--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Invention consists in avoiding the…" description: "\"Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless contraptions and in constructing the useful combinations which are in infinite minority.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg" --- # Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless… ![“Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless contraptions and in constructing the useful combinations which are in infinite minority.” quote by Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg) > “Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless contraptions and in constructing the useful combinations which are in infinite minority.” [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation focuses on creating valuable, rare combinations rather than many useless inventions. **In simple terms:** Innovation is about useful, rare combos. Key Takeaway Seek useful, rare combos. Themes creativity efficiency innovation Mood analytical inquisitive Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research labs - product design - software development - policy making Key Concepts combinatorial theory resource optimization Questions to Reflect On - What makes a combination useful? - How can you identify the minority of valuable ideas? A Different Perspective Not all new ideas are valuable. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Avoiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) [Avoiding Constructing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding-constructing-1424894/) [Constructing Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constructing-useless-1424893/) [Contraptions Constructing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contraptions-constructing-1424892/) [Innovation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovation/) [Invention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention/) [Invention Consists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invention-consists-1424891/) [Minority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minority/) [Useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useless/) ## Related quotes > [Invention consists in the capacity of seizing on the capabilities of a subject, and in the power of moulding and fashioning ideas suggested to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/invention-consists-in-the-capacity-of-seizing-on-the-capabilities-of/) [Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft-shelley/) > [“We redheads are a minority, we tend to notice each other - you know, and notice our identity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/we-redheads-are-a-minority-we-tend-to-notice-each-other-you-know-and/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Being a minority voice is still brave - even if the minority voice is from the right wing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hopkins/being-a-minority-voice-is-still-brave-even-if-the-minority-voice-is/) [Katie Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hopkins/) > [All schools should provide a safe learning environment, and everyone in them should be able to go about their business without fear of intimidation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavin-williamson/all-schools-should-provide-a-safe-learning-environment-and-everyone/) [Gavin Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavin-williamson/) > [I really want to be the black Tina Fey, where I just am able to produce my own content and produce other content for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/i-really-want-to-be-the-black-tina-fey-where-i-just-am-able-to/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [You cannot collectively, as a society, decide that you are only going to represent one part of a minority. It's like saying you've represented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-gavaris/you-cannot-collectively-as-a-society-decide-that-you-are-only-going/) [Jordan Gavaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-gavaris/) > [I grew up in that minority. I grew up in the South, in Roswell, Georgia, and it was heavily white, Baptist, conservative. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/i-grew-up-in-that-minority-i-grew-up-in-the-south-in-roswell-georgia/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [Trump in particular was such an unpopular candidate, because he's so anti communities of color, and we're a minority majority state, are you kidding?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-lujan-grisham/trump-in-particular-was-such-an-unpopular-candidate-because-he-s-so/) [Michelle Lujan Grisham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-lujan-grisham/) > [“There's no perk in being closed-minded as a minority. It's never, ever, ever going to help you, ever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baratunde-r-thurston/there-s-no-perk-in-being-closed-minded-as-a-minority-it-s-never-ever/) [Baratunde R. Thurston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baratunde-r-thurston/) > [Even as a kid I remember seeing 'Minority Report' and just crying my eyes out. It was horrible what was happening to her. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esme-creed-miles/even-as-a-kid-i-remember-seeing-minority-report-and-just-crying-my/) [Esme Creed-Miles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esme-creed-miles/) > [We're never all going to agree with each other. We have to learn to value the diversity. It's one of the presumable principles of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-r-ehrlich/we-re-never-all-going-to-agree-with-each-other-we-have-to-learn-to/) [Paul R. Ehrlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-r-ehrlich/) > [People are not fundamentally bad. It only takes the smallest of correctives to take care of that tiny minority that wants to disrupt the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/people-are-not-fundamentally-bad-it-only-takes-the-smallest-of/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [And one day our grandkids will ask us, 'What was it like to be a minority?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christy-haubegger/and-one-day-our-grandkids-will-ask-us-what-was-it-like-to-be-a/) [Christy Haubegger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christy-haubegger/) > [When you are what we call a 'minority writer,' a writer of color, a writer of any kind of difference, there is some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumaan-alam/when-you-are-what-we-call-a-minority-writer-a-writer-of-color-a/) [Rumaan Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumaan-alam/) > [In 2008, Barack Obama did a phenomenal job of reaching out to minority groups, to younger people, and a lot of newer voters, Hispanics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-p-bush/in-2008-barack-obama-did-a-phenomenal-job-of-reaching-out-to-minority/) [George P. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-p-bush/) ## More by Henri Poincare > [The mathematical facts worthy of being studied are those which, by their analogy with other facts, are capable of leading us to the knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/the-mathematical-facts-worthy-of-being-studied-are-those-which-by/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [. . . by natural selection our mind has adapted itself to the conditions of the external world. It has adopted the geometry most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/by-natural-selection-our-mind-has-adapted-itself-to-the-conditions-of/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [If we knew exactly the laws of nature and the situation of the universe at the initial moment, we could predict exactly the situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/if-we-knew-exactly-the-laws-of-nature-and-the-situation-of-the/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Absolute space, that is to say, the mark to which it would be necessary to refer the earth to know whether it really moves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/absolute-space-that-is-to-say-the-mark-to-which-it-would-be-necessary/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Science is facts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/science-is-facts/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Absolute space, that is to say, the mark to which it would be necessary to refer the earth to know whether it really moves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/absolute-space-that-is-to-say-the-mark-to-which-it-would-be-necessary-2/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [All of mathematics is a tale about groups.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/all-of-mathematics-is-a-tale-about-groups/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [A cat is witty, he has nerve, he knows how to do precisely the right thing at the right moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/a-cat-is-witty-he-has-nerve-he-knows-how-to-do-precisely-the-right/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [In the old days when people invented a new function they had something useful in mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/in-the-old-days-when-people-invented-a-new-function-they-had/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Intuition is more important to discovery than logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/intuition-is-more-important-to-discovery-than-logic/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Mathematics has a threefold purpose. It must provide an instrument for the study of nature. But this is not all: it has a philosophical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/mathematics-has-a-threefold-purpose-it-must-provide-an-instrument-for/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Experiment is the sole source of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/experiment-is-the-sole-source-of-truth/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“ Qu'une goutee de vin tombe dans un verre d'eau; quelle que soit la loi du movement interne du liquide, nous verrons bientôt se…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/qu-une-goutee-de-vin-tombe-dans-un-verre-d-eau-quelle-que-soit-la-loi/) [Henri Poincaré](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [If that enabled us to predict the succeeding situation with the same approximation, that is all we require, and we should say that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/if-that-enabled-us-to-predict-the-succeeding-situation-with-the-same/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [“ Le savant doit ordonner ; on fait la science avec des faits comme une maison avec des pierres ; mais une accumulation de…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/le-savant-doit-ordonner-on-fait-la-science-avec-des-faits-comme-une/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) [Explore all 130 Henri Poincare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) ## More Avoiding quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Exactly. So, what can't you take? Decide which of the two options is harder, and do the other. That way, no matter how hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-angelini/exactly-so-what-can-t-you-take-decide-which-of-the-two-options-is/) [Josephine Angelini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-angelini/) > [I've always been a very restless person. I work hard, spend too much time looking after my son, I dance like a mad thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-ve-always-been-a-very-restless-person-i-work-hard-spend-too-much/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [“What I'm trying to say is that I spent the last four months learning to be alone, avoiding the world, hating pretty much anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-cremer/what-i-m-trying-to-say-is-that-i-spent-the-last-four-months-learning/) [Andrea Cremer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-cremer/) > [ I can hardly believe what these 12 caricatures \[about Prophet Muhammad\] have caused in the world. We Danes feel like we have been placed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-fogh-rasmussen/i-can-hardly-believe-what-these-12-caricatures-about-prophet-muhammad/) [Anders Fogh Rasmussen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-fogh-rasmussen/) > [I know a bit about taxation and the remarkable effort that goes in to avoiding it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rinder/i-know-a-bit-about-taxation-and-the-remarkable-effort-that-goes-in-to/) [Robert Rinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rinder/) > [When you are in hard labor, remember that the length of labor is usually proportional to the number of people around. Avoid the presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-odent/when-you-are-in-hard-labor-remember-that-the-length-of-labor-is/) [Michel Odent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-odent/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) [Raymond Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-briggs/) > [Resisting and avoiding pain sucks energy-and time. The more you let yourself feel those minute-and-a-half hells, the quicker you'll start feeling those minute-and-a-half happinesses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-newman/resisting-and-avoiding-pain-sucks-energy-and-time-the-more-you-let/) [Leigh Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-newman/) > [Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-helps/reading-is-sometimes-an-ingenious-device-for-avoiding-thought/) [Arthur Helps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-helps/) > [A day can really slip by when you're deliberately avoiding what you're supposed to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/a-day-can-really-slip-by-when-you-re-deliberately-avoiding-what-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [When someone starts Ignoring you, just back off without staying there with them Just to know the reason for avoiding..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vishak/when-someone-starts-ignoring-you-just-back-off-without-staying-there/) [Vishak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vishak/) > [You know what takes effort? 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I've been married to the same person for nearly 50 years, I'm scrupulous about paying bills, avoiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/in-my-personal-life-i-m-very-conservative-i-ve-been-married-to-the/) [Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/) [Browse all 713 Avoiding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoiding/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless contraptions and in constructing the useful combinations which are in infinite minority.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Poincare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-constructing-of-useless/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Avoiding" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-constructing-of-useless/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/henri-poincare-3339_avoiding_invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-const_2540033.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Invention consists in avoiding the constructing of useless contraptions and in constructing the useful…” — Henri Poincare", "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": "Henri Poincare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Invention consists in avoiding the constructing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-constructing-of-useless/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/invention-consists-in-avoiding-the-constructing-of-useless/#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 } } ] } ```