--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Often when works at a hard question…" description: "\"Often when works at a hard question, nothing good is accomplished at the first attack. Then one takes a rest, long or short, and sits down anew to the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/henri-poincare-3339_accomplished_often-when-works-at-a-hard-question-noth_1063430.jpg" --- # Often when works at a hard question, nothing good is… ![“Often when works at a hard question, nothing good is accomplished at the first attack. Then one takes a rest, long or short, and sits down anew to the work. During the first half-hour, as before, nothing is found, and then all of a sudden the decisive idea presents itself to the mind.” quote by Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/henri-poincare-3339_accomplished_often-when-works-at-a-hard-question-noth_1063430.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/henri-poincare-3339_accomplished_often-when-works-at-a-hard-question-noth_1063430.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d0/henri-poincare-3339_accomplished_often-when-works-at-a-hard-question-noth_1063430.jpg) > “Often when works at a hard question, nothing good is accomplished at the first attack. Then one takes a rest, long or short, and sits down anew to the work. During the first half-hour, as before, nothing is found, and then all of a sudden the decisive idea presents itself to the mind.” [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. Initial attempts often fail; taking a break can refresh the mind, leading to sudden insight. **In simple terms:** Rest helps ideas emerge. Key Takeaway Pause, then return to work. Themes problem solving creativity patience Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - research - writing - coding - artistic creation Key Concepts incubation cognitive reset Questions to Reflect On - When do you know a break is needed? - How long should a break be? A Different Perspective Too long breaks may lose momentum. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accomplished](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accomplished/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Half hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-hours/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Question](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-question-343322/) [Hard questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-questions/) [Hour Sudden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hour-sudden-2609908/) [Hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hours/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Incubation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incubation/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest/) [Sudden Decisive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sudden-decisive-2609909/) [Takes Rest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/takes-rest-1727436/) ## Related quotes > [I have to look at our staff and ask the hard question - Would I hire them again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-henderson/i-have-to-look-at-our-staff-and-ask-the-hard-question-would-i-hire/) [Jeff Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-henderson/) > [To ask the hard question is simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-ask-the-hard-question-is-simple/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“This is a hard question. But as women we have a right to ask the hard questions. The only way I have ever understood,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/this-is-a-hard-question-but-as-women-we-have-a-right-to-ask-the-hard/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [The worldly comforts are not for me. I am like a traveler, who takes rest under a tree in the shade and then goes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/the-worldly-comforts-are-not-for-me-i-am-like-a-traveler-who-takes/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/) > [“Why do you never answer?” “Because it’s a hard question.” “It’s a yes or no, actually. You have a fifty-fifty chance of getting it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/why-do-you-never-answer-because-it-s-a-hard-question-it-s-a-yes-or-no/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [“one. 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I mean, there was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cohn/what-do-you-want-it-was-a-hard-question-especially-if-i-had-to-bat-en/) [Rachel Cohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cohn/) > [Whenever something's really hard, you always question yourself, and I had many times when I questioned myself, but I always rose above it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-miz/whenever-something-s-really-hard-you-always-question-yourself-and-i/) [The Miz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-miz/) > [“The more interesting question is the pain. What is the pain that you want to sustain? 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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 Accomplished quotes > [I never believed in trying to do anything. 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This is the path way to Heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/when-you-have-accomplished-your-goal-simply-walk-away-this-is-the/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [... even the most sublimely accomplished non-stop talker can't consistently please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger-2/even-the-most-sublimely-accomplished-non-stop-talker-can-t/) [J. D. 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