--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That's the tricky thing these days: being…" description: "\"That's the tricky thing these days: being able to surprise people.\" — Joseph Kosinski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg" --- # That's the tricky thing these days: being able to surprise… ![“That's the tricky thing these days: being able to surprise people.” quote by Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg) > “That's the tricky thing these days: being able to surprise people.” [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Surprising people requires creativity and timing, breaking expectations to capture attention and spark curiosity. **In simple terms:** Surprise needs creative timing. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected ideas. Themes creativity surprise innovation Mood playful curious Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - marketing campaigns - product launches - public speaking - storytelling - teaching Key Concepts novelty anticipation engagement Questions to Reflect On - When is surprise most effective? - How do you gauge audience readiness? A Different Perspective Surprises can backfire if they clash with audience expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) ## Related quotes > [A novel is a tricky thing to map.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reif-larsen/a-novel-is-a-tricky-thing-to-map/) [Reif Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reif-larsen/) > [“And that's the tricky thing about life, really, that the things we want most will kill us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-tricky-thing-about-life-really-that-the-things-we-want/) [Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/) > [Being in adverts, it's a tricky thing, I suppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-chatto/being-in-adverts-it-s-a-tricky-thing-i-suppose/) [Grace Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-chatto/) > [Success is a tricky mistress. It's nice to have but it's a tricky thing to embrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/success-is-a-tricky-mistress-it-s-nice-to-have-but-it-s-a-tricky/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [Chemistry's a tricky thing, and if I'm not feeling it, I'm not gonna pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-sullivan/chemistry-s-a-tricky-thing-and-if-i-m-not-feeling-it-i-m-not-gonna/) [Faith Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-sullivan/) > [“Trust is a tricky thing. It can bite you hard when you least expect it to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steph-campbell/trust-is-a-tricky-thing-it-can-bite-you-hard-when-you-least-expect-it/) [Steph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steph-campbell/) > [It's always a tricky thing, trying to make aid sustainable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liya-kebede/it-s-always-a-tricky-thing-trying-to-make-aid-sustainable/) [Liya Kebede](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liya-kebede/) > [“... Grief is a tricky thing, and it doesn't always manifest in the way we expect it to.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-finn/grief-is-a-tricky-thing-and-it-doesn-t-always-manifest-in-the-way-we/) [Elizabeth Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-finn/) > [Planning a career, I always find that such a tricky thing, because I don't have much of a plan, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/planning-a-career-i-always-find-that-such-a-tricky-thing-because-i/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) > [The tricky thing becomes: Do you know yourself well enough to then portray that on screen? And for me, I find that really hard.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-edgerton/the-tricky-thing-becomes-do-you-know-yourself-well-enough-to-then/) [Joel Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-edgerton/) > [Success, in whatever form it takes, is a tricky thing - once you've achieved your goal, then what? Where do you aim?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arabella-weir/success-in-whatever-form-it-takes-is-a-tricky-thing-once-you-ve/) [Arabella Weir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arabella-weir/) > [Advice is such a tricky thing when you're young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jena-malone/advice-is-such-a-tricky-thing-when-you-re-young/) [Jena Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jena-malone/) > [The tricky thing about being a writer, or about being any kind of artist, is that in addition to making art you also have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-patchett/the-tricky-thing-about-being-a-writer-or-about-being-any-kind-of/) [Ann Patchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-patchett/) > [“Love was a tricky thing, a word to describe something that for most intents was indescribable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-forbes/love-was-a-tricky-thing-a-word-to-describe-something-that-for-most/) [M.R. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-forbes/) > [Planning a career, I always find a tricky thing, because I don't have much of a plan, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-bale/planning-a-career-i-always-find-a-tricky-thing-because-i-don-t-have/) [Christian Bale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-bale/) ## More by Joseph Kosinski > [I'm a huge electronic-music fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-m-a-huge-electronic-music-fan/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [ Tom \[Cruise\] is a great producer himself. He's got great sense of story. It's always great to have the perspective of the person who's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/tom-cruise-is-a-great-producer-himself-he-s-got-great-sense-of-story/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [I don't think every movie should be made in 3-D, and it should depend on whether it's one of these films that's more immersive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-don-t-think-every-movie-should-be-made-in-3-d-and-it-should-depend/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [Listen, whatever makes the movie better. That's the attitude you have to have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/listen-whatever-makes-the-movie-better-that-s-the-attitude-you-have/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [You won't believe how many people have congratulated me around the world for shooting a movie in 2D. It's bizarre. It's the strangest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/you-won-t-believe-how-many-people-have-congratulated-me-around-the/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [I think some people are under the impression that you can simply just shoot it on blue, and then it's all done in post.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-think-some-people-are-under-the-impression-that-you-can-simply-just/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [Obviously, there are lots of lessons to be learned on a first movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/obviously-there-are-lots-of-lessons-to-be-learned-on-a-first-movie/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [I think that while you're making the film it's important to just keep your eye on the ball and make the best movie you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-think-that-while-you-re-making-the-film-it-s-important-to-just-keep/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [The movies I make and my interests are always about pushing the technology as far as we can in support of telling great stories…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/the-movies-i-make-and-my-interests-are-always-about-pushing-the/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [For me the Blu-ray version is kind of the definitive version of the movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/for-me-the-blu-ray-version-is-kind-of-the-definitive-version-of-the/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [But I grew up in a place where no one knew anyone in the entertainment business, I never knew it was an actual career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/but-i-grew-up-in-a-place-where-no-one-knew-anyone-in-the/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [But the script's got to be at a level that makes it worth going back for, because it's a lot of work to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/but-the-script-s-got-to-be-at-a-level-that-makes-it-worth-going-back/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [The idea itself, the notion of what the next Tron could be, is exciting enough that it would be worth going back to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/the-idea-itself-the-notion-of-what-the-next-tron-could-be-is-exciting/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [I always say, 'If you're planning on seeing our movie, don't look at any more of the materials.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-always-say-if-you-re-planning-on-seeing-our-movie-don-t-look-at-any/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) > [I grew up in a place where no one knew anyone in the entertainment business, I never knew it was an actual career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/i-grew-up-in-a-place-where-no-one-knew-anyone-in-the-entertainment/) [Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) [Explore all 53 Joseph Kosinski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "That's the tricky thing these days: being able to surprise people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Kosinski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being-able-to-surprise-people/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Able" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being-able-to-surprise-people/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/90c/joseph-kosinski-12770_able_that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being_3099938.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That's the tricky thing these days: being able to surprise people.” — Joseph Kosinski", "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": "Joseph Kosinski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "That's the tricky thing these days:...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being-able-to-surprise-people/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/that-s-the-tricky-thing-these-days-being-able-to-surprise-people/#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 } } ] } ```