--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you really don't know where to start…" description: "\"If you really don't know where to start or if you're stuck, start generating random connections and allow your intuition to tell you if one might lead ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg" --- # If you really don't know where to start or if you're… ![“If you really don't know where to start or if you're stuck, start generating random connections and allow your intuition to tell you if one might lead somewhere interesting.” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg) > “If you really don't know where to start or if you're stuck, start generating random connections and allow your intuition to tell you if one might lead somewhere interesting.” [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When stuck, create random associations and trust intuition to guide you toward promising ideas. **In simple terms:** Random connections can spark intuition and progress. Key Takeaway Use playful brainstorming to overcome blocks. Themes creativity intuition problem solving playfulness Mood energetic playful Type inspirational practical When to use this quote - writing - design - business strategy Key Concepts cognitive science innovation psychology Questions to Reflect On - What random link could spark your next breakthrough? - How do you decide which intuition to follow? A Different Perspective Randomness may lead to irrelevant ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Connections](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) [Intuition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intuition/) ## Related quotes > [Intuition will tell the thinking mind where to look next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-salk/intuition-will-tell-the-thinking-mind-where-to-look-next/) [Jonas Salk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-salk/) > [I use my intuition. I tell my students: use your brains, but also use another part of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-goldberg/i-use-my-intuition-i-tell-my-students-use-your-brains-but-also-use/) [Jim Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-goldberg/) > [Your intuition will tell you where you need to go; it will connect you with people you should meet; it will guide you toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakti-gawain/your-intuition-will-tell-you-where-you-need-to-go-it-will-connect-you/) [Shakti Gawain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakti-gawain/) > [Listen to your intuition. It will tell you everything you need to know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-j-d-angelo/listen-to-your-intuition-it-will-tell-you-everything-you-need-to-know/) [Anthony J. D'Angelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-j-d-angelo/) > [“Many people make their way through life acting as though they are ‘alone.’ They never progress beyond the lower realms of vibrational energy—and thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-barbara-apollon/many-people-make-their-way-through-life-acting-as-though-they-are/) [Susan Barbara Apollon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-barbara-apollon/) > [I allow my intuition to lead my path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-puig/i-allow-my-intuition-to-lead-my-path/) [Manuel Puig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-puig/) > [Living in intention through acceptance, responsibility, pro-active choice, and the willingness to be ordinary, will move fear aside and allow intuition to surface. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/living-in-intention-through-acceptance-responsibility-pro-active/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [Allow your intuition (or spirit) to save you from heartache. Stop trying to change yourself for a relationship that's not meant to be. Slower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemmy-nola-http-wwwamoreloveforlifecom/allow-your-intuition-or-spirit-to-save-you-from-heartache-stop-trying/) Kemmy Nola Http://wwwamoreloveforlifecom > [Stop making excuses for someone's behavior, allow your intuition to save you from heartache.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/stop-making-excuses-for-someone-s-behavior-allow-your-intuition-to/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [If you persist in ignoring your intuition, you may find yourself stuck in a permanent holding pattern instead of taking the risks that lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/if-you-persist-in-ignoring-your-intuition-you-may-find-yourself-stuck/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [“Crucial decisions are made, today as thousands of years ago, in terms of the intuitive guesses and preferences of a few men in positions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/crucial-decisions-are-made-today-as-thousands-of-years-ago-in-terms/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) > [Although religion might be useful in developing a solid moral framework - and enforcing it - we can quite easily develop moral intuitions without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-winston/although-religion-might-be-useful-in-developing-a-solid-moral/) [Robert Winston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-winston/) > [The more that you act on your intuition fearlessly, the more your intuition will serve you. Intuition is the ear of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-more-that-you-act-on-your-intuition-fearlessly-the-more-your/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Sometimes I just have to follow my intuition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joachim-low/sometimes-i-just-have-to-follow-my-intuition/) [Joachim Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joachim-low/) > [“I've spent much of my life calling my intuition "something wrong with me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deanna-l-lawlis/i-ve-spent-much-of-my-life-calling-my-intuition-something-wrong-with/) Deanna L. Lawlis ## More by John Cleese > [Too many people confuse being serious with being solemn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/too-many-people-confuse-being-serious-with-being-solemn/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. Now what I am suggesting is that we've advanced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/years-ago-we-would-have-been-burned-for-this-now-what-i-am-suggesting/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think that sometimes you do something that makes a small group of people laugh, which is all we were trying to do; we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-that-sometimes-you-do-something-that-makes-a-small-group-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [The very essence of playfulness is an openness to anything that may happen, the feeling that whatever happens, it's okay... you're either free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/the-very-essence-of-playfulness-is-an-openness-to-anything-that-may/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Loving your neighbour as much as yourself is practically bloody impossible? You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Creativity is not the possession of some special talent. It’s about the willingness to play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/creativity-is-not-the-possession-of-some-special-talent-it-s-about/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [England is a fairly envious little country and it's embodied in the press. They don't like anyone being more distinguished than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/england-is-a-fairly-envious-little-country-and-it-s-embodied-in-the/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I used to desire many, many things, but now I have just one desire, and that's to get rid of all my other desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-used-to-desire-many-many-things-but-now-i-have-just-one-desire-and/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I think the hard thing for young comedians is that the majority of the young people in the audience out there don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-think-the-hard-thing-for-young-comedians-is-that-the-majority-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I wish you wusses would stop whining about your unhappiness. I'm really fed up with it. Pour yourself a scotch and pull yourself together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-wish-you-wusses-would-stop-whining-about-your-unhappiness-i-m/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [On movies, I like to involve the cast in the writing of the script. I like to have a rehearsal period, after which I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/on-movies-i-like-to-involve-the-cast-in-the-writing-of-the-script-i/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I had a very, very difficult relationship with my mother, who was supremely self-centred. She was hilariously self-centred. She did not really take interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-had-a-very-very-difficult-relationship-with-my-mother-who-was/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Nothing will stop you being creative more effectively as the fear of making a mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nothing-will-stop-you-being-creative-more-effectively-as-the-fear-of/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [I was very sad to hear of the death of Ronnie Barker, who was such a warm, friendly and encouraging presence to have when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-was-very-sad-to-hear-of-the-death-of-ronnie-barker-who-was-such-a/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) [Explore all 209 John Cleese quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) ## More Connections quotes > [I guess at it's very core love is connection that just makes so much sense you wonder how you used to live before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-stone/i-guess-at-it-s-very-core-love-is-connection-that-just-makes-so-much/) [Benjamin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-stone/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I wouldn't want to play a normal princess who always walks around in nice dresses. I never had a connection to it when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-stewart/i-wouldn-t-want-to-play-a-normal-princess-who-always-walks-around-in/) [Kristen Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-stewart/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If our homes should provide anything, they should provide a sense of who we are and how we got here, a sense of connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-conran/if-our-homes-should-provide-anything-they-should-provide-a-sense-of/) [Terence Conran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-conran/) > [No physiologist who calmly considers the question in connection with the general truths of his science, can long resist the conviction that different parts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/no-physiologist-who-calmly-considers-the-question-in-connection-with/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [I love using the latest technologies to make life more efficient, but I don't want to advocate that technology replaces the need to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-webb/i-love-using-the-latest-technologies-to-make-life-more-efficient-but/) [Maynard Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-webb/) > [Synchronicity reveals the meaningful connections between the subjective and objective world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/synchronicity-reveals-the-meaningful-connections-between-the/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [Half of the pleasure of painting and feeling the joy of the creative act is sharing it with others and the feeling of connection.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-genn/half-of-the-pleasure-of-painting-and-feeling-the-joy-of-the-creative/) [Sara Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-genn/) > [On the road, I try to maintain my connections with friends and family as much as I possibly can. That keeps me pretty grounded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-scaggs/on-the-road-i-try-to-maintain-my-connections-with-friends-and-family/) [Noelle Scaggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-scaggs/) > [I'm from California, but my father, who passed away when I was young, was from Newark. When I was kid, we would go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-daly/i-m-from-california-but-my-father-who-passed-away-when-i-was-young/) [Carson Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-daly/) > [I'm uninterested in superheroes. I am only interested in real stories, real people, real connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-lee-curtis/i-m-uninterested-in-superheroes-i-am-only-interested-in-real-stories/) [Jamie Lee Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-lee-curtis/) > [Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/souls-love-that-s-what-souls-do-egos-don-t-but-souls-do-become-a-soul/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) [Browse all 2,951 Connections quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connections/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you really don't know where to start or if you're stuck, start generating random connections and allow your intuition to tell you if one might lead somewhere interesting.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cleese" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start-or-if-you-re-stuck-start/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Connections" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start-or-if-you-re-stuck-start/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/472/john-cleese-1768_connections_if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start_291087.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you really don't know where to start or if you're stuck, start generating random connections and allow…” — John Cleese", "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": "John Cleese", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you really don't know where...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start-or-if-you-re-stuck-start/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/if-you-really-don-t-know-where-to-start-or-if-you-re-stuck-start/#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 } } ] } ```