--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Trying new things constantly and then…" description: "\"“Trying new things constantly and then abandoning them without further study or work is not iterating. That’s flailing.”\" — Laura Klein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/laura-klein-103376_flailing_trying-new-things-constantly-and-then-ab_2601650.jpg" --- # Trying new things constantly and then abandoning them… ![“Trying new things constantly and then abandoning them without further study or work is not iterating. That’s flailing.” quote by Laura Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/laura-klein-103376_flailing_trying-new-things-constantly-and-then-ab_2601650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/laura-klein-103376_flailing_trying-new-things-constantly-and-then-ab_2601650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f17/laura-klein-103376_flailing_trying-new-things-constantly-and-then-ab_2601650.jpg) > ““Trying new things constantly and then abandoning them without further study or work is not iterating. That’s flailing.”” Laura Klein ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Iterating requires depth, not endless shallow attempts that are abandoned. **In simple terms:** Focus, not constant new starts. Key Takeaway Commit before moving on. Themes productivity focus iteration Mood critical pragmatic Type Flailing:1 New things:1 Trying:1 Trying new things:1 Trying New:0 Iterating Flailing:1 Constantly Abandoning:1 When to use this quote - startup development - personal skill building - creative projects Key Concepts design thinking learning cycles Questions to Reflect On - When should you stop a project? - How to balance iteration and completion? A Different Perspective Abandoning may be necessary for growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flailing/) [New things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-things/) [Trying new things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-new-things/) ## Related quotes > [Don't let fear or insecurity stop you from trying new things. Believe in yourself. Do what you love. And most importantly, be kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-london/don-t-let-fear-or-insecurity-stop-you-from-trying-new-things-believe/) [Stacy London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-london/) > [Playing with decks, for me, has always been about trying new things. I make it a point to keep trying different things, keep pushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/playing-with-decks-for-me-has-always-been-about-trying-new-things-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every day I look forward to getting with my instruments, trying new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-hampton/every-day-i-look-forward-to-getting-with-my-instruments-trying-new/) [Lionel Hampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-hampton/) > [You have to force yourself to give up and to move onto something else. That's the way you grow as a writer, by trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-iagnemma/you-have-to-force-yourself-to-give-up-and-to-move-onto-something-else/) [Karl Iagnemma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-iagnemma/) > [I'm always moving forward and trying new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-redford/i-m-always-moving-forward-and-trying-new-things/) [Robert Redford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-redford/) > [I think my interest in risk is pretty high, a lot higher than I think a lot of other people who are just looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gordon-green/i-think-my-interest-in-risk-is-pretty-high-a-lot-higher-than-i-think/) [David Gordon Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gordon-green/) > [I would love to open up my horizons. I love trying new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gigi-gorgeous/i-would-love-to-open-up-my-horizons-i-love-trying-new-things/) [Gigi Gorgeous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gigi-gorgeous/) > [I want to be someone who takes risks but also stays engaged by trying new things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susanna-fogel/i-want-to-be-someone-who-takes-risks-but-also-stays-engaged-by-trying/) [Susanna Fogel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susanna-fogel/) > [I love that because that's what I'm supposed to be doing - whether it's accepted b everybody or not. I'm supposed to be pushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-z/i-love-that-because-that-s-what-i-m-supposed-to-be-doing-whether-it-s/) [Jay-Z](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-z/) > [Obviously, you want to honour the sound of your music, but I'm definitely open to trying new things and making myself use a different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washed-out/obviously-you-want-to-honour-the-sound-of-your-music-but-i-m/) [Washed Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washed-out/) > [Just go for it. Don't be afraid of trying new things. You have absolutely no idea what's going to present itself to you. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-smith/just-go-for-it-don-t-be-afraid-of-trying-new-things-you-have/) [Phyllis Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-smith/) > [One of the things that always was Fall Out Boy was trying new things and kind of pushing ourselves in different directions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-stump/one-of-the-things-that-always-was-fall-out-boy-was-trying-new-things/) [Patrick Stump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-stump/) > [“Be spontaneous! When was the last time you did something completely out of character? You have to open yourself to trying new things, especially…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-spontaneous-when-was-the-last-time-you-did-something-completely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being myself and trusting my creativity... that's something I pride myself on, being this out-of-the-box player and trying new things. Because when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinity-rodman/being-myself-and-trusting-my-creativity-that-s-something-i-pride/) [Trinity Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinity-rodman/) > [I've been a freelancer my whole life. It's sort of been my ethos that wherever something takes me, it takes me, so, that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/njena-reddd-foxxx/i-ve-been-a-freelancer-my-whole-life-it-s-sort-of-been-my-ethos-that/) Njena Reddd Foxxx ## More by Laura Klein > [“Here is the worst possible way for you to try to figure out if your idea solves somebody’s problem: Ask them. The vast majority…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-klein/here-is-the-worst-possible-way-for-you-to-try-to-figure-out-if-your/) Laura Klein Explore all 2 Laura Klein quotes ## More Flailing quotes > [Everyone is flailing through this life without an owner's manual, with whatever modicum of grace and good humor we can manage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/everyone-is-flailing-through-this-life-without-an-owner-s-manual-with/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [We are dying of preconceptions, outworn rules, decaying flags, venomous religions, and sentimentalities. We need a new world. We've wrenched up all the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-winslow-johnson/we-are-dying-of-preconceptions-outworn-rules-decaying-flags-venomous/) [Josephine Winslow Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-winslow-johnson/) > [Scientists will eventually stop flailing around with solar power and focus their efforts on harnessing the only truly unlimited source of energy on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-adams/scientists-will-eventually-stop-flailing-around-with-solar-power-and/) [Scott Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-adams/) > [The funeral is a quiet one, despite the number of mourners present. There are no sobs or flailing handkerchiefs. There is a smattering of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/the-funeral-is-a-quiet-one-despite-the-number-of-mourners-present/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [She was like a drowning person, flailing, reaching for anything that might save her. Her life was an urgent, desperate struggle to justify her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/she-was-like-a-drowning-person-flailing-reaching-for-anything-that/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“I haven’t had writer’s block. I think it’s because my process involves writing very badly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/i-haven-t-had-writer-s-block-i-think-it-s-because-my-process-involves/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [I'd consider myself a flailing comedy writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-walker/i-d-consider-myself-a-flailing-comedy-writer/) [Benjamin Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-walker/) > [“watching a man in an immaculate designer suit flailing his arms like a baby bird, trying to catch his balance before his chair flipped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-scott/watching-a-man-in-an-immaculate-designer-suit-flailing-his-arms-like/) [J.S. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-scott/) > [The man doesn’t want me messing with it and, no offense, I wouldn’t anger him. I’ve seen what he can do and it’s the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/the-man-doesn-t-want-me-messing-with-it-and-no-offense-i-wouldn-t/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There's a lot of Hollywood bullshit about flying. I mean, look at the movies about test pilots or fighter pilots who face imminent death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-olds/there-s-a-lot-of-hollywood-bullshit-about-flying-i-mean-look-at-the/) [Robin Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-olds/) > [Action is basically a reaction against loss of balance - a flailing of the arms to to regain one's balance. To dispose a soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/action-is-basically-a-reaction-against-loss-of-balance-a-flailing-of/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [And in the city on all sides, the howling of the Hounds rose in an ear-shattering, soul-flailing crescendo. The Lord of Death had arrived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-erikson/and-in-the-city-on-all-sides-the-howling-of-the-hounds-rose-in-an-ear/) [Steven Erikson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-erikson/) > [We all know what flopping is when we see it. The stuff that you see is where guys aren't really getting hit at all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kobe-bryant/we-all-know-what-flopping-is-when-we-see-it-the-stuff-that-you-see-is/) [Kobe Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kobe-bryant/) > [“I turn around and see Taylor heading toward us. Over her shoulder I spot a guy's legs flailing in the air. Keg stand. Jealous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-scott/i-turn-around-and-see-taylor-heading-toward-us-over-her-shoulder-i/) [Victoria Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-scott/) > [Capitalism now seems more likely a swamp, a bog, a quicksand in which humanity is presently flailing about, unable to extricate itself, perhaps doomed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/capitalism-now-seems-more-likely-a-swamp-a-bog-a-quicksand-in-which/) [Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/) [Browse all 36 Flailing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flailing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Trying new things constantly and then abandoning them without further study or work is not iterating. 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