--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Most innovative things are not obvious to…" description: "\"Most innovative things are not obvious to other people at the time. You have to believe in yourself. If you've got a good idea, follow it even though o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/frances-arnold-5774_believe_most-innovative-things-are-not-obvious-t_1542798.jpg" --- # Most innovative things are not obvious to other people at… ![“Most innovative things are not obvious to other people at the time. You have to believe in yourself. If you've got a good idea, follow it even though others tell you it's not.” quote by Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/frances-arnold-5774_believe_most-innovative-things-are-not-obvious-t_1542798.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/frances-arnold-5774_believe_most-innovative-things-are-not-obvious-t_1542798.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6c/frances-arnold-5774_believe_most-innovative-things-are-not-obvious-t_1542798.jpg) > “Most innovative things are not obvious to other people at the time. You have to believe in yourself. If you've got a good idea, follow it even though others tell you it's not.” [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovative ideas often seem hidden to others; confidence and self‑belief are needed to pursue them despite doubt. **In simple terms:** Great ideas look obvious only after success. Key Takeaway Trust your vision despite criticism. Themes innovation confidence creativity Mood determined optimistic Type inspirational motivational When to use this quote - startup pitch - research funding - personal projects - team brainstorming Key Concepts self‑efficacy risk‑taking Questions to Reflect On - What idea have you ignored because others doubted it? - How do you balance confidence with constructive feedback? A Different Perspective Belief may overlook valid criticism or market reality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I get worked up over an 'idea' or the ethos of an idea. I follow dreams, take notes on travels, and engage in research…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-waldman/i-get-worked-up-over-an-idea-or-the-ethos-of-an-idea-i-follow-dreams/) [Anne Waldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-waldman/) > [It takes a tremendous amount of passion to do innovative things every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-pratt/it-takes-a-tremendous-amount-of-passion-to-do-innovative-things-every/) Jane Pratt > [If you can keep learning, you can still do your thing, and keep singing or whatever, and still do innovative things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-angelo-batio/if-you-can-keep-learning-you-can-still-do-your-thing-and-keep-singing/) [Michael Angelo Batio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-angelo-batio/) > [Schools and districts and unions are working together on some really innovative things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arne-duncan/schools-and-districts-and-unions-are-working-together-on-some-really/) [Arne Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arne-duncan/) > [I'm hoping that I continue to be innovative on things that are tremendously visible and are still important projects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-scher/i-m-hoping-that-i-continue-to-be-innovative-on-things-that-are/) [Paula Scher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-scher/) > [So we draw a picture of what we want as a team and will follow that - understanding that sometimes you might have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-carvalhal/so-we-draw-a-picture-of-what-we-want-as-a-team-and-will-follow-that/) [Carlos Carvalhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-carvalhal/) > [A lot of really great, innovative things have happened when people just didn't know it wasn't supposed to be possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/a-lot-of-really-great-innovative-things-have-happened-when-people/) [Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/) > [A lot of times it's an asset to not know everything about everything... A lot of really great, innovative things have happened when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-houston/a-lot-of-times-it-s-an-asset-to-not-know-everything-about-everything/) [Drew Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-houston/) > [Gadgets - our houses are filled with them: ones we need, ones we think we need, and others that were a good idea at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheherazade-goldsmith/gadgets-our-houses-are-filled-with-them-ones-we-need-ones-we-think-we/) [Sheherazade Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheherazade-goldsmith/) > [We like to test things... no matter how good an idea sounds, test it first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-w-bloch/we-like-to-test-things-no-matter-how-good-an-idea-sounds-test-it-first/) Henry W. Bloch > [“Why is it a good idea for you and not a good idea for me?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/why-is-it-a-good-idea-for-you-and-not-a-good-idea-for-me/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [What I’ve learned is that if you really want to be successful at something, you’ll find that you put the time in. You won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cuban/what-i-ve-learned-is-that-if-you-really-want-to-be-successful-at/) [Mark Cuban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cuban/) > [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/) > [No, it's interesting to remake a film for the contemporary audience today. I think it's a good idea; it needs to respect the original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dario-argento/no-it-s-interesting-to-remake-a-film-for-the-contemporary-audience/) [Dario Argento](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dario-argento/) > [Everybody has a good idea, but nothing goes as planned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-winklevoss/everybody-has-a-good-idea-but-nothing-goes-as-planned/) [Tyler Winklevoss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-winklevoss/) ## More by Frances Arnold > [The real frontier is making these hybrid systems where you expand the capabilities of biology with chemistry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/the-real-frontier-is-making-these-hybrid-systems-where-you-expand-the/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Instead of studying what biology has already made, we have to imagine what biology could make. You can say, 'Oh, I want a cure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/instead-of-studying-what-biology-has-already-made-we-have-to-imagine/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [We are going to see a steady stream, I predict, of Nobel prizes coming out of chemistry and given to women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/we-are-going-to-see-a-steady-stream-i-predict-of-nobel-prizes-coming/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I decided that I wanted to become an engineer of the biological world, specifically a protein engineer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-decided-that-i-wanted-to-become-an-engineer-of-the-biological-world/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [There's plenty of ordinary Nobel laureates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/there-s-plenty-of-ordinary-nobel-laureates/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [When I started engineering proteins I didn't know how hard it would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/when-i-started-engineering-proteins-i-didn-t-know-how-hard-it-would-be/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I get these students who come in and say, I want to help people. I say, people get plenty of help. Why don't you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-get-these-students-who-come-in-and-say-i-want-to-help-people-i-say/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Pittsburgh was a wonderful place to grow up - diverse and complex, one could go from one culture to a completely different one in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/pittsburgh-was-a-wonderful-place-to-grow-up-diverse-and-complex-one/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I wanted to rewrite the code of life, to make new molecular machines that would solve human problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-wanted-to-rewrite-the-code-of-life-to-make-new-molecular-machines/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I was used to being the only woman in everything... I didn't even think about it. Men were my role models - there's nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-was-used-to-being-the-only-woman-in-everything-i-didn-t-even-think/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [I feel a responsibility to encourage everyone to excel in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/i-feel-a-responsibility-to-encourage-everyone-to-excel-in-science/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [To survive and even thrive in a changing world, nature offers another great lesson: the survivors are those who at the least adapt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/to-survive-and-even-thrive-in-a-changing-world-nature-offers-another/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Enzymes are masters of chemistry. They evolved over billions of years to perform specific biological functions. They make complex materials with virtually no waste.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/enzymes-are-masters-of-chemistry-they-evolved-over-billions-of-years/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [This innovation machine that's evolution, we can use it to do all sorts of interesting things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/this-innovation-machine-that-s-evolution-we-can-use-it-to-do-all/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) > [Cellulose has physical and chemical properties that make it difficult to access and difficult to break down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-arnold/cellulose-has-physical-and-chemical-properties-that-make-it-difficult/) [Frances Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) [Explore all 100 Frances Arnold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-arnold/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Most innovative things are not obvious to other people at the time. You have to believe in yourself. 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