--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was playing when I invented the…" description: "\"I was playing when I invented the aqualung. I think play is the most serious thing in the world.\" — Jacques Yves Cousteau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_play_i-was-playing-when-i-invented-the-aqualu_2824280.jpg" --- # I was playing when I invented the aqualung. I think play… ![“I was playing when I invented the aqualung. I think play is the most serious thing in the world.” quote by Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_play_i-was-playing-when-i-invented-the-aqualu_2824280.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_play_i-was-playing-when-i-invented-the-aqualu_2824280.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/796/jacques-yves-cousteau-9353_play_i-was-playing-when-i-invented-the-aqualu_2824280.jpg) > “I was playing when I invented the aqualung. I think play is the most serious thing in the world.” [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Play is a profound, essential activity that nurtures creativity and seriousness in life. **In simple terms:** Play is vital and serious. Key Takeaway Embrace playfulness in work and life. Themes creativity seriousness play Mood joyful thoughtful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - education - team building - innovation - stress relief Key Concepts human development psychology Questions to Reflect On - How can play enhance productivity? - When does play become distraction? A Different Perspective Play can be misinterpreted as frivolous. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Aqualung is one that my brother turned me onto. It wasn't that hard-rocking, but Martin Barre had a really good sound. He knew what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hetfield/aqualung-is-one-that-my-brother-turned-me-onto-it-wasn-t-that-hard/) [James Hetfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hetfield/) > ['Aqualung' marks the point at which I had the confidence as a songwriter and as a guitar player to actually pick up and play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-anderson/aqualung-marks-the-point-at-which-i-had-the-confidence-as-a/) [Ian Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-anderson/) > [ If Boris \[Johnson\] backtracks on serious things there'll be another bloody revolt. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/if-boris-johnson-backtracks-on-serious-things-there-ll-be-another/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [And that works for me. So that if this is it, you better take it at its right proportion. That there are serious things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shatner/and-that-works-for-me-so-that-if-this-is-it-you-better-take-it-at-its/) [William Shatner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shatner/) > [I get some very fierce anonymous letters about the Athanasian Creed, which would amuse you, if they were not so sad as to what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-parry-liddon/i-get-some-very-fierce-anonymous-letters-about-the-athanasian-creed/) [Henry Parry Liddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-parry-liddon/) > [That's the Irish all over -- they treat a joke as a serious thing and a serious thing as a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-o-casey/that-s-the-irish-all-over-they-treat-a-joke-as-a-serious-thing-and-a/) [Sean O'Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-o-casey/) > [Collaborating with the musical genius of our time in some ways with Prince himself - late, great Gerald Levert,all these are forms of singing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/collaborating-with-the-musical-genius-of-our-time-in-some-ways-with/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [Great use they have, when in the hands Of one like me, who understands, Who understands the time and place, The person, manner, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-churchill/great-use-they-have-when-in-the-hands-of-one-like-me-who-understands/) [Charles Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-churchill/) > [Pythagoras asks that we not let a friend go lightly, for whatever reason. Instead, we should stay with a friend as long as we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-moore/pythagoras-asks-that-we-not-let-a-friend-go-lightly-for-whatever/) [Thomas Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-moore/) > [Yet compared with the serious things of life, fishing is after all rather trivial. The thoughtful angler must frankly confess this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-russell/yet-compared-with-the-serious-things-of-life-fishing-is-after-all/) [Harold Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-russell/) > [There's something about comedy, funny things, that people want to pass them along. Serious things and personal things are much more privately enjoyed. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-coulton/there-s-something-about-comedy-funny-things-that-people-want-to-pass/) [Jonathan Coulton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-coulton/) > [You sharpen your ideas by reducing yourself to the level of the people you are with and a sense of humour and a complete…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-sharpen-your-ideas-by-reducing-yourself-to-the-level-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I love acting, and that's my passion. So I would love to do more movies and some serious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena/i-love-acting-and-that-s-my-passion-so-i-would-love-to-do-more-movies/) [Selena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena/) > [When you come to America, it's a very serious thing. It's not like you arrive and they say, 'Hey, come on! Do movies!' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-q/when-you-come-to-america-it-s-a-very-serious-thing-it-s-not-like-you/) [Maggie Q](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-q/) > [Respect is a serious thing in him who feels it, and the height of honor for him who inspires the feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/respect-is-a-serious-thing-in-him-who-feels-it-and-the-height-of/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) ## More by Jacques Yves Cousteau > [With earth's burgeoning human population to feed we must turn to the sea with understanding and new technology. We need to farm it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/with-earth-s-burgeoning-human-population-to-feed-we-must-turn-to-the/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must go and see for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-go-and-see-for-ourselves/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We are human beings, and we have faith, and we have hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-are-human-beings-and-we-have-faith-and-we-have-hope/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [And let us remember too that life, in its exuberance, always succeeds in overflowing the narrow limits within which man thinks he can confine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/and-let-us-remember-too-that-life-in-its-exuberance-always-succeeds/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [I experimented with all possible maneuvers-loops, somersaults and barrel rolls. I stood upside down on one finger and burst out laughing, a shrill, distorted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/i-experimented-with-all-possible-maneuvers-loops-somersaults-and/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [It is certain that the study of human psychology, if it were undertaken exclusively in prisons, would also lead to misrepresentation and absurd generalizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/it-is-certain-that-the-study-of-human-psychology-if-it-were/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [However fragmented the world, however intense the national rivalries, it is an inexorable fact that we become more interdependent every day. I believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/however-fragmented-the-world-however-intense-the-national-rivalries/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [If we go on the way we have, the fault is our greed and if we are not willing to change, we will disappear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/if-we-go-on-the-way-we-have-the-fault-is-our-greed-and-if-we-are-not/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [The reason I love the sea I cannot explain - it's physical. When you dive you begin to feel like an angel. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-reason-i-love-the-sea-i-cannot-explain-it-s-physical-when-you/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [If human civilization is going to invade the waters of the earth, then let it be first of all to carry a message of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/if-human-civilization-is-going-to-invade-the-waters-of-the-earth-then/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [No sooner does man discover intelligence than he tries to involve it in his own stupidity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/no-sooner-does-man-discover-intelligence-than-he-tries-to-involve-it-2/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [The impossible missions are the only ones which succeed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-impossible-missions-are-the-only-ones-which-succeed/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [The sea, the great unifier, is man's only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: we are all in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/the-sea-the-great-unifier-is-man-s-only-hope-now-as-never-before-the/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must alert and organise the world's people to pressure world leaders to take specific steps to solve the two root causes of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-alert-and-organise-the-world-s-people-to-pressure-world/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) > [We must plant the sea and herd its animals using the sea as farmers instead of hunters. That is what civilization is all about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-yves-cousteau/we-must-plant-the-sea-and-herd-its-animals-using-the-sea-as-farmers/) [Jacques Yves Cousteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) [Explore all 73 Jacques Yves Cousteau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-yves-cousteau/) ## More Play quotes > [There are guys who play lacrosse, and there are lacrosse players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-mundorf/there-are-guys-who-play-lacrosse-and-there-are-lacrosse-players/) Brendan Mundorf > [You gotta have a little kid in you to play football.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-edwards/you-gotta-have-a-little-kid-in-you-to-play-football/) [Herman Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-edwards/) > [My team mates are fundamental for my characteristics, if they send in crosses I can play inside the area.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/filippo-inzaghi/my-team-mates-are-fundamental-for-my-characteristics-if-they-send-in/) [Filippo Inzaghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/filippo-inzaghi/) > [Leo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Eden. Every year, you look at their numbers - score goals, assists, minutes - to see they play very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro/leo-cristiano-ronaldo-neymar-eden-every-year-you-look-at-their/) [Pedro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [It's a lot harder to play football when you haven't got the ball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-gray/it-s-a-lot-harder-to-play-football-when-you-haven-t-got-the-ball/) [Andy Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-gray/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/we-cannot-change-the-cards-we-are-dealt-just-how-we-play-the-hand/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [You play a part, and as soon as a movie is over and the camera stops, you go home and you're not really responsible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nastassja-kinski/you-play-a-part-and-as-soon-as-a-movie-is-over-and-the-camera-stops/) [Nastassja Kinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nastassja-kinski/) > [I think all children love to dress up and play make believe. It's just that I never stopped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-bonnar/i-think-all-children-love-to-dress-up-and-play-make-believe-it-s-just/) [Mark Bonnar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-bonnar/) > [It would be awesome to play in my backyard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-barty/it-would-be-awesome-to-play-in-my-backyard/) [Ashleigh Barty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-barty/) > [I really enjoy going to play for the national team and be with the guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cedi-osman/i-really-enjoy-going-to-play-for-the-national-team-and-be-with-the/) [Cedi Osman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cedi-osman/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [It's a shame that when you've actually lived some life and have something to write about, they're saying you're too old to come out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kt-tunstall/it-s-a-shame-that-when-you-ve-actually-lived-some-life-and-have/) [KT Tunstall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kt-tunstall/) > [I can play on grass - when I won Junior Wimbledon, that was an unbelievable feeling, I could not believe that I had won…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grigor-dimitrov/i-can-play-on-grass-when-i-won-junior-wimbledon-that-was-an/) [Grigor Dimitrov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grigor-dimitrov/) [Browse all 36,264 Play quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was playing when I invented the aqualung. 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