--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's the results that are surprising…" description: "\"It's the results that are surprising, even results where we've totally screwed up, and then learned something in the process, are the ones that stand o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/jamie-hyneman-3349_preconceptions_it-s-the-results-that-are-surprising-eve_317618.jpg" --- # It's the results that are surprising, even results where… ![“It's the results that are surprising, even results where we've totally screwed up, and then learned something in the process, are the ones that stand out. Having our preconceptions overturned is actually thrilling for us.” quote by Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/jamie-hyneman-3349_preconceptions_it-s-the-results-that-are-surprising-eve_317618.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/jamie-hyneman-3349_preconceptions_it-s-the-results-that-are-surprising-eve_317618.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/jamie-hyneman-3349_preconceptions_it-s-the-results-that-are-surprising-eve_317618.jpg) > “It's the results that are surprising, even results where we've totally screwed up, and then learned something in the process, are the ones that stand out. Having our preconceptions overturned is actually thrilling for us.” [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Unexpected outcomes, even failures, can be the most memorable and educational when they challenge our assumptions. **In simple terms:** Surprising failures teach us more than easy successes. Key Takeaway Embrace and learn from unexpected results. Themes learning innovation humility Mood curious reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - research labs - product development - personal projects - team retrospectives Key Concepts cognitive bias growth mindset Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions do you hold that could be challenged? - How can you create space for surprise in your work? A Different Perspective Unexpected results may be rare and hard to replicate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Preconceptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceptions/) [Process](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/process/) ## Related quotes > [I think that simply nudging yourself into unfamiliar settings - physical or emotional - can produce surprising results on the writing front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-keyes/i-think-that-simply-nudging-yourself-into-unfamiliar-settings/) [Ralph Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-keyes/) > [One of the interesting things about having little musical knowledge is that you generate surprising results sometimes; you move to places you wouldn't if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/one-of-the-interesting-things-about-having-little-musical-knowledge/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Like this gas tank, you are overflowing with preconceptions, full of useless knowledge. You hold many facts and opinions, yet know little of yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/like-this-gas-tank-you-are-overflowing-with-preconceptions-full-of/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [It is only when people begin to shake loose from their preconceptions, from the ideas that have dominated them, that we begin to receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/it-is-only-when-people-begin-to-shake-loose-from-their-preconceptions/) [Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/) > [The way to find out about our place in the universe is by examining the universe and by examining ourselves - without preconceptions, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-way-to-find-out-about-our-place-in-the-universe-is-by-examining/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It's completely different, for instance, to report on poor farmers in Africa than it is to report on, say, poor African-Americans. The familiarity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/it-s-completely-different-for-instance-to-report-on-poor-farmers-in/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [Soon the child’s clear eye is clouded over by ideas and opinions, preconceptions, and abstractions. Simple free being becomes encrusted with the burdensome armor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/soon-the-child-s-clear-eye-is-clouded-over-by-ideas-and-opinions/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/a-function-of-free-speech-under-our-system-of-government-is-to-invite/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Changing people's preconceptions is something you have to do in order to search for truth. Of course normally, that's not done because it also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/changing-people-s-preconceptions-is-something-you-have-to-do-in-order/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [At its best, travel should challenge our preconceptions and most cherished views, cause us to rethink our assumptions, shake us a bit, make us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-frommer/at-its-best-travel-should-challenge-our-preconceptions-and-most/) [Arthur Frommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-frommer/) > [The scientific attitude of mind involves a sweeping away of all other desires in the interests of the desire to know-it involves suppression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-scientific-attitude-of-mind-involves-a-sweeping-away-of-all-other/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [“...you cannot enter into an investigation with a philosophy that dictates the outcome. Objectivity is paramount; this is the first principle of detective work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-enter-into-an-investigation-with-a-philosophy-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [SF has at least the advantage of not depending on preconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sf-has-at-least-the-advantage-of-not-depending-on-preconceptions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't have anything to say in any picture. My only interest in photography is to see what something looks like as a photograph.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-have-anything-to-say-in-any-picture-my-only-interest-in/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [More than anyone, I am aware of the preconceptions. I was a Spice Girl. I'm married to a footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/more-than-anyone-i-am-aware-of-the-preconceptions-i-was-a-spice-girl/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) ## More by Jamie Hyneman > [I really didn't think this was going to be a success. We did the first three episodes and I said to Adam, 'I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-really-didn-t-think-this-was-going-to-be-a-success-we-did-the-first/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Neither Adam or I are scientists, we're not engineers or anything of the sort. We just have a lot of fun and the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/neither-adam-or-i-are-scientists-we-re-not-engineers-or-anything-of/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [If you build a robot, you're welding, machining sculpting, casting, dealing with electronics and hydraulics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/if-you-build-a-robot-you-re-welding-machining-sculpting-casting/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [If I had one word to describe how I feel at never having to work with co-host Adam Savage again it'd be relief.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/if-i-had-one-word-to-describe-how-i-feel-at-never-having-to-work-with/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I pretty much just use my smartphone for phone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-pretty-much-just-use-my-smartphone-for-phone-calls/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I mean, we're - if I may say so - we're experts at using materials and processes in ways for which they were never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-mean-we-re-if-i-may-say-so-we-re-experts-at-using-materials-and/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [You know, when you look carefully at stuff that you deal with everyday, applying a little creativity to it and thinking outside the box,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/you-know-when-you-look-carefully-at-stuff-that-you-deal-with-everyday/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [We got a lot of gay fan mail when the show first started. Something to do with being in San Francisco and being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/we-got-a-lot-of-gay-fan-mail-when-the-show-first-started-something-to/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I'm like a race horse attached to a freight wagon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-m-like-a-race-horse-attached-to-a-freight-wagon/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Running out of material for 'MythBusters' is like saying, 'We've done everything we could possibly do and we're not curious or interested in anything.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/running-out-of-material-for-mythbusters-is-like-saying-we-ve-done/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [I don't think our death ray is working. I'm standing right in it, and I'm not dead yet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/i-don-t-think-our-death-ray-is-working-i-m-standing-right-in-it-and-i/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [There are a lot of scientists or other people who can be very skeptical or rational within their field, but they may well not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/there-are-a-lot-of-scientists-or-other-people-who-can-be-very/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [As it turns out, one of the biggest choices we have doing the show is deciding the tangents we are allowed to take, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/as-it-turns-out-one-of-the-biggest-choices-we-have-doing-the-show-is/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [One of our neighbors is a salami distributor, and they pretty well - I mean, we used their salami to make a rocket engine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/one-of-our-neighbors-is-a-salami-distributor-and-they-pretty-well-i/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) > [Algae are such basic, simple organisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-hyneman/algae-are-such-basic-simple-organisms/) [Jamie Hyneman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) [Explore all 133 Jamie Hyneman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-hyneman/) ## More Preconceptions quotes > [More than anyone, I am aware of the preconceptions. I was a Spice Girl. I'm married to a footballer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-beckham/more-than-anyone-i-am-aware-of-the-preconceptions-i-was-a-spice-girl/) [Victoria Beckham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-beckham/) > [I don't have anything to say in any picture. My only interest in photography is to see what something looks like as a photograph.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-winogrand/i-don-t-have-anything-to-say-in-any-picture-my-only-interest-in/) [Garry Winogrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-winogrand/) > [SF has at least the advantage of not depending on preconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sf-has-at-least-the-advantage-of-not-depending-on-preconceptions/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“...you cannot enter into an investigation with a philosophy that dictates the outcome. Objectivity is paramount; this is the first principle of detective work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-enter-into-an-investigation-with-a-philosophy-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The scientific attitude of mind involves a sweeping away of all other desires in the interests of the desire to know-it involves suppression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-scientific-attitude-of-mind-involves-a-sweeping-away-of-all-other/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [At its best, travel should challenge our preconceptions and most cherished views, cause us to rethink our assumptions, shake us a bit, make us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-frommer/at-its-best-travel-should-challenge-our-preconceptions-and-most/) [Arthur Frommer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-frommer/) > [Changing people's preconceptions is something you have to do in order to search for truth. Of course normally, that's not done because it also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiang-wen/changing-people-s-preconceptions-is-something-you-have-to-do-in-order/) [Jiang Wen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiang-wen/) > [A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/a-function-of-free-speech-under-our-system-of-government-is-to-invite/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Soon the child’s clear eye is clouded over by ideas and opinions, preconceptions, and abstractions. Simple free being becomes encrusted with the burdensome armor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-matthiessen/soon-the-child-s-clear-eye-is-clouded-over-by-ideas-and-opinions/) [Peter Matthiessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-matthiessen/) > [It's completely different, for instance, to report on poor farmers in Africa than it is to report on, say, poor African-Americans. The familiarity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-finnegan/it-s-completely-different-for-instance-to-report-on-poor-farmers-in/) [William Finnegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-finnegan/) > [The way to find out about our place in the universe is by examining the universe and by examining ourselves - without preconceptions, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/the-way-to-find-out-about-our-place-in-the-universe-is-by-examining/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [It is only when people begin to shake loose from their preconceptions, from the ideas that have dominated them, that we begin to receive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/it-is-only-when-people-begin-to-shake-loose-from-their-preconceptions/) [Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/) > [Like this gas tank, you are overflowing with preconceptions, full of useless knowledge. You hold many facts and opinions, yet know little of yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/like-this-gas-tank-you-are-overflowing-with-preconceptions-full-of/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [You're never going to get beyond other people's preconceptions of what you are and what you're about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/you-re-never-going-to-get-beyond-other-people-s-preconceptions-of/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [I am silver and exact.I have no preconceptions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-am-silver-and-exact-i-have-no-preconceptions/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) [Browse all 163 Preconceptions quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceptions/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's the results that are surprising, even results where we've totally screwed up, and then learned something in the process, are the ones that stand out. 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