--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We don't know where we get our ideas…" description: "\"We don't know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops.\" — John Cleese" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/john-cleese-1768_ideas_we-don-t-know-where-we-get-our-ideas-fro_2911742.jpg" --- # We don't know where we get our ideas from. What we do know… ![“We don't know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops.” quote by John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/john-cleese-1768_ideas_we-don-t-know-where-we-get-our-ideas-fro_2911742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/john-cleese-1768_ideas_we-don-t-know-where-we-get-our-ideas-fro_2911742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/john-cleese-1768_ideas_we-don-t-know-where-we-get-our-ideas-fro_2911742.jpg) > “We don't know where we get our ideas from. What we do know is that we do not get them from our laptops.” [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. Ideas arise from subconscious processes, not directly from devices. **In simple terms:** Ideas come from the mind, not laptops. Key Takeaway Trust intuition over tech. Themes creativity mind subconscious Mood curious reflective Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - writing - problem solving - brainstorming Key Concepts cognitive psychology idea generation Questions to Reflect On - How do you nurture hidden ideas? - Can technology aid subconscious creativity? A Different Perspective Ideas can be vague and hard to capture. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Laptops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laptops/) ## Related quotes > [I listen to everyone but I have my ideas... you know my ideas, my way of playing, and if I have to die by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quique-setien/i-listen-to-everyone-but-i-have-my-ideas-you-know-my-ideas-my-way-of/) [Quique Setien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quique-setien/) > [Ideas, we all know, are not born in people's heads. They begin somewhere out there, loose wisps of smoke swirling directionless in their search…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-couto/ideas-we-all-know-are-not-born-in-people-s-heads-they-begin-somewhere/) [Mia Couto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-couto/) > [“Money is not the first step to becoming a great achiever. Your ideas determine the cost you will need to pay. So if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/money-is-not-the-first-step-to-becoming-a-great-achiever-your-ideas/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A lot of the time, you need to find the right home for ideas. You know, sometimes you think 'oh this'd be a sitcom,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bailey/a-lot-of-the-time-you-need-to-find-the-right-home-for-ideas-you-know/) [Bill Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bailey/) > [There are some ideas that I know I have to try out before I find the right sound, before I find the right melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trentem-ller/there-are-some-ideas-that-i-know-i-have-to-try-out-before-i-find-the/) [Trentemøller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trentem-ller/) > [“Always explore new opportunities and ideas, you never know which will work for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/always-explore-new-opportunities-and-ideas-you-never-know-which-will/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I don't want to be one of these people who's like, "Man, I don't know where my ideas come from and I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rees/i-don-t-want-to-be-one-of-these-people-who-s-like-man-i-don-t-know/) [David Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rees/) > [The truth is, it is hard to know where ideas come from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/the-truth-is-it-is-hard-to-know-where-ideas-come-from/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) > [I know that some of the ideas that I have are not always going to be seen as a good idea by everybody but,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-rhodes/i-know-that-some-of-the-ideas-that-i-have-are-not-always-going-to-be/) [Brandi Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-rhodes/) > [Follow your instincts - you never know if your ideas will work out unless you try them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lulu-guinness/follow-your-instincts-you-never-know-if-your-ideas-will-work-out/) Lulu Guinness > [One of the most common questions writers are asked is "Where do you get your ideas?" But the sad truth is, we don't know.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-westerfeld/one-of-the-most-common-questions-writers-are-asked-is-where-do-you/) [Scott Westerfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-westerfeld/) > [I don't really know where my ideas come from. I start with a time and a place. That's what I need to get started,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-don-t-really-know-where-my-ideas-come-from-i-start-with-a-time-and/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [We all know our ideas can be crazy, but are they crazy enough?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobi-yamada/we-all-know-our-ideas-can-be-crazy-but-are-they-crazy-enough/) [Kobi Yamada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobi-yamada/) > [People must know that their ideas will be listened to and, if they have merit, acted upon. If they do, it is possible to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-champy/people-must-know-that-their-ideas-will-be-listened-to-and-if-they/) [James A. Champy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-champy/) > [Sometimes you do know where the ideas are coming from and sometimes you don't. You might get a song coming through that you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-morrison/sometimes-you-do-know-where-the-ideas-are-coming-from-and-sometimes/) [Van Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-morrison/) ## 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 Ideas quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [I know for my wife and I, we always loved the idea of being young parents. It is an incredibly inspiring and challenging job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hanson/i-know-for-my-wife-and-i-we-always-loved-the-idea-of-being-young/) [Taylor Hanson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hanson/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [It revealed a cruelty that really made one wonder if the universe was such a good idea after all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lindsay/it-revealed-a-cruelty-that-really-made-one-wonder-if-the-universe-was/) [Jeff Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lindsay/) > [Sometimes it's just enough for me to have the idea. I don't need to see it through to the end. When it actually happens,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/sometimes-it-s-just-enough-for-me-to-have-the-idea-i-don-t-need-to/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [But I already saw no great difference between the psyche and spirituality. To amass knowledge without becoming wise is not my idea of progress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/but-i-already-saw-no-great-difference-between-the-psyche-and/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I am not the avant-garde. I am the artist who comes after the advancing guard. I am more concerned with continuity of ideas and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-oliveira/i-am-not-the-avant-garde-i-am-the-artist-who-comes-after-the/) [Nathan Oliveira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-oliveira/) > [What is music? Music is language. A human being wants to express ideas in this language, but not ideas that can be translated into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-webern/what-is-music-music-is-language-a-human-being-wants-to-express-ideas/) [Anton Webern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-webern/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) [Browse all 24,908 Ideas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We don't know where we get our ideas from. 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