--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Perhaps it would be a good idea…" description: "\"Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, halt every motor, and stop all activity someday to give people a ch..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg" --- # Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds… ![“Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, halt every motor, and stop all activity someday to give people a chance to ponder a few minutes on what it is all about, why they are living, and what they really want.” quote by James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg) > “Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, halt every motor, and stop all activity someday to give people a chance to ponder a few minutes on what it is all about, why they are living, and what they really want.” [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) ## 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 urges a pause from constant activity to reflect on life's purpose and desires. **In simple terms:** Take a break to think about why you live and what you truly want. Key Takeaway Pause and reflect on life’s meaning. Themes reflection purpose mindfulness Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily routine - work overload - commuting - social media scrolling Key Concepts existentialism self‑inquiry Questions to Reflect On - What would you gain from a brief daily pause? - How can you integrate reflection into a busy schedule? A Different Perspective It may be unrealistic to stop all activity; small pauses are more feasible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [Never underestimate small people. You'll never know someday, that people is the one who could change your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowee/never-underestimate-small-people-you-ll-never-know-someday-that/) [Rowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowee/) > [I hope someday what people can do with their lives depends on their talents and how hard they are willing to work, rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-gates/i-hope-someday-what-people-can-do-with-their-lives-depends-on-their/) [Bill Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-gates/) > [“Someday you'll get hurt by someone just by making you stupid, but someday because of those people you are grown, without pain you'll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-kin/someday-you-ll-get-hurt-by-someone-just-by-making-you-stupid-but/) Hà Kin > [In our life we'll get our destinations someday. But can't get the people those were willing by heart...!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohit-padhra/in-our-life-we-ll-get-our-destinations-someday-but-can-t-get-the/) [Rohit Padhra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohit-padhra/) > [Maybe reality will hit us all real hard someday, and people will learn things about themselves that they could never imagine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hill/maybe-reality-will-hit-us-all-real-hard-someday-and-people-will-learn/) [Josh Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hill/) > [A good idea turns every cog in your mind, making you scared of bed in case the whole machine grinds to a halt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-baylis/a-good-idea-turns-every-cog-in-your-mind-making-you-scared-of-bed-in/) [Trevor Baylis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-baylis/) > [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/) > [Ours is the only country deliberately founded on a good idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gunther/ours-is-the-only-country-deliberately-founded-on-a-good-idea/) [John Gunther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gunther/) > [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/) > [Domino effect: Once you drop a good idea, the rest will follow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loesje/domino-effect-once-you-drop-a-good-idea-the-rest-will-follow/) [Loesje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loesje/) > [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/) > [If you have a good idea you must explain it or you will fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/if-you-have-a-good-idea-you-must-explain-it-or-you-will-fail/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) ## More by James Adams > [“50 or more silver in your inventory would be fine. Tip”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/50-or-more-silver-in-your-inventory-would-be-fine-tip/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [“Tip 41 – Brain of Cthulhu Brain of Cthulhu appears only in Crimson World and is summoned with Bloody Spine and always after every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/tip-41-brain-of-cthulhu-brain-of-cthulhu-appears-only-in-crimson/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [Advertising is the principal reason why the business person has come to inherit the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/advertising-is-the-principal-reason-why-the-business-person-has-come/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [“She drops the Happy Grenades when she dies. Tip”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/she-drops-the-happy-grenades-when-she-dies-tip/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [“The businessperson can therefore know the exact dollar profit on a product, but not the exact dollar value of the brand, the advertising, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/the-businessperson-can-therefore-know-the-exact-dollar-profit-on-a/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [“Tip 106 - Goblins Goblins will appear at the spawn point and kill the NPCs they find. There are different types including Sorcerer, Thief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/tip-106-goblins-goblins-will-appear-at-the-spawn-point-and-kill-the/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [The whole of the American Dream has been based on the chance to get ahead, for one's self or one's children. Would this country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/the-whole-of-the-american-dream-has-been-based-on-the-chance-to-get/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) > [Capital is to the progress of society what gas is to a car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/capital-is-to-the-progress-of-society-what-gas-is-to-a-car/) [James Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) [Explore all 9 James Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/) ## More Activity quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [And also I think the rise of other, you could say, destinations for international jihadis mean that Pakistan isn't necessarily the place where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/and-also-i-think-the-rise-of-other-you-could-say-destinations-for/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Fighting's fun, man. It's a great activity, it's a great sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-mitrione/fighting-s-fun-man-it-s-a-great-activity-it-s-a-great-sport/) [Matt Mitrione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-mitrione/) > [There were books everywhere in my house. Books were very present. I just loved books. I never understood reading as anything but a pleasurable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-lucas/there-were-books-everywhere-in-my-house-books-were-very-present-i/) [Lisa Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-lucas/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [The only activity a cynic will find contagious is yawning, that is, with other people, at other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/the-only-activity-a-cynic-will-find-contagious-is-yawning-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [For the longest time, neuroscientists were forced to be passive observers of brain activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gero-miesenbock/for-the-longest-time-neuroscientists-were-forced-to-be-passive/) Gero Miesenbock > [Enjoyment is not a goal, it is a feeling that accompanies important ongoing activity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/enjoyment-is-not-a-goal-it-is-a-feeling-that-accompanies-important/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [Once an activity has been socialized, it is impossible to point out, by concrete example, how men in a free market could better conduct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-read/once-an-activity-has-been-socialized-it-is-impossible-to-point-out-by/) [Leonard Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-read/) > [“Fun is not an activity, it is a state of mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/fun-is-not-an-activity-it-is-a-state-of-mind/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I have to consider everything I eat; I consider every activity I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-kimball/i-have-to-consider-everything-i-eat-i-consider-every-activity-i-do/) [Charlie Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-kimball/) > [Almost all good businesses engage in 'pain today, gain tomorrow' activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/almost-all-good-businesses-engage-in-pain-today-gain-tomorrow/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 3,263 Activity quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, halt every motor, and stop all activity someday to give people a chance to ponder a few minutes on what it is all about, why they are living, and what they really want.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantastic-as-it-sounds-to-muffle/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Activity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantastic-as-it-sounds-to-muffle/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9a6/james-adams-45418_activity_perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantasti_2669434.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Perhaps it would be a good idea, fantastic as it sounds, to muffle every telephone, halt every motor, and…” — James Adams", "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": "James Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Perhaps it would be a good...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantastic-as-it-sounds-to-muffle/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-adams/perhaps-it-would-be-a-good-idea-fantastic-as-it-sounds-to-muffle/#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 } } ] } ```