth Hyde Stevens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/) ## More Experimentation quotes > [“The amateur doesn't appreciate the need for experimentation. He wants his experts to know.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-f-skinner-2/the-amateur-doesn-t-appreciate-the-need-for-experimentation-he-wants/) [B.F. Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-f-skinner-2/) > [“There is a time and place for electromagnetic shielding and I regard it as a last resort due to the long term biological problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/there-is-a-time-and-place-for-electromagnetic-shielding-and-i-regard/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [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/) > [America was born of revolt, flourished in dissent, became great through experimentation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-steele-commager/america-was-born-of-revolt-flourished-in-dissent-became-great-through/) [Henry Steele Commager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-steele-commager/) > [Many, many people have done a lot more sexual experimentation than I have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/many-many-people-have-done-a-lot-more-sexual-experimentation-than-i/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [I believe that 20-somethings would be more likely to embrace experimentation - and provide additional value - if they felt safe to do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-engelbert/i-believe-that-20-somethings-would-be-more-likely-to-embrace/) [Cathy Engelbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-engelbert/) > [You still want to be thoughtful about what you do, no doubt, but you have to learn through trial-and-error experimentation as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-d-anthony/you-still-want-to-be-thoughtful-about-what-you-do-no-doubt-but-you/) [Scott D. Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-d-anthony/) > [There would seem to be a limit, even for an art preoccupied with boundaries and transgressions, beyond which a work reaches its breaking point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-ferneyhough/there-would-seem-to-be-a-limit-even-for-an-art-preoccupied-with/) [Brian Ferneyhough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-ferneyhough/) > [I tend more towards what some people call literary science fiction, but what I mean by that is that it is full of interesting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-einhorn/i-tend-more-towards-what-some-people-call-literary-science-fiction/) Edward Einhorn > [I think in times of fear and hysteria in a culture, gender experimentation as it pertains to men has to go underground because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/i-think-in-times-of-fear-and-hysteria-in-a-culture-gender/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > [“By means of personal experimentation and observation, we can discover certain simple and universal truths. The mind moves the body, and the body follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/by-means-of-personal-experimentation-and-observation-we-can-discover/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is no such thing as a failed experiment, only experiments with unexpected outcomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-failed-experiment-only-experiments-with/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [“Trust energizes participants. We feel good when things work smoothly. We need to be safe to experiment and make mistakes. We need testing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/trust-energizes-participants-we-feel-good-when-things-work-smoothly/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [Let none count themselves wise who have not with the nerves of their imagination felt the pain of the vivisected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/let-none-count-themselves-wise-who-have-not-with-the-nerves-of-their/) [John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/) [Browse all 311 Experimentation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experimentation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and allows for more chance luck to surprise us.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elizabeth Hyde Stevens" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-grip-on-life-and-allows-for-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Experimentation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-grip-on-life-and-allows-for-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b5/elizabeth-hyde-stevens-42422_experimentation_play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-gri_25137.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Play and experimentation loosens our grip on life and allows for more chance luck to surprise us.” — Elizabeth Hyde Stevens", "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": "Elizabeth Hyde Stevens", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Play and experimentation loosens our grip...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-grip-on-life-and-allows-for-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-hyde-stevens/play-and-experimentation-loosens-our-grip-on-life-and-allows-for-more/#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 } } ] } ```