--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not all that important that you be…" description: "\"“It's not all that important that you be able to originate brilliant ideas... The more important talent is to be able to recognize good ideas from othe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/eric-s-raymond-5007_design_it-s-not-all-that-important-that-you-be_395276.png" --- # It's not all that important that you be able to originate… ![“It's not all that important that you be able to originate brilliant ideas... The more important talent is to be able to recognize good ideas from other people.” quote by Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/eric-s-raymond-5007_design_it-s-not-all-that-important-that-you-be_395276.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/eric-s-raymond-5007_design_it-s-not-all-that-important-that-you-be_395276.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6c0/eric-s-raymond-5007_design_it-s-not-all-that-important-that-you-be_395276.png) > ““It's not all that important that you be able to originate brilliant ideas... The more important talent is to be able to recognize good ideas from other people.”” [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote emphasizes that recognizing valuable ideas from others is more crucial than generating original ones oneself, highlighting the importance of discernment and collaboration. **In simple terms:** Finding good ideas is more important than creating them. Key Takeaway Value and evaluate others' ideas. Themes collaboration creativity critical thinking Mood analytical pragmatic Type advisory motivational When to use this quote - team meetings - peer reviews - brainstorming sessions - academic research - product development Key Concepts innovation idea evaluation networking Questions to Reflect On - How do you practice effective idea evaluation? - What systems help surface good ideas? A Different Perspective Recognition alone isn’t enough without action on those ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Design](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) [Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-important-887290/) [Ideas People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas-people/) [Important Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-talent-807287/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Talent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent/) [Talent Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talent-able-404830/) ## Related quotes > [There's so many things running through your mind. If you can formulate a game plan that works for you and allows you to block…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-arrieta/there-s-so-many-things-running-through-your-mind-if-you-can-formulate/) [Jake Arrieta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-arrieta/) > [The talent God gave me is beautiful and wonderful, but it is difficult because you are always facing other people keen to judge you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/the-talent-god-gave-me-is-beautiful-and-wonderful-but-it-is-difficult/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [Talent is able to achieve what is beyond other people's capacity to achieve, yet not what is beyond their capacity of apprehension; therefore it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-schopenhauer/talent-is-able-to-achieve-what-is-beyond-other-people-s-capacity-to/) [Arthur Schopenhauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-schopenhauer/) > [There are few people with such talent, so there are few able to judge what I am doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/there-are-few-people-with-such-talent-so-there-are-few-able-to-judge/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I wouldn't even begin to presume that the talent of an able actor is anything like the talents of a prodigious musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliet-stevenson/i-wouldn-t-even-begin-to-presume-that-the-talent-of-an-able-actor-is/) [Juliet Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliet-stevenson/) > [I think that that's always been a real talent of mine is to be able to spot somebody who has that thing that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/i-think-that-that-s-always-been-a-real-talent-of-mine-is-to-be-able/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [Talent is being able to please people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marty-robbins/talent-is-being-able-to-please-people/) [Marty Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marty-robbins/) > [No matter what type of equipment you have, you still have to have a certain talent to be able to make a good record.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre/no-matter-what-type-of-equipment-you-have-you-still-have-to-have-a/) [Dr. Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre/) > [I have no talent except for being able to enjoy and recognize it in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-geffen/i-have-no-talent-except-for-being-able-to-enjoy-and-recognize-it-in/) [David Geffen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-geffen/) > [Talent is being able to sell what you're feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-presley/talent-is-being-able-to-sell-what-you-re-feeling/) [Elvis Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-presley/) > [To be granted some kind of usable talent and to be able to use it to the fullest extent of which you are capable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-welk/to-be-granted-some-kind-of-usable-talent-and-to-be-able-to-use-it-to/) [Lawrence Welk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-welk/) > [Our team, because of our depth and our talent, we were able to do that, and it turned into a special season as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-kerr/our-team-because-of-our-depth-and-our-talent-we-were-able-to-do-that/) [Steve Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-kerr/) > [I know what it feels like to have a talent and not be able to use it for almost half a decade.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-know-what-it-feels-like-to-have-a-talent-and-not-be-able-to-use-it/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [It's also so cool to be able to develop the talent to be able to jump and control the motorcycle which is a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-hardy/it-s-also-so-cool-to-be-able-to-develop-the-talent-to-be-able-to-jump/) [Jeff Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-hardy/) > [I am one of those guys who could do the most emotional scene and crack a joke instantly. I'm lucky. I'm just like an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/i-am-one-of-those-guys-who-could-do-the-most-emotional-scene-and/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) ## More by Eric S. Raymond > [The Wesnoth devs are good but not exceptionally so, and we're weighed down by a crappy implementation language (C++). Nevertheless our productivity, in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-wesnoth-devs-are-good-but-not-exceptionally-so-and-we-re-weighed/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“We’re proving not only that we can do better software, but that joy is an asset.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/we-re-proving-not-only-that-we-can-do-better-software-but-that-joy-is/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The workstation-class machines built by Sun and others opened up new worlds for hackers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-workstation-class-machines-built-by-sun-and-others-opened-up-new/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [It is widely grokked that cats have the hacker nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/it-is-widely-grokked-that-cats-have-the-hacker-nature/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“If (as is generally accepted) over 75% of a typical software project’s life-cycle costs will be in maintenance and debugging and extensions, then the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/if-as-is-generally-accepted-over-75-of-a-typical-software-project-s/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The combination of threads, remote-procedure-call interfaces, and heavyweight object-oriented design is especially dangerous... if you are ever invited onto a project that is supposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-combination-of-threads-remote-procedure-call-interfaces-and/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Lisp is worth learning for the profound enlightenment experience you will have when you finally get it; that experience will make you a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/lisp-is-worth-learning-for-the-profound-enlightenment-experience-you/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [You cannot motivate the best people with money. Money is just a way to keep score. The best people in any field are motivated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/you-cannot-motivate-the-best-people-with-money-money-is-just-a-way-to/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The Linux world behaves in many respects like a free market or an ecology, a collection of selfish agents attempting to maximize utility which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-linux-world-behaves-in-many-respects-like-a-free-market-or-an/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The reason this is a serious issue is that both the pool of users and the pool of talent available to be recruited into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-reason-this-is-a-serious-issue-is-that-both-the-pool-of-users-and/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [A security system is only as secure as its secret. Beware of pseudo-secrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/a-security-system-is-only-as-secure-as-its-secret-beware-of-pseudo/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [Today I am one of the senior technical cadre that makes the Internet work, and a core Linux and open-source developer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/today-i-am-one-of-the-senior-technical-cadre-that-makes-the-internet/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“The behavior of retailers when a vendor folds is very revealing. It tells us that they know something the vendors don’t. What they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-behavior-of-retailers-when-a-vendor-folds-is-very-revealing-it/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [The easiest programs to use are those which demand the least new learning from the user](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/the-easiest-programs-to-use-are-those-which-demand-the-least-new/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) > [“This is quite unlikely to happen to Linux,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-s-raymond/this-is-quite-unlikely-to-happen-to-linux/) [Eric S. Raymond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) [Explore all 104 Eric S. Raymond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-s-raymond/) ## More Design quotes > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Plenty of white space and generous line spacing,and don't make the type size too miserly. Then you will be assured of a product fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giambattista-bodoni/plenty-of-white-space-and-generous-line-spacing-and-don-t-make-the/) [Giambattista Bodoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giambattista-bodoni/) > [Designers shouldn’t design for museums any more than mummies should die for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-caplan/designers-shouldn-t-design-for-museums-any-more-than-mummies-should/) [Ralph Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-caplan/) > [The market may never coalesce around one basic design, or even around two or three dominant devices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-peters/the-market-may-never-coalesce-around-one-basic-design-or-even-around/) [Tom Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-peters/) > [The display is the computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hsun-huang/the-display-is-the-computer/) [Jen-Hsun Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hsun-huang/) > [Design is not making beauty, beauty emerges from selection, affinities, integration, love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-kahn/design-is-not-making-beauty-beauty-emerges-from-selection-affinities/) [Louis Kahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-kahn/) > [The beauty of New York is unintentional; it arose independent of human design, like a stalagmite cavern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-beauty-of-new-york-is-unintentional-it-arose-independent-of-human/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Like many other scientists who hold the Catholic faith, I see the Creator's plan and purpose fulfilled in our universe. I see a planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-r-miller/like-many-other-scientists-who-hold-the-catholic-faith-i-see-the/) [Kenneth R. Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-r-miller/) > [I design some of my own clothes now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiernan-shipka/i-design-some-of-my-own-clothes-now/) [Kiernan Shipka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiernan-shipka/) > [Programmers are always surrounded by complexity; we cannot avoid it… If our basic tool, the language in which we design and code our programs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-hoare/programmers-are-always-surrounded-by-complexity-we-cannot-avoid-it-if/) [Tony Hoare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-hoare/) > [Design is a very personal thing. It's like art. Your personal choice plays a big role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gauri-khan/design-is-a-very-personal-thing-it-s-like-art-your-personal-choice/) [Gauri Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gauri-khan/) > [“Designing posters, for me, is not only a commercial pursuit but also a philosophical endeavor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fang-chen/designing-posters-for-me-is-not-only-a-commercial-pursuit-but-also-a/) [Fang Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fang-chen/) > [I am not a great believer in dialectical struggle. I am much more of a fusion person. I see it as a dialogue, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-warner/i-am-not-a-great-believer-in-dialectical-struggle-i-am-much-more-of-a/) [Marina Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-warner/) > [Users are not designers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-nielsen/users-are-not-designers/) [Jakob Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-nielsen/) > [I write the way you might arrange flowers. Not every try works, but each one launches another. Every constraint, even dullness, frees up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/i-write-the-way-you-might-arrange-flowers-not-every-try-works-but/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) [Browse all 5,563 Design quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/design/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's not all that important that you be able to originate brilliant ideas... The more important talent is to be able to recognize good ideas from other people.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric S. 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