--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've long ago learned that if an idea…" description: "\"I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its own, it'll stand having the light shone on it. But if you shine light on it and it kind of with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/john-fogerty-10725_creativity_i-ve-long-ago-learned-that-if-an-idea-wi_215697.jpg" --- # I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its… ![“I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its own, it'll stand having the light shone on it. But if you shine light on it and it kind of withers, then it probably wasn't a very good idea.” quote by John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/john-fogerty-10725_creativity_i-ve-long-ago-learned-that-if-an-idea-wi_215697.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/john-fogerty-10725_creativity_i-ve-long-ago-learned-that-if-an-idea-wi_215697.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/25b/john-fogerty-10725_creativity_i-ve-long-ago-learned-that-if-an-idea-wi_215697.jpg) > “I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its own, it'll stand having the light shone on it. But if you shine light on it and it kind of withers, then it probably wasn't a very good idea.” [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideas that survive scrutiny shine; those that wilt under examination are weak. **In simple terms:** Strong ideas endure scrutiny. Key Takeaway Test ideas openly for strength. Themes critical thinking idea validation intellectual honesty creativity Mood analytical encouraging Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - research projects - product development - academic peer review Key Concepts philosophy of science innovation Questions to Reflect On - How do you distinguish a weak idea from a nascent one? - What processes help improve ideas under scrutiny? A Different Perspective Some ideas need refinement, not rejection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Creativity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Long ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-ago/) [Shining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shining/) ## Related quotes > [“After all, if an idea could not stand up to a serious challenge, then it was never a very good idea in the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-j-caterino/after-all-if-an-idea-could-not-stand-up-to-a-serious-challenge-then/) [James J. Caterino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-j-caterino/) > [At school any spontaneous act was likely to get me into trouble. I learned never to act on impulse, and that whatever came into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-johnstone/at-school-any-spontaneous-act-was-likely-to-get-me-into-trouble-i/) [Keith Johnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-johnstone/) > [This is not what I thought physics was about when I started out: I learned that the idea is to explain nature in terms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-christian-von-baeyer/this-is-not-what-i-thought-physics-was-about-when-i-started-out-i/) [Hans Christian von Baeyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-christian-von-baeyer/) > [We are regularly in danger of having too light a view of our sin and also too light a grasp of what Jesus has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/we-are-regularly-in-danger-of-having-too-light-a-view-of-our-sin-and/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [You know the way trees break through the canopy in the rainforest and they go from having this tiny column of light to having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-collison/you-know-the-way-trees-break-through-the-canopy-in-the-rainforest-and/) [John Collison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-collison/) > [“You can always see a light around the hopeful people and darkness around the hopeless! And what better shield you can have than having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/you-can-always-see-a-light-around-the-hopeful-people-and-darkness/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“On this material plane, each living being is like a street lantern lamp with a dirty lampshade. The inside flame burns evenly and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/on-this-material-plane-each-living-being-is-like-a-street-lantern/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [Adolescence is like having only enough light to see the step directly in front of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-addison-allen/adolescence-is-like-having-only-enough-light-to-see-the-step-directly/) [Sarah Addison Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-addison-allen/) > [I came to New York in 1986. My father didn't think it was a good idea. I didn't know how I found it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francisco-costa/i-came-to-new-york-in-1986-my-father-didn-t-think-it-was-a-good-idea/) [Francisco Costa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francisco-costa/) > [I have one very basic rule when it comes to "good ideas". A good idea is not an idea that solves a problem cleanly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-have-one-very-basic-rule-when-it-comes-to-good-ideas-a-good-idea-is/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [The Constitution: it's not just a good idea, it's the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-badnarik/the-constitution-it-s-not-just-a-good-idea-it-s-the-law/) [Michael Badnarik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-badnarik/) > [Good ideas come from everywhere. It's more important to recognize a good idea than to author it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-gang/good-ideas-come-from-everywhere-it-s-more-important-to-recognize-a/) Jeanne Gang > [So when a good idea comes, you know, part of my job is to move it around, just see what different people think, get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/so-when-a-good-idea-comes-you-know-part-of-my-job-is-to-move-it/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It is a good idea for everyone who does not have contra-indications to receive a flu shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-johnson/it-is-a-good-idea-for-everyone-who-does-not-have-contra-indications/) [Amy Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-johnson/) > [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/) ## More by John Fogerty > [Even though I have often recorded alone, I still feel the best music is made by musicians playing off each other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/even-though-i-have-often-recorded-alone-i-still-feel-the-best-music/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Usually I just let my songs do the talking. As a matter of fact I have long had an aversion to celebrities endorsing politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/usually-i-just-let-my-songs-do-the-talking-as-a-matter-of-fact-i-have/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [What happens is, especially when I was writing for my band, Creedence, and it's the way I write now, I go into "guitar lick"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/what-happens-is-especially-when-i-was-writing-for-my-band-creedence/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [All the really great records or people who made them somehow came from Memphis or Louisiana or somewhere along the Mississippi River...And singers like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/all-the-really-great-records-or-people-who-made-them-somehow-came/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [And I now think that Stratocasters and Telecasters are way cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/and-i-now-think-that-stratocasters-and-telecasters-are-way-cool/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [It just seemed like all the records I have made since Creedence Clearwater Revival have all been sort of pushed off center. I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/it-just-seemed-like-all-the-records-i-have-made-since-creedence/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I stuck with that size because I could bend the strings so well, and somewhere along the line I must have gotten it into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-stuck-with-that-size-because-i-could-bend-the-strings-so-well-and/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I think at times the very strong feelings I have about my country coincide with my musical ability, and I'm able to actually turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-think-at-times-the-very-strong-feelings-i-have-about-my-country/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [Let the people know my wisdom, fill the land with smoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/let-the-people-know-my-wisdom-fill-the-land-with-smoke/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [When I'm standing at the Pearly Gates, I want to say to God, 'Don't look at the records. Look at my family. I'm much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/when-i-m-standing-at-the-pearly-gates-i-want-to-say-to-god-don-t-look/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I ain't got no time for a Caribbean cruise, just give me a song and a beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-ain-t-got-no-time-for-a-caribbean-cruise-just-give-me-a-song-and-a/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I'm now comfortable playing a lot of the old songs, and I've gotten out a lot of the old equipment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-m-now-comfortable-playing-a-lot-of-the-old-songs-and-i-ve-gotten/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [With the Michael Moore movie, certain conservative talk show hosts call him un-American. Him and anybody else who says anything about the war... To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/with-the-michael-moore-movie-certain-conservative-talk-show-hosts/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [The only sliding I did was on the kind of instrument that you put on your lap; no Spanish electrics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/the-only-sliding-i-did-was-on-the-kind-of-instrument-that-you-put-on/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) > [I've also become much more the musician I've always wanted to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fogerty/i-ve-also-become-much-more-the-musician-i-ve-always-wanted-to-be/) [John Fogerty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) [Explore all 64 John Fogerty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fogerty/) ## More Creativity quotes > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [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/) > [“The Soviet “creative intelligentsia” - that is, people accustomed to thinking one thing, saying another and doing a third - is as a whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrei-amalrik/the-soviet-creative-intelligentsia-that-is-people-accustomed-to/) Andrei Amalrik > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [You don't get lucky. You create lucky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sharma/you-don-t-get-lucky-you-create-lucky/) [Robin Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sharma/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [“You are the end of beauty and creativity one must have created so far.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/you-are-the-end-of-beauty-and-creativity-one-must-have-created-so-far/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“I believe in magic. As a writer, I create them on blank paper.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonnia-kemmer/i-believe-in-magic-as-a-writer-i-create-them-on-blank-paper/) [Sonnia Kemmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonnia-kemmer/) > [Creativity is like chasing chickens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christoph-niemann/creativity-is-like-chasing-chickens/) Christoph Niemann > [It is proposed that a form of free dialogue may well be one of the most effective ways of investigating the crisis which faces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/it-is-proposed-that-a-form-of-free-dialogue-may-well-be-one-of-the/) [David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/) > [You always hear actors say, 'Theater is my first love,' and it is. It's a time when you really get to do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-landecker/you-always-hear-actors-say-theater-is-my-first-love-and-it-is-it-s-a/) [Amy Landecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-landecker/) > [Create an environment for people to fail, to learn, and to grow. Their creativity and productivity will increase.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/create-an-environment-for-people-to-fail-to-learn-and-to-grow-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 13,625 Creativity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creativity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've long ago learned that if an idea will stand on its own, it'll stand having the light shone on it. 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